$1.85 Million Flood-Control Project Approved for Harrison Avenue in Yonkers

Westchester County lawmakers have approved new funding for drainage improvements along Harrison Avenue, where residents have faced years of repeated flooding during major storms.

A flood-prone area of Yonkers is slated for new drainage improvements after Westchester County lawmakers approved $1.85 million for a flood-control project along Harrison Avenue.

The Westchester County Board of Legislators unanimously approved the funding at its September 28 meeting as part of a broader package of infrastructure investments across the county.

The Harrison Avenue project will include drainage improvements designed to prevent stormwater from pooling and carry water away from homes and streets. The funding will help cover construction and construction management for the stormwater improvements, including the preparation of plans and specifications.

Westchester County and the City of Yonkers will split the cost of the improvements for the duration of construction, which is expected to begin in fall 2027.

County Legislator David J. Tubiolo, who represents parts of Yonkers and Mount Vernon, said Harrison Avenue has experienced “severe, repetitive flood damage for far too long.”

“Every time a major storm hits, families on Harrison Avenue and nearby streets deal with flooded basements, damaged cars, and roads they can’t drive on,” Tubiolo said.

Majority Whip Shanae Williams, who represents Yonkers and chairs the Board's Infrastructure and Housing Committee, also pointed to the project as an investment intended to provide “relief from years of flooding in Yonkers.”

The Harrison Avenue project was one of three infrastructure measures unanimously approved by county lawmakers on September 28.

The Board also approved $4.2 million in Complete Streets funding for sidewalk, crosswalk and intersection improvements in Tarrytown, Mamaroneck, Tuckahoe and Sleepy Hollow, as well as agreements covering the upkeep of Bee-Line bus shelters in more than 20 Westchester municipalities.

Board Chairman Vedat Gashi said the measures demonstrate how partnerships with local municipalities can stretch county resources while addressing infrastructure needs.

For Harrison Avenue residents, the new funding is aimed at addressing a much more immediate concern: repeated flooding that local officials say has damaged property and made neighborhood streets difficult to navigate during major storms.