The roads along the shoreline of Mastic Beach will be a lot drier the next time heavy rains or coastal storms strike, thanks to the completion of a $1.9 million stormwater and flood mitigation project designed to improve drainage while restoring natural wetlands.
Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Daniel P. Losquadro announced the completion of the project along Riviera Drive, adjacent to the Mastic Beach Marina. The work redirects stormwater into a newly created natural retention area while adding back-flow preventers to outfalls along the marina to keep tidal waters from flowing back into neighborhood streets.
As part of the project, the Town of Brookhaven acquired three wetland parcels to create the retention area and restore natural marsh functions that act as a buffer against flooding. Riviera Drive, along with portions of Elm Road, Lakeview Drive, Orchid Drive, Dogwood Road and Woodland Drive, were fully restored after construction.
The drainage improvements are one component of the Town’s larger 147-acre coastal resilience initiative, which includes a voluntary buyout program for homes located in high-risk flood zones.
“Managed retreat, or the strategy of moving human infrastructure away from the advancing ocean, will be unavoidable in the future,” Losquadro said. “While the Town has launched a deliberate program of retreat for residents of flood-prone areas in Mastic Beach, this project will restore wetlands as a buffer for those who remain.”
Assemblyman Joe DeStefano praised the project, saying residents have struggled with flooding and storm damage for years.
“This project is a smart investment that helps protect homes, improves public safety, and strengthens the community’s resilience against future storms,” DeStefano said. He also commended Losquadro, Chief Deputy Superintendent Steve Tricarico and the Town for delivering “a solution that addresses a longstanding problem.”
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico said drainage improvements remain one of the Town’s highest priorities.
“As we concentrate on the core services of town government, necessary drainage work is at the top of the list and a critical function of the highway department,” Panico said.
Councilwoman Karen Dunne Kesnig said preserving wetlands today will help protect both residents and the shoreline for years to come.