Nor’easter causes erosion, closures and flood damage at Long Island state parks
State park officials assess significant erosion, roadway damage and flooding at several popular destinations.
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State park officials are assessing extensive storm damage at Gilgo, Hither Hills, Orient Beach and Jones Beach as they plan repairs and consider long-term protections.
The weekend nor’easter may be over, but its effects are still being felt across Long Island as state park officials assess significant erosion, roadway damage and flooding at several popular destinations.
At Gilgo State Park, surfers were greeted Monday by a 4-to-6-foot dropoff along the beach, one of the visible signs of erosion caused by the storm.
"It's very sad because I can't bring my car inside anymore," said Damian Roman, of the Bronx.
Roman said he had seen social media posts showing damage before arriving but was still surprised by what he found.
"I saw a few reels before coming here, so I figured it was crumbling, but not this much," he said.
The storm's impact extends beyond Gilgo. Photos from Hither Hills State Park show severe erosion, where state park officials say the drop-offs are even larger.
"There's a significant drop like this. That is along the entire beach front. That is a concern and we have to analyze what do at the facility moving forward," said George Gorman, regional director at New York State Parks.
At Orient Beach State Park, damage has forced a closure as crews work to repair the nearly two-mile roadway. The same area sustained damage from nor’easters in 2018 and 2019.
"We have to develop a longer term plan to protect that roadway. We are fearful that the next storm we'll undermine and we'd have to close for quite some times," Gorman said.
At Jones Beach, fishing piers are also closed after damage to a pier at Field 10. Floodwaters also reached the Jones Beach amphitheater, forcing the venue to shut down temporarily.
"It went straight through the aisleways. It flooded the promenade and into the back areas of the theatre. The concessions, the bathrooms," Gorman said.
Officials are now evaluating the damaged infrastructure. Live Nation told News 12 there is no timetable yet for when the amphitheater will reopen.
Gorman said the erosion at Gilgo State Park should be repaired by next April.
