Summer After Sandy: Slow Road Back In Bayville

BAYVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - In our continuing series Summer After Sandy, WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs went to the North Shore, where the recovery has been slow in Bayville.

"We didn't have any of those horrific things that you see in other places, where houses were knocked off their foundations. We just had water damage, which is enough. Water damage is bad enough," Mayor Douglas Watson told Xirinachs.

One of only two main roadways leading to the tiny community was washed out by superstorm Sandy and business owners really suffered.

"Then there was no traffic. It was like a ghost town. So, we were losing approximately 40 percent of business," Bayville Seafood owner Rick Balstramd said.

It took about seven months for West Shore Road to be reopened.

"It was a very big struggle in the winter. We're trying to recoup now," said Deena Amdel-Carter was amont the pained business owners.

"Instead of everyone having detours and getting lost... it's just going to help out a lot," said Stephanie Michalowski, manager of Adventure Park, of the road's reopening.

Now all they need is visitors, said Mayor Watson, who is optimistic.

"This season, we'll have a strong summer and then by next year we'll be in good shape," he told Xirinachs.

"Eventually, it will be full recovery. It's just a matter of people getting used to coming back and people coming to Bayville," Balstramd said.

There's also hope that federal Sandy recovery funds will help protect the town from future storms.

"I'm advancing a storm mitigation project, which I was in Washington, D.C.... with my Congressman and there's a great deal of interest in it," he said. "It would have alleviated most of the flooding during Sandy."

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