The Village of Cleveland faced severe flooding on Sunday after a beaver dam broke in the Town of Vienna, 10 miles away, around 3:30 a.m. The floodwater surged into the village, located on the Oswego County line, submerging Bridge Street under 25 feet of water. This incident has left the village with a hefty bill to repair the damaged road.
As water levels recede, crews are working to identify the cause of the broken culvert and rebuild the road. Shaun House, the supervisor of Cleveland’s Department of Public Works, stated that the road is in an emergency state and may cost up to $300,000 to repair, which the Village of Cleveland cannot currently afford.
The village faces an eight-year wait to secure funding for the repairs, during which time no other road improvements can be made. Mayor Laureen Tackman expressed concern about the village’s ability to recover from the flood damage, stating that it is uncertain whether they will receive assistance from the Department of Environmental Conservation or emergency management agencies.
House’s three-man highway department team is working diligently to repair the road as quickly as possible to prevent further damage. He warned that the compromised road integrity could lead to additional flooding or even a complete washout of Bridge Street if further rainfall occurs.
As the village grapples with the consequences of the flood, local leaders are increasingly concerned about the possibility of another flood event that could wash away the entire road.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected]