$800K to Address Bronx River Flooding

Residents and commuters in Greenburgh will soon see less flooding along the thanks to a new restoration project the county has approved.

Today, Westcchester County Executive Robert Astorino announced that the county is moving forward with an $800,000 project to address flooding along the Bronx River.

The capital project will "restore more than three acres of wetlands and river banks in Greenburgh," Astorino said in a statement. "The bond act has been sent to the Board of Legislators for approval."

Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said he is pleased with the project's approval.

"Residents who live near the Bronx River have experienced significant flooding after recent storms," Feiner told Patch. "Any action steps the county takes that will address flooding problems is more than welcome. The action steps that the county will be taking won't solve all the flooding problems–that will cost much, more more. But, this is a positive step."

The project will ease flooding north of Fisher Lane and east of the Bronx River Parkway, on the Greenburgh/North White Plains border. The site is a part of the county-owned Bronx River Parkway Reservation.

According to Astorino, this site is one of seven projects that the administration "identified last year as part of a $9 million effort to address chronic flooding along the Bronx River and Sound Shore."

“It is important that we target achievable projects in problem areas in order to reduce and prevent future flooding,” Astorino said. “The causes of flooding in this county are a result of many complex factors that cannot be fixed overnight or without significant capital investments beyond the means of the county. But the county can and must continue to do whatever it can on its own to address this problem.” 

According to the county, the flood repair work is set to include:

• Removal of invasive and non-native plants in the wetlands and along the river;
• Replacement of existing, problem culverts with larger, more technologically advanced culverts;
• Excavation of shallow swales and depressions within the wetlands;
• Regrading and stabilization of river banks;
• Replanting wetlands and shorelines with native vegetation.

According to Astorino, two additional flood mitigation projects in the works, with partial funding from the county are:

• Larchmont: Drainage improvements along Pine Brook at the Boston Post Road (Route 1) crossing. Cost estimate to county $2.3 million; awaiting a revised cost estimate from village.
• New Rochelle: Hutchinson River culvert replacement. Cost estimate to county $2.5 million; awaiting word from the city as to how and when they want to proceed on design as well as the municipalities that will participate (Scarsdale and Eastchester.)

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