DOT - RBA Group Flood Mitigation Project Presentation

On the evening of Thursday, April 28, 2011, the New York City Department of Transportation (Queens Borough Commisioner Maura McCarthy) and the RBA Group design firm (Ms. Linda Reardon and Mr. Joe Menza) provided the residents of West 12th Road an overview of the ongoing flood mitigation project.

Summary of Presentation

Project Design

Raise Roadway Height:  West 12th Road will be raised to a minimum of 3.8 feet at the bay end of the block which will necessitate a maximum increase of some 29 inches on certain segments of the West 12th Road street through Cross Bay Boulevard.  This new roadway minimum elevation eliminates 100% of historical flooding we have experienced on West 12th Road during the period of 2007 through 2009 and accounts for projected sea level rise over the next 20 years. (Note:  this project will not serve to mitigate any tidal penetration as a result of individual property bulkhead deficiencies or the absence of a bulkhead.)

New End of Street Bulkhead:  A new cantilever type system vinyl or composite sheeting bulkhead with no tie-backs will be constructed at the bay end of West 12th Road.  The bulkhead will be tied into the exisiting bulkheads of adjacent property bulkheads at 59 West 12th Road and 58 West 12th Road respectively.  The bulkhead area will include a sidewalk, curb and a railing.   

Street Drainage System:  The newly raised West 12th Road will include a typical (buried) single pipe run off system tied into a check valve through the bulkhead at the street terminus on the bay end.  Additionally, approximately 100 feet of the "Envirokerb Street Drainage System" will be emplaced at the bay end of West 12th Road by DOT to assess the effectiveness of this innovative drainage system which captures and carries surface run-off continously.

Encroachments:  An encroachment is any structure (such as a fence, porch, decking, decorative pavers, etc.) that extends beyond the boundary of private property onto City property.  Many individual property encroachments may need to be partially or totally removed to accomodate the construction of the new roadway and sidewalks on West 12th Road, including a new (buried) retaining wall against the property frontage. (Note:  The city will replace any removed encroachments at the projects completion with temporary wooden stairs, simple cyclone fences, standard sidewalk concrete slabs, etc).  At the end of the presentation representatives from the RBA Group met individually with all West 12th Road property owners at the meeting and provided them with specific information indicating how this project would affect their individual properties.)

What Happens Next

Between Now and January 2012:  The city and the RBA Group will finalize their design profiles for West 11th and 13th Roads, complete all project designs, obtain DEC approvals and advertise bids for this contract.

June 2012:  Award project contract and commence construction.

Additional Considerations:  Prior to the actual start of construction in the summer of 2012, we will have to address several tangental issues such as street closure, resident access, parking, emergency response, garbage collection, scheduled days and hours of construction work, dust/debris abatement, impact on utiity lines, etc.  Additionally, any property owners with expensive pavers, fencing, decking, flower boxes, etc. that may constitute an "encroachment" may elect to remove and store same prior to the start of actual construction in 2012.

As always, the West 12th Road Block Association will keep you advised of any and all new information in this regard as it becomes available.