West Shore Road in Mill Neck, which was badly damaged by Superstorm Sandy more than seven months ago, reopened this week—three weeks ahead of schedule—officials announced Monday.
While both lanes of the roadway overlooking Oyster Bay Harbor will be open, there will be lane closures for short periods of time to finish the $9.2-million reconstruction project. None of the remaining work will occur on weekends.
“The rebuilding of the West Shore Road seawall and roadway is symbolic of Nassau County moving forward and rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy,” said Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano declared at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the road.
Sandy had caused large part of the seawall and the roadway to collapse after the Oct. 29 superstorm.
Bayville Mayor Douglas Watson praised the efforts of the construction workers in speeding up the process to reopen the main route to his village. Mangano said crews worked extended hours six days a week.
“The impact for the local business community is dramatic. I couldn’t be more grateful,” Matthew Silver, the chief operating officer of the Crescent Beach Club in Bayville, said of the opening of this major road that connects Bayville to Oyster Bay.
Drivers previously had to take a 10 to 20 minute detour to get to Bayville.
The last of the lane closings should over by Forth of July weekend, when officials originally expected the road to reopen.
