In the summers of 2017 and 2019, Lake Ontario's water levels rose to historic highs, flooding the shoreline communities of Monroe County, closing roads, damaging homes, and forcing emergency evacuations. The economic and personal toll on Webster, Greece, Irondequoit, and other lakeside towns was significant -- and local officials warned that without structural changes to shoreline infrastructure, the cycle would repeat.

New York State responded with a targeted construction program. Through its Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI) -- a $300 million statewide commitment to flood-proofing Lake Ontario communities -- the state directed nearly $2.5 million to three specific projects in the Town of Webster, Monroe County: the realignment and elevation of Lake Road, flood mitigation improvements at Sandbar Park, and an upgrade to Sandbar Park's wastewater pump station.

Lake Road: Raising the Only Access Route

The most consequential of the three projects is the Lake Road reconstruction. Lake Road serves as the sole means of access to more than 70 homes and local businesses in the western end of Webster's shoreline zone. During the 2017 and 2019 flood events, the road flooded entirely -- cutting off residents, blocking emergency responders, and triggering significant property damage that could not be addressed while the road was impassable.

The DEC construction announcement describes the project as the re-alignment and elevation of approximately 2,000 linear feet of Lake Road, combined with the installation of 2,700 linear feet of closed drainage with outlets to Irondequoit Bay. The $1.5 million REDI-funded project eliminates the road's vulnerability to storm surges and high lake levels by physically moving and raising the roadway surface, while the new closed drainage system handles stormwater volumes that the previous infrastructure could not manage.

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello cited the 2017 and 2019 events as the direct catalyst for the investment. "The financial impact that had on so many of our residents, businesses, and of course those who come to enjoy the lake, we cannot let that happen again," Bello told 13WHAM.

Sandbar Park: Flood Wall and Living Shoreline

The second project, funded at $748,000 through REDI, addresses Sandbar Park -- a town-owned waterfront park on Lake Road with direct access to both Lake Ontario and Irondequoit Bay that draws visitors from across the region. The flood mitigation work includes the installation of a living shoreline stabilization system and a masonry flood wall. The living shoreline component uses natural materials -- rock, vegetation, and shoreline plantings -- to absorb wave energy and reduce erosion, while the masonry flood wall provides a hardened barrier against high-water events.

The park work is complemented by a separate $2.4 million Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) grant that funded public recreation improvements, trail connections, and community amenities at Sandbar Park. The LWRP investment was designed to run in parallel with the REDI flood protection work, so that once the park is protected from flooding it also becomes a significantly upgraded public space.

The Wastewater Pump Station

The third project -- a $250,000 upgrade to the Sandbar Park wastewater pump station -- addressed a direct public health vulnerability. The pump station, which handles wastewater from the park and surrounding area, was prone to inundation during high-water events. A flooded pump station can cause sewage to back up into the surrounding environment, creating public health hazards and environmental contamination in and around Lake Ontario and Irondequoit Bay.

The upgrade raises the station's operational resilience during future flooding events, ensuring that wastewater processing continues even when lake levels are elevated. This type of hardening work -- upgrading pump stations, lift stations, and related water/sewer infrastructure -- is one of the primary focuses of New York State's REDI program across all 15 Lake Ontario shoreline counties.

Part of a Much Larger Statewide Program

The Webster projects are part of a far larger REDI construction effort. According to Monroe County Executive Bello, more than 130 similar local and regional projects are already underway across the Lake Ontario shoreline, with 35 already completed. The state's $300 million REDI commitment covers shoreline resiliency work from the St. Lawrence River to Lake Erie, with Monroe County -- home to the largest concentration of lakefront residential development in the region -- receiving a significant share of the investment.

For construction contractors in the region, this wave of shoreline resiliency work represents a sustained pipeline of civil and infrastructure projects: road reconstruction, utility installation, coastal engineering, masonry flood wall construction, and drainage system design and installation. The Lake Road project alone requires a combination of earthwork and grading, closed drainage pipe installation, asphalt paving, and drainage outlet work to Irondequoit Bay -- all within a constrained shoreline corridor where staging and access are challenging.

As climate projections continue to forecast more frequent and more severe high-water events on the Great Lakes, the investments being made today in Webster and across the Monroe County shoreline are likely to set a template for a second and third wave of REDI-style construction in the years ahead.

Sources

NYS DEC: Start of Construction on Flood Resiliency Projects in Webster, Monroe County, April 2022
NYS Department of State: DEC Announces Start of Construction on Flood Resiliency Projects in Webster
13WHAM: Lake Road Near Lake Ontario Will Be Raised and Realigned to Prevent Future Flooding