Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Long Beach City Council met on Tuesday to review updates on several ongoing infrastructure projects, discuss new funding opportunities and address other community initiatives. The meeting covered a range of topics, from progress on flood protection efforts to new grants aimed at improving local facilities and supporting future development.
Greg Buckley, an engineer with D&B Engineers and Architects, the engineers working on the North Shore Critical Infrastructure Protection Project, provided an update on the work being done. The main components of the project include bulkhead sheeting installation from the municipal boat launch, at National Boulevard, to the Long Beach Tennis Center, on Monroe Boulevard; stormwater drainage improvements; and the construction of a new pump station on Riverside Boulevard, between Park Place and Water Street.
“The players in this project — all the utility companies — we are working to protect all of their infrastructure, as well as the local residents, especially the North Park community,” Buckley said. “That’s the main goal of this project, to provide protection for them.”
About 90 percent of the bulkhead work is finished. The remaining areas requiring attention include Monroe Boulevard, the Long Island Rail Road crossing, the area near National Grid’s facility, off Park Place and Riverside Boulevard, and the Long Beach Boulevard bridge. Delays in these sections stemmed from difficulties locating underground utilities, particularly unknown conduits in the LIRR area. To resolve this, pit tests — small excavations to verify the location and condition of buried utilities — were conducted. Recent results are promising, and discussions with engineers and railroad officials are ongoing to finalize the necessary work schedule.
Construction of the pump station, which will be capable of process up to 33 million gallons of stormwater per day, is progressing. The structure is nearing completion, the pump installation is finished and interior piping work is still underway. The station is expected to be operational later in the spring. In addition to the pump station, D&B crews have been working on the sanitary sewer, water main and stormwater pipe installations. Much of the sanitary sewer system has been completed, and stormwater piping is about 75 percent finished.
The remaining phases of the project depend largely on the completion of the bulkheading, especially near the LIRR crossing. Once that work is finished, reconstruction of Water Street and Riverside Boulevard will follow, with a target completion date of next winter.
City grants and infrastructure projects
“We’re accepting over $6 million in grants tonight from the state,” Councilman John Bendo said. “We owe thanks to both our elected officials, Ari and Patricia,” he added, referring to Assemblyman Ari Brown and State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, “but also the governor as well. Like I said, $6 million is not chump change. We can do a good amount of stuff with that.”
The city accepted a $100,000 grant for renovations to the Long Beach Police Department headquarters, specifically for improvements to the front vestibule. And a $600,000 grant was approved for the construction of a salt storage dome in the transfer yard on Park Place, to comply with state regulations. Officials are considering cost-effective options such as a galvanized steel structure, which has been used successfully in other municipalities.
The city also secured a $390,775 grant for improvements to Sherman Brown Park, in the North Park area of the city, expected to be completed before Memorial Day. An additional $1.45 million in funding will be directed to upgrading the boardwalk, including two new concessions and three “bump-out” extensions of the structure that will extend 10 to 15 feet toward the ocean. The bump-outs may include shade structures, and may be occupied by small businesses or nonprofits, depending on community input. The council also approved a $3.36 million grant for upgrades to Park Avenue and Kennedy Plaza. The plaza will be redesigned to enhance public events without removing any commemorative features.
Additional initiatives
The council authorized an agreement with Yodel Pass to manage electronic beach passes this season, which will include a feature for scanning seasonal passes for better access control.
The council also approved a list of volunteer firefighters who are eligible for the 2024 Length of Service Award program.
“We have volunteer firefighters that go literally to hundreds of calls each year, and they don’t get paid for it,” Bendo said. “What this program does is, later on, when they retire, they get a very tiny pension if they accumulate enough points over enough time for their career as a thank-you for their years of service. So that’s what this is — it’s a tiny pension.”
To support future development, the city accepted a $170,000 grant for a Bayfront planning study, which will evaluate underutilized waterfront properties for potential redevelopment. The objectives of the study include creating jobs, increasing the tax base, developing commercial uses and improving access to Reynolds Channel. It will incorporate community input, conduct an economic analysis, assess what developers might offer and ensure that the city drives the development process rather than the developers. The focus will be on making the study community-driven, prioritizing the needs and desires of residents for the bayfront area.
