New York state officials recently announced the start of construction of a $12.2 million drainage project in the Town of Urbana – north of the Village of Hammondsport in Steuben County.
The effort along State Route 54A calls for the installation of new drainage and other enhancements as a means of bolstering the roadway’s ability to withstand heavy rains and aid in preventing the travel disruptions that have previously occurred there during severe weather.
“With climate change ushering in ever-more frequent severe weather events, we need to ensure our vital infrastructure is ready to withstand whatever Mother Nature has in store for us,” Hochul said. “This investment will help reduce the road closures and other travel headaches that have become all-too common on this key roadway.”
The project funding stems from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant, along with state funds.
The scope of work involved installing a five-mile-long, closed drainage system utilizing catch basins and corrugated lateral pipes to improve stormwater runoff and surface flows into Keuka Lake, according to the state.
State Route 54A runs along the west side of Keuka Lake and provides access to many popular destinations in the Finger Lakes Region.
The work is also slated to intercept groundwater in advance of the roadway, helping to fortify slope stability, with new curbing helping with stormwater flows.
“Gov. Hochul is committed to ensuring our upstate communities receive the investments that they deserve to make our transportation infrastructure more resilient and this project along Keuka Lake is proof of that commitment,” State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said.