Bridges on Oakland Avenue and Playland Parkway to be Replaced as Part of $21M in Green Infrastructure Projects Announced by State

On Wednesday, June 25, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Westchester County, and other officials gathered at Jay Heritage Center to announce $21 million to support flood protection in Westchester County. The funding is provided through the ‘Restoration and Flood Risk’ category of the historic $4.2 billion Clean Air, Clean Water and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022.

A portion of the $21 million will fund the replacement of two undersized bridges on Oakland Beach Avenue and Playland Parkway, as well as the restoration of flood-prone areas of the Blind Brook stream. The new bridges will be designed with wider clearances to allow better water flow during heavy rainfall and reduce upstream flooding. It was not immediately clear how much of the $21 million will be dedicated to the Rye projects and if local matching funds will be required, as is typical.

“The new bridges will help protect Rye from increasing flood risk caused by greater watershed development and intensifying storms,” said Rye Mayor Josh Cohn. “We are enormously grateful to all our partners in State and County government for this huge help.”

The City of Rye said in a statement that “this enormous contribution to Rye’s flood resiliency is the result of advocacy begun in 2019, advocacy that has borne fruit with the great help of Governor Hochul, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton, State Senator Shelley Mayer, Assemblyman Steve Otis and County Executive Ken Jenkins.” 

“Communities in Westchester are all too familiar with the devastating and deadly effects of storm surges and flash flooding,” said Governor Hochul on Wednesday. “That’s why New York is investing in projects that improve resiliency, advance sustainability and protect our residents from severe weather driven by climate change.”