Narrowsburg river access to re-open

By LISA CUTRONI

NARROWSBURG, NY — Renovations to the existing river access area on DeMauro Lane is “anticipated to be completed within three weeks,” said Brian Scott, superintendent of construction at the Albany division of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The DEC Delaware River access area has been closed since September 2004. Bonjiovanni Construction of Syracuse, NY, a privately owned construction company contracted by the DEC in 2004, has completed the work.

Renovations included the replacement of the deteriorated timber bulkhead, construction of a concrete ramp, a floating dock, paved parking and stone for shore protection. The bulkhead is also a precautionary measure against shore erosion. Renovation costs totaled $575,000. The access will be maintained by the DEC operations staff during the summer season.

The rusty looking bulkhead is made of self-weathering steel, which is supposed to rust. The self-weathering steel offers the low maintenance costs and environmental protection that other building materials do not because it does not require painting.

According to Wendy Rosenbach, spokesperson for DEC Region 3, the popular site will be “a lot nicer when completed.” Once officially re-opened, the access area will be available for use throughout the year. The floating dock to use for access into and out of boats will be placed into the water every spring and removed every fall.

The property was first purchased by the DEC in 1967. The access area was identified in the 1980s as needing repair. Due to a lack of funding, the DEC did not complete the application process for required permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin work until 2002. The Army Corps required the permits because they have jurisdiction over navigable waters such as the Upper Delaware River.

The Narrowsburg access area is one of nine DEC operated boating access sites on the New York side of the river.