Construction of a flood resiliency project at Goose Bay Boat Launch in the town of Alexandria, Jefferson County has been completed. The project was awarded $455,000 in grant funding through the State’s Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI). The completed improvements will address fluctuating water levels along the St. Lawrence River, as well as promote boater safety.
The town of Alexandria owns and maintains the Goose Bay Boat Launch. The launch is popular with the residents and visitors of Goose Bay, as well as hunters and anglers, due to the easy access to the St. Lawrence River. The boat ramp was submerged under water as a result of elevated river levels in 2019 and could not be used during high water conditions due to the low bulkhead elevation. Alternately, during low water conditions, the boat ramp did not extend far enough into the Bay to launch boats safely and the area at the end of the ramp was too shallow and needed to be dredged.
Resiliency measures undertaken at the Goose Bay Boat Launch include raising the concrete bulkhead, dredging at the end of boat ramp, and installing a new boat ramp. The existing parking area was improved near the boat launch. Additional parking was created near the corner of Goose Bay Road and Route 12 to provide space for larger vehicles and trailers, and a pedestrian walkway was developed as a safe path to the launch area.
In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, New York State established REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region. Five REDI Regional Planning Committees, comprised of representatives from eight counties (Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence) were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public safety concerns. Through REDI, the State has committed up to $300 million, to benefit communities and improve resiliency in flood prone regions along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.
Since the creation of the State’s REDI program in the Spring of 2019, 134 REDI funded local and regional projects are underway, including 33 projects in the design phase, 46 projects in the construction phase, and 55 projects completed.
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