Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia), whose district touches Lake Ontario, joined Assemblyman Brian Manktelow (R,C,I-Lyons) in touring the site of a shoreline protection project on Lakeshore Road in Carlton with the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as other areas around Lake Ontario. The areas toured were Henderson Harbor, Oswego, Sodus Point, Edgemere Drive in the Town of Greece and Lakeshore Road in Carlton. The Army Corps undertook the tour to gather information on the damages caused by high waters since Plan 2014 came to inception.

Work is set to begin on a $2 million project to reinforce the shoreline. Following flooding in recent years and the subsequent elevation of Lake Ontario’s water levels, the shoreline has withdrawn to be just 15 feet from the roadway in certain sections. The project involves the regrading of the shoreline and the placement of large boulders along the waterway which will be covered by a vegetative layer to aid in protecting against further erosion.

“This project couldn’t have come at a better time, because we simply cannot wait for the erosion along the road to become a real danger to the people who live and work here,” said Hawley. “Seeing this project get underway while water levels are still low is a relief, because this vital project will prevent us from having to undertake larger, reparative efforts in the future and, more importantly, keep those who travel on this road safe. The Army Corps will take the information they’ve gathered and use the data to further protect the shoreline against future damage and erosion.”