Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Monday, January 10, 2000

Release #009-00


Contact: Sunny Mindel / Ed Skyler (212) 788-2958
  Matthew Monahan (DDC) (718) 391-1641
  Cathy DelliCarpini (DEP) (718) 595-6600

 


MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES COMPLETION
OF SOUTHEAST QUEENS SEWER PROJECT
Capital Project Completed Three Years Ahead of Original Schedule

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced the completion - almost three years ahead of the original schedule -- of more than 5.5 miles of a major trunk sewer line designed to alleviate the chronic flooding that has plagued southeast Queens for decades. The announcement was made in Springfield Gardens where the Mayor was joined by Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Joel A. Miele Sr., P.E., and Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Kenneth R. Holden.

"Because they live in a low-lying, highly developed area near Jamaica Bay, the people of southeast Queens have long been plagued by flooding after heavy storms," Mayor Giuliani said. "While it is impossible to guarantee the elimination of any future flooding, this major City effort greatly improves the area's storm water drainage and brings relief to the communities much sooner than originally expected."

The $76.6 million project of the Department of Environmental Protection was managed by the Department of Design and Construction and originally began in 1992. In October 1996, a severe rainstorm caused significant street flooding in the communities of Springfield Gardens, Laurelton, Rosedale and Brookville and led to Mayor Giuliani's decision to speed the completion of the project by three years.

After discussions with Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, the newly formed Department of Design and Construction worked in a joint effort with the Department of Environmental Protection to review the construction plan and created a new schedule which called for the sewer to be operational by December 1999 rather than September 2002. This required the last two phases be done simultaneously rather than in sequence and that the project be managed very aggressively.

Borough President Shulman said, "This morning's announcement is a truly historic event for Queens. It marks a milestone in a promise made to the residents of southeastern Queens to address chronic flooding problems. The significance of the completion of the Carson Street trunk sewer is that more than 7,000 acres of southeastern Queens, stretching from the Grand Central Parkway to Jamaica Bay, and from Farmers Boulevard to the Nassau County line, finally has an effective storm drainage system as we begin a new millennium. I would like to thank Mayor Giuliani for both funding this important sewer project and for accelerating the construction schedule."

DEP Commissioner Miele said, "Completion of this major storm sewer project is particularly gratifying. The benefits of replacing the outmoded infrastructure are already apparent for the residents of southeast Queens who have, in the past, seen much flooding and damage to their community. In 1996, Mayor Giuliani recognized the need to accelerate this project and recent storms have shown the new system is working extremely well. DEP is grateful to the Mayor for his foresight and to the community for their patience."

DDC Commissioner Holden said, "When confronted with this major challenge, our staff of professionals used their expertise to get this project done in a drastically shorter time frame. DDC's design, construction and program management engineers, as well as the contractors, did a great job here, and I am proud and delighted this vital project is on line."

Phase I, designed by DEP, was constructed between 1992 and 1997. It consists of four "barrels," or tunnels, each 4,000 feet long, six feet high and 17 feet wide. They extend from the outflow point at Thurston Basin at JFK Airport, through the airport, Rockaway Boulevard and Idlewild Park to 148 Avenue, at a cost of about $30.5 million.

Phase II, designed by DDC, was built between June 1997 and December 1998. It consists of two, 15x6 foot barrels under 226th Street from 148th Avenue to South Conduit Avenue, a length of about 3,500 feet. It cost approximately $16 million.

Phase III, designed by DDC, was begun in September 1998 and has been able to receive storm water since last November. This is a single, 4,600 feet long, 17x8 foot barrel along Springfield Boulevard between 143rd Road and Carson Street that cost about $27.4 million. Work is ongoing along Springfield Boulevard for a new trunk water main, which will be completed this summer.

Phase IV, designed by DDC, involved by intricate micro-tunneling between North and South Conduit Avenues beneath the Belt Parkway at 226th Street. The two-barrel, four-foot storm sewer runs about 400 feet and cost approximately $2.7 million. This work was done without affecting traffic on the parkway.

The expanded drainage capacity achieved by the new sewers enables smaller "lateral" sewers to be more efficient, and enable new ones to be planted by DEP and designed by DDC. This round of construction is scheduled to begin late this summer.

 


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