OSWEGO, N.Y. — Crews have completed a project at the Port of Oswego that addressed high-water damage to the north end of the Port Authority’s east operating dock.
That dock is located directly on Lake Ontario and “highly susceptible” to wave action and flooding, the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Friday.
During high-water events, the existing stone retaining wall failed to break waves, resulting in a breach of the wall and direct undercutting of the main dock.
The project is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI).
It’s the third of five projects awarded to the Port Authority of Oswego.
The REDI Commission awarded $300,000 for the project focused on the east operating dock. In total, the Port Authority of Oswego has been awarded $2,310,000 for five resiliency projects, DOT said.
“The completion of work on the East Operating Dock will ensure the safety of our employees and ensure that the vital work that we do here continues without interruption,” Bill Scriber, director of the Port of Oswego Authority, said.
Mitigation measures for the east operating dock project included installing a cellular steel sheeting wall to break high-water wave action in the impacted area, protecting the north end of the dock.
The Port of Oswego is an international port, which supports nearly 120 vessels, allowing more than 1 million tons of cargo to pass through the port each year. The preservation of the east operating dock is key to the economic vitality of the Port of Oswego Authority, the DOT said.
The project will “protect the integrity” of the dock, ensuring continued operation and maintaining public safety. Additional REDI funded projects at the Port Authority are anticipated to continue this year, per the department.
About REDI
In response to the “extended pattern” of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Cuomo created REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and “bolster” economic development in the region.
Five REDI regional planning committees, comprised of representatives from eight counties (Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence) were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public-safety concerns. The committees include representatives from those eight counties.