Storm-Socked Dune Road Unscathed Despite Bomb Cyclone Nor'Easter

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — Despite a fierce "Bomb Cyclone" nor'easter that left a swath of downed trees and wires and knocked out power across Long Island, the recently storm-socked Dune Road held steady.

According to Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, all the hard work to shore up the dunes paid off.

"There would have been a breach if not for the county's swift actions," he said.

On Thursday, Schneiderman and Southampton Town Senior Bay Constable Al Tuzzolo surveyed the area, which was in good shape after the storm.

That wasn't the case last week, however, when a storm sparked major flooding on Dune Road.

Schneiderman reissued a local state of emergency for Dune Road Wednesday with an eye toward protecting the area from further damage. The order will remain effect for two weeks to allow emergency restoration work to be performed.

"The sand barrier is thin and will not withstand a minor storm," the supervisor said. "We need federal help with this from the United States Army Corp of Engineers."

On Monday, Schneiderman said he planned to convene a meeting to develop a strategy.

The primary dune washed away last week near the town's commercial dock. Schneiderman issued the first emergency order due to severe erosion and the potential of coastal flooding along the eastern end of Dune Road in Hampton Bays, he said.

The section of greatest concern was east of the Ponquogue Bridge and opposite the Shinnecock Commercial Fishing Dock, town officials said.

Suffolk County's response was tremendous, the supervisor said. "The county ended up moving 200 truckloads of sand, relocating it from stock piles," Schneiderman said. The area was very close to breaching, with almost no dune left on the eastern end of Dune Road, he added.

The county, he said, "was holding back the tide. It's an impressive project. They were able to mobilize very quickly." County Executive Steve Bellone, he said, was "incredible. He directed his staff to do whatever was necessary to support the Town of Southampton."

Crews worked on Dune Road for days after the fierce storms caused severe flooding. "This is not a small operation," Schneiderman said at the time. "It got really bad, really fast."

The area most affected was the spot on the ocean by the town's commercial dock, the supervisor said. "Because of the angle of the waves and the position of the jetty, it creates a swirling motion that just pulls out a lot. There was a very big dune right there and it pretty much disappeared."

Other areas hit hard around town included the area near Peconic Bay, as well as sections of Quogue, Schneiderman said.

The supervisor's declaration indicates an emergency exists or likely will exist and allows the closing of streets and other measures as deemed necessary, a release from the town said. In addition, the emergency declaration allows the town to accelerate any required coordination with the New York Start Department of Environmental Conservation to move sand and rebuild the dune, and it also allows the town to request assistance from the Suffolk County Department of Public Works to bring in heavy equipment to reconstruct the dune, if necessary.