The discussion started with Dan Mundy Jr., President of the BCCA providing those in attendance with an overview of the Broad Channel Flood Mitigation Project to date, including the citys recent contracting of the engineering firm, URS Corp., to schedule and conduct pre-construction survey inspections of all properties on those blocks affected by this project.
Once discussion regarding this project was open to the floor, there were many salient questions and comments posed and offered by the residents of West 11th and 13th Roads including, but not limited to...
"Will construction start on all three streets simultaneously?"
"How will the bump outs for utility poles affect future parking on my block?"
"What if I don't want my street raised?"
"Once the street is opened, if repairs to the exisiting sewer or other buried infrastructure is deemed necessary, who will pay for it?"
"My house is not raised, I walk out my front door onto the sidewalk. If they raise the street, how will I access my property?"
"Once construction starts, where will I park?"
"The letter from the DDC states I must contact URS and schedule a pre-construction survey by June 1st or I will be deemed as having declined the inspection."
"How high will my street be elevated?"
"Once construction starts, what about oil and propane deliveries and the like?"
Although the majority of questions posed and comments offered regarding this project were germane to the issue as a whole, they also spoke to a wider issue - that of the residients of West 11th and 13th Roads not being completely informed of the background, and specifics of the present flood mitigation project for their respective streets.
Dan Mundy Jr., succinctly stated that if the individual streets in question (West 11th and 13th Roads) are to be adequately represented in this process. a consensus must be reached by the residents of those blocks regarding all specific street issues (i.e. street elevation, etc.) and then presented to the city and the RBA Group.
Presently, the tentative project plan for this endeavor entails:
Between June 2011 and January 2012
Meet with Residents of West 11th and 13th Roads...
Finalize feasibility report and designs...
Develop construction plans...
Submit application(s) and obtain DEC approval.
Between January and March 2012
Publish an RFP (Request for Proposal) for this project to be bid on by interested (and vendexed) contractors.
Between April and May 2012
Receive and review all submitted bids pursuant to published RFP.
June 2012
Award Project Contract with a designated start date for construction.
As Dan Mundy Jr., pointed out, most importantly at this time, keeping in mind the above tentative project schedule, prior to the next (June 2011) BCCA meeting West 11th an 13th Roads should each immediately identify a core group of individual residents to serve as a "Flood Mitigation Project Committee" for each of their blocks.
Once identified, these committee members should bring themselves up to speed on all aspects of this project.
The individual committees should then share all information gathered with all respective property owners on that committee's block any and documenting all questions or concerns individual home owners may have regarding this project.
At that point a consensus must be reached by each block as a means of framing their individual street committee's interaction with the city and the RBA Group at the June 2011 BCCA meeting to ensure the city is made aware of what aspects of the presented design plan, pertaining to their individual street, the residents find either acceptable or unacceptable. Arrival at an agreed upon final project design may take some time but when such agreement is reached the individual block committees will then have to address several other issues prior to the actual start of construction on their respective blocks, including but not limited to...
Construction Issues
First and foremost, the residents of each block must be provided with a specific and detailed explanation of the project plan for flood mitigation on their street.
Start date and projected completion of construction…?
What will be the scheduled days and hours of construction…?
Will construction require a total closure of our road to all vehicular traffic and, if so, will such closure be continual for the duration of project or will temporary access be provided during evening or weekend hours…?
Who will be responsible for any damages sustained to private property (other than removal of encroachments) as a result of a contractor's actions/inactions?
The project should be scheduled so as to take into account projected tidal flooding so as to preclude delays resulting from severe water penetration onto an excavated (open) roadway.
The committee's should also document all construction activities (both in writing and by photgraphs) to ensure the project plan agreed upon is being adhered to and to serve as a block liaison with the contractor.
Resident Access Issues
How will resident access to individual properties be afforded…?
Will residents with disabilities (i.e. wheelchair bound) be able to gain egress and ingress to their properties…?
Emergency and other Services:
Police: Prior notification to the New York City Police Department regarding street construction/closure on your road.
Fire/Ambulance: Prior notification to the New York City Fire Department and the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department regarding street construction/closure on your road.
Sanitation: Prior notification to the New York City Sanitation Department regarding street construction/closure on your road.
U.S. Postal Service: Prior notification to the United States Postal Service regarding street construction/closure on your road.
Con Edison: Prior notification to ConEdison regarding street construction/closure on your road.
FedEx, UPS, etc.: Residents will have to delay large bulk deliveries requiring truck access to your road during times of total street closure.
Home Heating Oil/Propane Tank Deliveries: Residents will have to ensure sufficient home heating oil and propane gas are delivered prior to start of construction.
Meals on Wheels/Visiting Nurse, etc.: Any elderly/infirm resident of your road receiving these services should arrange alternative service options.
Prescription Medications: Disabled, elderly or inform residients of your road should ensure sufficient quantities of required medication are on hand for the duration of this project, especially those with cardiac, diabetic and asthmatic conditions.
Elderly Residents: Arrangements should be made by neighbors to ensure any elderly or infirm residients have everyhting they need during this project.
Children: All parents should ensure that their children do not play in or among any construction during the duration of this project to ensure their safety.
Parking:
Total closure of West 12th Road will displace parking spaces for in excess of some sixty (60) private motor vehicles.
We should pursue a waiver from the city to allow parking on the Cross Bay median during the period of construction accompanied by a documented notification of same to the local 100th Precinct and Traffic Enforcement.
Additionally, during this time frame, no permits should be issued for any event (i.e.block parties, movie shoots, etc.) that would require any additional loss of community parking spaces which would only serve to exacerbae this situation.
Additionally, any boats, personal watercraft. recreational vehicles, etc., currently stored in front of resident's properties will have to be moved.
Finally, we shall have to discuss with the city any available alternatives to moving existing utility poles via use of sidewalk "bump outs" which would serve to markedly reduce permanent available parking on West 12th Road.
Should any established block committee require any assistance in this matter, the West 12th Road Block Association will be more than happy to assist.
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