Broad Channel Civic Association President Dan Mundy Jr. Photo by Dan GuarinoThe road for the island community of Broad Channel, weathering as it has — a history of high tide flooding and the devastation of Hurricane Sandy — has not been an easy one, but at last, it will be paved.
“I’ve lived her for 20 years,” Channel resident Alison Kase said. “My husband has lived here all his life. We have never seen this kind of working going on.”
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Speaking about the news that the city’s Department of Transportation has agreed to greatly expand the number of Sandy-damaged streets to be completely repaved, she said “I’ll be honest with you; it’s great that it’s happening here.”
On Monday, Sept. 15, it was announced that after a push from Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder, Councilman Eric Ulrich, BC Civic Association President Dan Mundy Jr., and Senator Joseph Addabbo, the DOT and the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) agreed to repave side streets initially left out of the Broad Channel Street Resurfacing Project. The additional work is scheduled to begin immediately.
Councilman Eric Ulrich and Assemblyman Philip Goldfeder were instrumental in getting an expanded street repaving plan approved in Broad Channel. Here they confer at a BC event earlier this year. Photo by Dan GuarinoAt the heart of the issue was the original plan to deep-mill a number of streets, most at the north end of the island, but significantly leave nearly a dozen others untouched.
Civic Association president and longtime community activist Mundy said, “We looked at the map and said wait a minute! You’re skipping other places like Channel Road,” which runs parallel to Cross Bay Boulevard on the east side.
He also pointed out that while other streets such as Power Road and West 9th and 10th roads which border PS/MS 47 School were scheduled to be redone, Shad Creek Road was not. Shad Creek, which runs behind the school, is the one roadway between it and Jamaica Bay.
Notable also was the exclusion of East 6th Road which runs from Cross Bay Boulevard down to West Road near the Broad Channel subway station.
“How could you not do a place like East 6th Road which floods regularly?” Mundy asked. Social media also lit up with interest and complaints.
The problem, Mundy explained, was in the funding. Money for the project was coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA outlined the initial streets which would be redone, and excluded others.
In a meeting with local electeds, DDC and DOT officials, Mundy was told, “They said FEMA chose this. FEMA’s paying for the project.”
To DOT’s credit, “they asked FEMA to come down and re-evaluate, to see the actual streets. But “FEMA turned them down.”
Displaying the commitment the tight knit community is known for, Mundy continued, “We said we’re not accepting that. DOT said; let’s see what we can do about this.”
Later, he said he was pleasantly surprised to get a phone call. “They came back and said we’re going to do it all.”
“The side streets are being done with 90 percent FEMA money, and the rest is DOT. DOT stepped up and is paying for the additional streets.”
“The fact that we have a good rapport with DOT and such great support from our elected officials made this possible.”
After the announcement on Monday Broad Channel resident Jon-Paul Rasinya posted on Facebook a “thank you to Assemblyman Goldfeder, Councilman Ulrich and Senator Addabbo for helping us in getting 6th Road, and the other streets not included in Broad Channel, put onto the paving schedule. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.”
Mundy also singled out Queens DOT Commissioner Delia Hall.
He also pointed out Bhavani Ravanan, the project manager and liaison who arranged the initial meeting, who he says has gone above and beyond. “I had a call about a water main break at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon. She said, ‘We’ll get to it today.’ And sure enough by 8 o’clock they were out there.”
Councilman Ulrich stated that “by investing in our infrastructure, DOT is giving Broad Channel the attention it deserves. Since Hurricane Sandy, my office has been working closely with Assemblyman Goldfeder to ensure that every community affected by the storm receives its fair share of city services.”
Goldfeder noted “This is a huge win for our families in Broad Channel. “I commend the Department of Transportation and Department of Design and Construction for listening to our community’s concerns and ensuring our families make a complete recovery after the storm.”
While this is going on, Broad Channel is working towards a number of other improvements. After years of planning, a flood mitigation project is underway to raise West 11th, 12th and 13th roads.
According to Mundy, West 14th to 19th Road, which are not included on the current DOT plan, will be part of the next phase of street raising. “The time table is moving up. The city said they’re going to fast track. The new administration is anxious to have the opportunity to make a town like Broad Channelmore resilient.”
Likewise East 10th Road will be redone as part of a future project. Meanwhile officials are working on getting Cross Bay Boulevard resurfaced from East 1st Road to East 5th through Federal Highway funds. Early this year the one roadway which connects Rockaway and Broad Channel to mainland Queens was done up to that point.
“It’s a big project and there are going to be some growing pains,” Alison Kase reflected. “As such it’s a mess, it smells bad.”
“But in the end it’ll come with a great payoff. It would be great not to have to work through puddles when the tide rises. And the community will look beautiful!”
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