Fact Sheet 6: Business Considerations

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Project Route

The Western Bays are surrounded by the neighborhoods of East Rockaway, Oceanside, Island Park, Baldwin, Rockville Centre, Freeport, and the Long Beach Barrier Island. The Project alignment passes through portions of the Town of Hempstead, including the Villages of East Rockaway, Rockville Centre and Freeport and the communities of Merrick, Bellmore, and Wantagh.

 Construction Elements – Please see Fact Sheet 5 - Construction Considerations

 

Effects on Local Businesses

While the Project may cause some temporary inconveniences during construction, this innovative Project will improve water quality and storm resiliency in Nassau County’s Western Bays by conveying treated water from the South Shore Water Reclamation Facility (previously known as the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant) to the Cedar Creek Water Pollution Control Plant’s (WPCP) ocean outfall. Millions of gallons of treated water will be diverted away from the Western Bays, which will protect the environment, support the return of marine-based jobs, and maximize recreational activities. As the health of the ecosystem returns, the local economy will benefit – including industries such as outdoor recreation, tourism, restaurants, and entertainment.

 

Maintaining Access to Businesses

NYSDEC and Nassau County explored many different locations for the Project construction route. The abandoned aqueduct under Sunrise Highway provides an opportunity to repurpose existing infrastructure and limits the need for costly new construction and extreme disruption along Sunrise Highway. Throughout construction, the Design-Builder will be responsible for maintaining access to all businesses, residences, and properties within and abutting the Project, including essential services such as trash pickup and mail delivery. The Design-Builder must provide advisory signs in all cases where such vehicular or pedestrian access routes are modified from the norm.

 

COVID-19 Considerations

Across the nation, businesses are facing unprecedented economic disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As this public health crisis continues to evolve, the Project Team remains committed to a robust engagement process with the area’s business to maintain access and sustain an open line of communication throughout construction. If you are seeking pandemic-related financial assistance, please refer to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s guidance on funding programs at sba.gov. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control provides guidance for businesses and employers responding to COVID-19 at cdc.gov.

 

Staying Informed

The Project Team will be coordinating with local Chambers of Commerce throughout the Project corridor. Outreach to individual businesses is expected to begin in Spring 2021. Business stakeholder meetings, website updates, social media posts, and e-blasts will be utilized to communicate with businesses throughout the planned temporary disruptions.

To stay informed about the Bay Park Conveyance Project, we encourage you to visit our website www.BayParkConveyance.org and Facebook page @BayParkConveyance, and register for email updates. Our Community Information Center is located at 265 Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre and currently open by appointment only. You may contact us via the Project’s 24/7 hotline at (516) 252-6121 or email us at BayParkConveyance@gmail.com with any questions. Construction updates will be posted to the Project website.