Delivering Infrastructure Wins for NY-1 in 2021

Statement

As we still feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and await the return to normalcy we were promised, Long Islanders have good reason to be frustrated with mounting crises at the state and federal levels. I share that frustration in so many ways; however, there were still positives and examples of multiple levels of government working together to deliver for Long Island that I am proud to have played a role in.

In 2021, we made major progress in several long awaited infrastructure projects that are essential to public safety, economic growth and quality of life in Suffolk County. Three of the top NY-1 infrastructure projects were with Montauk Point Lighthouse, Hospital Road Bridge, and the Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMP) plan.

I was proud to work closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers every step of the way in the effort to protect Montauk Point Lighthouse, one of the most recognizable symbols in our region that evokes a sense of community among Long Islanders and attracts visitors from across the United States and foreign nations.

This historic landmark currently sits less than 100 feet from the receding edge of the bluff and its deteriorating stonework revetment is the only thing left protecting the lighthouse from being lost to the ocean due to erosion. I advocated for and helped secure federal funding for the project, and last January, the Army Corps awarded a $30.7 million contract to H&L Contracting of Bay Shore to carry out the restoration and protection of Montauk Point Lighthouse.

The heavy construction phase on the lighthouse's stonework revetment began last June, which will bolster the shoreline, provide safety reinforcements and ensure Montauk Point Lighthouse will continue to shine for generations to come.

I am also happy to report that we are in the homestretch of getting the much needed Hospital Road Bridge rebuild underway. Hospital Road Bridge has stood in East Patchogue for more than 60 years and served as a staple for area residents and an essential and lifesaving artery for law enforcement and first responders traveling to Long Island Community Hospital and the North Patchogue Fire Department. However, the bridge has become a safety hazard and been deemed functionally obsolete by the New York State Department of Transportation for the last six years, meaning the bridge is not equipped to handle its traffic demand.

New York State awarded the project's construction contract for the rebuilding to DeFoe Corporation of Mount Vernon, New York, for approximately $22.8 million in December. The State currently estimates preliminary work will begin early this year, groundbreaking will take place this spring and all construction work will be completed by the end of 2023.

I am extremely proud that our efforts, from my earliest days in office onward, have helped initiate the great strides we're now making. During my first term, I worked successfully to have my bipartisan SAFE Bridges Act included in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on December 4, 2015.

My legislation with Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney modified federal highway law to make our state and local overpasses and bridges, such as Hospital Road Bridge, once again eligible for federal funding through the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP). This helped pave the way for a funding agreement in 2016 for the $26 million project to widen and make major repairs to Hospital Road Bridge. Eighty percent of the project is federally funded, which was made possible by the infusion of federal money to the First Congressional District from the SAFE Bridges Act.

The FIMP project broke ground on December 17, signifying the most significant step yet toward making a reality this long overdue effort to improve and secure the long-term health and viability of Long Island's environment, economy and coastal way of life. FIMP will provide essential dredging and shoreline projects spanning 83 miles of Long Island coastline and includes a variety of coastal and wetland restoration projects.

This project has been among my top priorities since I came to Congress in 2015, and my team and I worked tirelessly to successfully secure authorization for FIMP during the 116th Congress, through December 2020 appropriations legislation. I am grateful to have worked closely with the Army Corps and so many other local stakeholders across all levels of government to ensure that all necessary Project Partnership Agreements were signed, contracts were awarded, and that we could efficiently move forward and finally get this underway for Long Islanders.

I will continue doing everything possible to champion other local projects at the federal level, such as the creation of a new Riverhead Town Square that will consist of a public gathering space, pedestrian connectivity and open vistas from Main Street to the riverfront, and will be a driving force for further revitalization in downtown Riverhead. I look forward to providing continued updates on these critical infrastructure projects for Long Island and delivering more wins for my constituents in 2022.

Congressman Lee Zeldin represents New York's First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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