Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Daniel P. Losquadro has announced the Town’s completion of a $316,000 comprehensive stormwater and flood-mitigation project in Center Moriches. Designed to support the natural infiltration of stormwater runoff and improve water quality in Old Neck Creek and the Forge River, the project enables stormwater infiltration at the end of Old Neck Road.
In 2018, the Town of Brookhaven received a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Climate Smart Communities Grant, which funded the development of a study assessing local conditions at the Town’s most vulnerable road ends. The assessment identified areas in greatest need of mitigation to improve resiliency and protect water quality along Brookhaven’s South Shore, Losquadro explained. Infrastructure was evaluated for vulnerability to sea-level rise, chronic flooding, and opportunities to reduce stormwater runoff impacts.
Old Neck Road was one of 15 road segments identified in the Town of Brookhaven’s Climate Smart South Shore Communities Plan as vulnerable and in need of mitigation.
Before the project’s completion, Old Neck Road was prone to flooding during extreme storm surges, acting as a conduit that allowed stormwater runoff to flow directly into Old Neck Creek. The road end abuts a sandy shoreline at the creek’s mouth, with a marina to the north and residential properties to the south.
Project improvements included removing a portion of the existing roadbed and replacing it with a bioretention area planted with native vegetation. A drainage swale was also installed along the road shoulder. Together, these features allow stormwater to infiltrate naturally, reducing runoff while improving water quality in the river system.
The project was completed under budget at $316,000. Fifty percent of the cost is eligible for reimbursement through Suffolk County’s Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program grant.
“In recent years, South Shore communities have been greatly impacted by large-scale storm events, resulting in significant damage to public assets,” Losquadro said. “My office will continue to actively pursue funding opportunities to facilitate important drainage projects such as this one.”