For Immediate Release: 4/02/24 
Contact: Office of Media Relations and Communications | (518) 471-5300 | public.info@thruway.ny.gov  

THRUWAY AUTHORITY AWARDED $375,000 FEDERAL GRANT FOR FLOOD MITIGATION IN ROCKLAND COUNTY

Federal Funding Part of Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Package Passed by U.S. Senate

Grant Money Will Develop Studies to Mitigate Flooding Along Heavily Trafficked I-87/I-287 Corridor in Town of Clarkstown

The New York State Thruway Authority today announced it has been awarded $375,000 in federal funding to mitigate flooding in the Town of Clarkstown, Rockland County. This funding is part of a $2.5 million federal spending package passed by the U.S. Senate.

"The federal funding earmarked for the Thruway Authority and secured by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will allow the Authority to conduct engineering studies to address flooding issues in the I-87/I-287 corridor in Rockland County," Thruway Authority Acting Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq. said. "This funding is a positive step towards mitigating flooding and will allow the Authority to analyze the impact on the transportation system and take action to maintain a safer and more reliable roadway for residents and motorists in this area."

As part of the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Package, the Thruway Authority will receive $375,000 for a scoping project in the area of I-87/I-287 at milepost 19.51, an area in West Nyack that is historically prone to flooding. During heavy rain events, the current bridge that carries the Thruway over the Hackensack River experiences issues handling the outflow of water. This can cause lane closures, traffic delays and damage to the infrastructure.

The Thruway Authority is analyzing ways to reduce stormwater flows and physical damage to its transportation infrastructure due to the increase of frequent storms in this area. The funding will be used to develop engineering, environmental feasibility studies and cost-benefit analyses surrounding the Lake DeForest outfall of the Hackensack River. Results from the studies will help inform future funding opportunities.

An additional $2.1 million in federal funding was allotted for the initiative and will go to the Town of Clarkstown toward flood prevention in the Jeffrey Court neighborhood of West Nyack, which is prone to flooding caused by overflows from the Hackensack River during storms.

More information on federal grant opportunities the Thruway Authority has applied for and received can be found on the Authority’s website.

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