Addressing longtime flooding on Cranford Drive, New City

By Supervisor George Hoehmann

After 30 years of talking about and planning for the Cranford Drive drainage project in New City, we finally broke ground on this momentous project. The project will alleviate flooding incidents that have plagued the area for years. The root of the problem was an error in the flood insurance mapping that occurred decades ago. During the course of a higher than average rainfall, flooding occurs with great regularity. When substantial weather events like Hurricane Floyd and Superstorm Sandy have occurred, it has been devastating the residents in the neighborhood.

This project is one of the best examples of all levels of government working together to help residents in need. The cost of the project is being shared between the Town of Clarkstown, Rockland County and the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR). The total cost of the project is $5,105,000 million, which will be funded by GOSR ($3 million) and Rockland County ($1 million), with the remainder being covered by the Town.

Thank you to Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator David Carlucci, Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski and Congresswoman Nita Lowey for their support of the project and assistance in moving it forward.

As the channel is reconfigured to improve stream flow, planting of various shrubs and trees will occur to further mitigate flooding through the use of natural resources. In addition to immediate flood mitigation, the goal of the project is also to enable the Town to seek a flooding map reclassification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) so area homeowners can realize savings in their home insurance premiums.

The residents of Cranford Drive and surrounding area will no longer have to fear future rain storms. Their property and homes will be protected from the flooding they have experienced for so many years in the past.

The Cranford Drive Drainage Improvement Project is set to be completed by late fall of this year.

  Cranford Drive, drainage, flooding, new city