Gov. Andrew Cuomo says construction has begun on a $2.1 million project to remove the Northumberland Street Bridge in the Town of Morristown, St. Lawrence County.
The bridge was damaged by flooding and has been closed since 2019. The project, which will be undertaken by St. Lawrence County as part of the Governor’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative, will enhance safety for boaters traversing Morristown Bay on the eastern side of the St. Lawrence River and increase opportunities for recreation and economic development in the region. It will also help protect the community’s supply of drinking water and prevent sewage discharges.
“The historic flooding along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River in 2019, left in its wake devastation to critical infrastructure,” Cuomo said in a statement. “Through REDI, the community has identified these assets and we are working hand in hand with local government to see these projects through, from conception to completion. New York State stands committed to ensuring the safety of its residents. We are reassessing and reimaging, so that we can build back better. When high water events occur in the future, our shoreline communities will be better prepared to weather the storm.”
The Northumberland Street Bridge is owned and maintained by St. Lawrence County. As part of the project, the county will remove the bridge structure and remove the fill within the causeway to improve its hydrologic connection. In addition, both the watermain and the sanitary sewer will be relocated to run under the bay.
In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Gov. Cuomo created REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region.
