Dryden’s streambank restoration project currently underway

After a few years of developing, planning and applying for grant funding, the town of Dryden’s streambank restoration project has commenced.

Known as the Fall Creek streambed and streambank stabilization project, it will involve:

• Streambed and streambank restoration along the tributary to Fall Creek located along Knollwood Drive.
• Streambank restoration and guard rail replacement along Fall Creek at multiple locations adjacent to Lower and Upper Creek Roads, where the stream bank has eroded and the road shoulder and guard rail are starting to fail.
• Streambank restoration and stream realignment along Fall Creek near the intersection of Lower Creek Road and Pinckney Road; streambank restoration will consist of rock armoring and/or vegetative measures.

The project began last year and is anticipated to conclude this year, said Deputy Town Supervisor Dan Lamb. The town’s highway department will lead the process of the project.

“[The town is] glad it’s going forward,” Lamb said.

In 2021, the town received over $700,000 in grant funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP). WQIP funds projects that “directly improve water quality or aquatic habitat, promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency, or protect a drinking water source,” according to the DEC website.

Lamb said that without DEC’s WQIP grant, the town would not have been able to greenlight the project.

“I don’t know if we would’ve been able to budget for something like that,” Lamb said. “We rely on state resources for this sort of scope.”

Lamb called it a two-part project, one that will benefit drivers on town roads and residents who own specific properties. 

“This made the application process very generous,” Lamb said, noting the “problem areas” that led to receiving DEC’s grant.

Knollwood Drive was one of those potential problem areas, Lamb said.

“That area has been prone to flooding,” he said. “It’s been threatening neighborhood properties for years, so hopefully this will bring some relief to those residents.”

According to Lamb, town Highway Superintendent Rick Young first noticed that Fall Creek was “pushing up on its bank” and getting “very close to the road.”

“It’s a matter of protecting the road that people drive on,” Lamb said.

Back in 2021, Young noted that the town has to “tackle what’s causing most of the problems,” adding that the situation near Knollwood Drive especially could cause damage to trees and property in the future.

“It’s a longer process,” Lamb said. “[The town workers] have to move these restoration and streambank protection layers of rock. In some cases, netting and retention [are installed] as well.”

As the project progresses, Lamb doesn’t anticipate delays in traffic or disruptions in traffic patterns. He added that, when needed, the project may cause one-lane traffic.

Dryden Dispatch appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Town updates list of service areas for Dryden Fiber

As the town’s Dryden Fiber project continues to grow, more service areas have become available. The following areas are now available for Dryden Fiber installation:

Hamlet of Varna: Dryden Road (north side of road between 1056 Dryden Rd. and 1196 Dryden Rd.), Dryden Road (south side of road between 1061 Dryden Rd. and 1101 Dryden Rd.), Turkey Hill Road (both sides from Dryden Road intersection to 102 Turkey Hill Rd.), Observatory Circle, Mount Pleasant from Observatory Circle to Deerhaven Drive, and Deerhaven Drive.

Route 13/Route 366 intersection: 1274 Dryden Rd. to 1302 Dryden Rd., Hall Woods Road and Hall Road.

Etna: Various parcels east of Main Street and south of Etna Lane.

Village of Freeville: Tanbark Circle and various parcels on village streets.

Service expansions are available at Mount Pleasant Road from Deerhaven Drive to the WYXL Tower (631 Mount Pleasant Rd.), Baker Hill Road and Kirk Road (near Etna).

For information or questions, go to drydenfiber.com. Service maps are also available on the Dryden Fiber website.

Freeville changes designated day for planning board meetings

The village of Freeville has rescheduled its monthly planning board meetings to a different day.

The village will now have its planning board meetings on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Meetings are slated for 7 p.m. at the village hall at 5 Factory St.

‘Paws to Read’ scheduled this Saturday

Southworth Library, located at 24 W. Main St. in the village, is inviting people to its “Paws to Read” event Saturday, Jan. 13 at 10:30 a.m.

The event welcomes those interested in reading with dogs from Cornell Canine Companions. To register, go to southworthlibrary.org.

Town board meetings this month

The Dryden Town Board is scheduled to meet Jan. 11 and Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. 

The meeting will be held at the town hall at 93 East Main St. The public is invited to attend in person or via Zoom.