WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced on April 8 a total of $23,960,000 in federal funding has been approved to strengthen flood mitigation along a critical stretch of Route 6 in Westchester County.

Sen. Schumer explained the funding awarded to the New York State Department of Transportation will raise a small segment of US Route 6 from Roa Hook Road to Camp Smith in the Town of Cortlandt by approximately seven feet. The senator said the funding will ensure the roadway remains passable when sea levels rise and to reduce the risk of roadway closures due to flooding during severe weather. He said these upgrades are vital, as the segment is a key route for emergency responders and is part of the National Highway System and within FEMA’s 100-year floodplain.

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant program, which was funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law.

“This whopping nearly $24 million from our Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to bolster flooding mitigation on Cortlandt’s Route 6 will drive our communities toward a safer and more resilient future,” Sen. Schumer said. The funding will be used to raise a stretch of roadway, which serves as a corridor for Camp Smith where the NY Army National Guard trains. The area is a gateway to Cortlandt, Peekskill, and all Northern Westchester from Orange, Putnam and Dutchess counties.

This area is subject to flooding and the narrow road is inadequate for today’s traffic. Raising this short stretch of Highway by seven feet will eliminate flooding, and the redesign will make it safer and more efficient.