The town of Hamden will receive nearly $295,000 in federal funding to begin repairing roads and drainage infrastructure damaged by Tropical Storm Debby in 2024, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Thursday.
The $294,773.51 award is an initial piece of a request totaling more than $5 million for storm recovery and mitigation work in the Delaware County town. Local officials have been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for nearly two years to advance the larger request.
Schumer said the first grant will help restore damaged roads while reducing the amount local taxpayers would otherwise have to cover. He said he would continue pressing for the remaining federal support needed to complete the broader project.
Flooding from the remnants of Debby damaged sections of Chamber Hollow Road, East Brook Road and other roadside ditches and shoulders in Hamden, according to the senator's office.
Repairs target drainage and unstable roadsides
The planned work includes replacing existing metal drainage pipes with properly sized concrete box culverts. New headwalls and wingwalls would provide structural support and increase drainage capacity.
Those improvements are also intended to bring the drainage system into compliance with state Department of Environmental Conservation requirements, Schumer's office said.
The project would stabilize a failing roadside embankment where erosion has caused the bank to slide away from the road. Contractors would install soil nails to reinforce the slope and reduce the risk of additional movement.
Crews also would restore roadside ditches and shoulders damaged by flooding. The work is intended to improve drainage, protect the road surface and make the area more resilient during future storms.
Schumer described the award as a first step rather than full funding for the town's repair plan. His office did not provide a construction schedule or say when a decision is expected on the rest of Hamden's application.
Town continues recovery from 2024 flooding
Tropical Storm Debby brought damaging rain and flooding to communities across the Southern Tier and Upstate New York in August 2024. Delaware County was among the areas where roads, culverts and other infrastructure required repairs.
Schumer wrote to FEMA in August supporting the town's request. He said the federal investment would help Hamden avoid placing the full cost of necessary infrastructure work on local property taxpayers.
The senator has sought federal disaster and mitigation funding for Delaware County after several major floods. His office cited earlier work following storms in 2006 and 2011, when federal disaster declarations allowed local governments and property owners to apply for recovery assistance.
Schumer also secured $300,000 in federal funding in 2008 for flood-protection work in Sidney, including repairs to pump stations and flap gates. After later disasters, federal programs supported the relocation of Amphenol Aerospace and property buyouts in Sidney's Lower River Street neighborhood, according to his office.
The Hamden project is designed to address immediate storm damage while improving the roads and drainage system against future flooding. Additional work will depend on whether the town receives the remaining federal aid it has requested.
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