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October 27, 2016

Rebuilding New York's Basic Municipal Infrastructure


 

On Thursday, October 27th, NYC Department of Design and Construction Deputy Commissioner Eric Macfarlane gave an insightful presentation to the Construction Management Association of America Metro NY/NJ Chapter on Rebuilding New York City's Basic Infrastructure. Deputy Commissioner Macfarlane heads the Infrastructure Division with a technical staff of 546. The division is responsible for the coordination management, design and construction of all capital projects related to New York City’s infrastructure needs within the five boroughs. That includes consolidated roadways, sewers and water main capital infrastructure construction programs for the City of New York. Eric has a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the City College of New York, and a Master of Science, Civil Engineering degree from Polytechnic Institute of New York (NYU-Poly). He is a New York State licensed Professional Engineer.

“The rehabilitation of buried infrastructure involves both direct project costs and indirect, social and environmental costs. Evaluation of the total project costs should therefore include both direct costs, indirect cost of utilities relocation and protection, environmental impact, and social costs incurred to the public, such as traffic delay and associated environmental pollution, business loss, public safety, and utility services interruptions,” said Deputy Commissioner Macfarlane.

Among the fun facts shared by Deputy Commissioner Macfarlane, NYC Critical Infrastructure Assets Include:

 

  • 322 square miles - City area
  • 6,375 miles of streets
  • 7,500 miles of sewers
  • 144,000 Catch Basins
  • 6,800 miles of water mains
  • 14 miles of public Beaches
  • 520 miles of water front
  • 149 miles of interceptor sewers
  • 14,000 acres of Staten Island "Blue Belt" storm water management system (BMP)
  • 2,000 square miles of watershed
  • 19 Clean Water Reservoirs; 3 controlled lakes
  • 580 billion gallons drinking water storage capacity
  • 700 miles of subway
  • 90,000 miles underground power cables
  • 14 Wastewater Treatment Plants
  • 2,000 bridges and tunnels
  • 5.2 million trees
  • 6,000 acres of wetlands