Flooding fixes planned for Kings Park, Smithtown parking lots
The municipal parking lot on East Main Street and Landing Avenue, in Smithtown on Aug. 14. Credit: John Roca
The Town of Smithtown will receive nearly $1.4 million in federal aid to fix chronic flooding issues at two municipal parking lots in downtown Smithtown and Kings Park, officials said.
The town will use $1 million to upgrade stormwater infrastructure at the Smithtown lot on East Main Street and Landing Avenue, officials said. Because of aging infrastructure, the lot floods during periods of heavy rain. The water pools and travels, flooding sidewalks and nearby businesses and restaurants.
The town will spend $384,800 to fix flooding problems at another lot in downtown Kings Park, on Main Street and Indian Head Road. That lot also floods heavily, making it difficult for people to park or shop in the business district.
"We’ve experienced quite a bit of flooding when we get some of these torrential rainstorms," Smithtown Supervisor Edward Wehrheim said in an interview.
With the Smithtown lot, "the flooding occurred in some of these businesses that are bordering that parking lot into their basements, so it was the priority to fix."
The funding is from the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, according to the office of Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville).
Because parking is limited on East Main Street, many customers and employees of downtown businesses use the municipal lot, Wehrheim said.
The Smithtown parking lot was built in the 1990s, and its storm drains are unable handle intense rainfall.
For years, businesses near the East Main Street lot have experienced flooding in their basements and on sidewalks whenever there was heavy rainfall, said Barbara Franco, executive director of the Smithtown Chamber of Commerce.
"Some of the businesses have basements, and the water ran even downstairs," Franco said. "It was very bad."
The town will install 16 drainage pools and five catch basins to reduce flooding in the lot.
In Kings Park, the drains near the LIRR business district south of Main Street are also inadequate, leading to flooding at the parking lot, Wehrheim said.
The fixes will allow customers to park more easily in the Kings Park business district, Wehrheim said.
The projects will reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that travels to the Long Island Sound watershed and Nissequogue River tributary, town spokeswoman Nicole Garguilo said.
When it rains, stormwater collects pollutants from surfaces — including roads and rooftops — and flows into sewer systems and eventually the waterways.
Construction at both parking lots should be finished by the spring, officials said.
The Town of Smithtown will receive nearly $1.4 million in federal aid to fix chronic flooding issues at two municipal parking lots in downtown Smithtown and Kings Park, officials said.
The town will use $1 million to upgrade stormwater infrastructure at the Smithtown lot on East Main Street and Landing Avenue, officials said. Because of aging infrastructure, the lot floods during periods of heavy rain. The water pools and travels, flooding sidewalks and nearby businesses and restaurants.
The town will spend $384,800 to fix flooding problems at another lot in downtown Kings Park, on Main Street and Indian Head Road. That lot also floods heavily, making it difficult for people to park or shop in the business district.
"We’ve experienced quite a bit of flooding when we get some of these torrential rainstorms," Smithtown Supervisor Edward Wehrheim said in an interview.
With the Smithtown lot, "the flooding occurred in some of these businesses that are bordering that parking lot into their basements, so it was the priority to fix."
The funding is from the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, according to the office of Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville).
Because parking is limited on East Main Street, many customers and employees of downtown businesses use the municipal lot, Wehrheim said.
The Smithtown parking lot was built in the 1990s, and its storm drains are unable handle intense rainfall.
For years, businesses near the East Main Street lot have experienced flooding in their basements and on sidewalks whenever there was heavy rainfall, said Barbara Franco, executive director of the Smithtown Chamber of Commerce.
"Some of the businesses have basements, and the water ran even downstairs," Franco said. "It was very bad."
The town will install 16 drainage pools and five catch basins to reduce flooding in the lot.
In Kings Park, the drains near the LIRR business district south of Main Street are also inadequate, leading to flooding at the parking lot, Wehrheim said.
The fixes will allow customers to park more easily in the Kings Park business district, Wehrheim said.
The projects will reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that travels to the Long Island Sound watershed and Nissequogue River tributary, town spokeswoman Nicole Garguilo said.
When it rains, stormwater collects pollutants from surfaces — including roads and rooftops — and flows into sewer systems and eventually the waterways.
Construction at both parking lots should be finished by the spring, officials said.
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'It's disappointing and it's unfortunate' Suffolk Police Officer David Mascarella is back on the job after causing a 2020 crash that severely injured Riordan Cavooris, then 2. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger and Newsday investigative reporter Paul LaRocco have the story.