West Point 'better off than expected' as it continues to clean up storm damage

West Point is mostly back to business as usual as it continues to clean up damage left by last weekend's flooding storms.

Col. Anthony Bianchi, the garrison commander at West Point, said he and Superintendent Lt. General Steven Gilland have inspected the military academy post, including by flyovers, and have found relatively little damage.

"We're a lot better off than we thought we were," Bianchi said during a Wednesday press briefing.

Bianchi said one thing that has impacted life at West Point is the damage on the roads leading to the military academy, which has forced workers to take alternate routes when commuting. But he said Orange County has told West Point most of those roads should be open and back to normal in another three to five days.

The storm has had little or no impact on cadet summer training, Bianchi said. But he did urge all those driving on Route 293 to exercise caution and watch their speed. That highway is the only one with unimpeded access to West Point right now, so there is more traffic than usual. But that highway also runs parallel to the areas where cadets are training,.

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"Don't take any shortcuts you might find on Google right now" to get into West Point, Bianchi said, noting that summer training includes some live fire exercises.

Elsewhere, initial reporting has shown there was no structural damage to buildings, monuments, the parade field or the West Point Cemetery.

Housing areas have been most affected with water intrusion, and Bianchi said there have been 130 to 140 requests for assistance. There also was some water erosion on sports fields along the banks of the Hudson River.

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And West Point Fire Department members have been working around the clock to ensure not only West Point but its neighboring communities of Highland Falls and Fort Montgomery are safe.

West Point says for now, if you don't have to travel to West Point, to avoid it for safety reasons.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, Poughkeepsie Journal and The Journal News/lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: West Point dealing with detours and building damage in wake of storm