Letters

In his November 6 Letter to the Editor [“Growing Silent”], Mike Anthony suggested climate change, specifically increased water vapor in the atmosphere, may have been responsible for the erosion that led to the damage to the Sunrise Highway bridge abutment over the Shinnecock Canal in Hampton Bays.

Although climate change and renewable energy are important topics and deserve consideration by Southampton Town, taxpayers must understand that the damage to the bridge abutment was caused by the state’s failure to conduct scheduled maintenance on the storm drain.

The damage that occurred in late October did not just happen because of severe weather. Lack of maintenance and oversight failures played a significant role. New York State failed to conduct annual maintenance on the bridge’s storm drain system. State elected officials failed to ensure the safety of the infrastructure under their purview. Taxpayers deserve better.

When storm drains clog or go uninspected, even moderate rainfall can overwhelm the system, leading to washouts and damage like what happened on State Route 27. Routine maintenance is far less expensive than emergency repairs, lane closures, and subsequent hours of delays and safety risks caused by state inaction.

New York State elected officials must prioritize preventive maintenance before the next storm exposes another weak point in the state’s roadways.

Charlie McArdle

Highway Superintendent

Southampton Town