NYC completes $80M drinking water, drainage, street improvement project

March 1, 2023

New York City completed a $79.7 million infrastructure project that, in addition to improving drainage and curbs/sidewalks, replaced over five miles of older distribution water mains with new pipes, along with new trunk water mains and fire hydrants.

DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley (center), the DDC project team, consultants and contractors celebrate the completion of the $79.7 million project that rebuilt 3.5 miles of streets along 33rd, 37th and 38th Avenues.

The New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the completion of a $79.7 million infrastructure project that has rebuilt 3.5 miles of Queens streets, improved drinking water service, and improved drainage and street conditions to the neighborhoods of Bayside, Auburndale, and Flushing.

“This $80 million investment means safer streets, more reliable tap water delivery and less street flooding in Bayside, Auburndale and Flushing,” said DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “DEP has the largest capital budget in our history and we are working closely with our partners at DDC and DOT to ensure similar upgrades are brought to communities across all five boroughs.”

The project, which began in September 2017, was managed by DDC and funded largely by DEP and DOT capital dollars.

At the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 158th Street, a new 72-inch water main connects to a new 48-inch water main.

“This project, which was designed and executed by DDC’s professional Infrastructure team, extends across a large part of the borough and has improved water service reliability and street conditions for tens of thousands of Queens residents,” said DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley. “Along with our partners at DEP and DOT, we are investing billions of dollars in long-term improvements to Queens infrastructure.”

The project, stretching from 156th Street on the west end to 216th Street at the east, replaced over five miles (26,815 feet) of older distribution water mains with new pipes ranging from 8 inches to 24 inches in diameter. More than two miles of new trunk water mains were also added to the neighborhoods, which included 5,775 feet of 72-inch mains and 8,295 feet of 48-inch mains. Fire protection was enhanced with the replacement of 89 old fire hydrants and installation of 17 new fire hydrants.

The project extends more than 3.5 miles on 33rd, 37th and 38th Avenues in Bayside, Auburndale and Flushing.

“I welcome news that the long-awaited water and sewer infrastructure upgrade project in Northeast Queens is now complete,” said Assembly Member Edward C. Braunstein. “These upgrades will serve to help relieve local flooding issues and provide more reliable water service to residents in Bayside, Auburndale and Flushing. I want to thank NYC DDC, DEP and DOT for their hard work and collaboration to see this important project through.”

In addition to water mains, nearly two miles (9,985 feet) of storm, sanitary and combined sewers were replaced and 23 new catch basins were added in the project area to improve stormwater drainage.

As part of the final street restoration, 19,210 feet of new curbs were added the project area and 8,200 feet of old curbs, 432,000 square feet of asphalt and 82,800 square feet of concrete sidewalks were replaced.

To span the Clearview Expressway, the project used micro-tunneling techniques to build three small new tunnels for water, sewer and private utilities under the highway from east to west at 38th Avenue.

The project was designed by DDC’s in-house design team. Construction was completed by C.A.C. Industries Inc. and engineering services were provided by Entech Mirabal Engineers PLLC.