After road conditions led to street flooding and damage, the sewers of a south Queens neighborhood will finally get some much-needed repairs.
The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced on Thursday that a $62 million infrastructure project that will install new storm sewers, repair local street conditions has begun in Rochdale.
“Like many parts of southeast Queens, this neighborhood has experienced significant flooding and ponding issues that can linger for days after a heavy rainfall,” said DDC Acting Commissioner Ana Barrio. “We’re very happy to work with our partners at DEP to implement the largest systematic street restoration program in the five boroughs, in southeast Queens.”
Funded by the DEP, the project will install more than 1,550 feet of new storm sewers and 6,600 feet of existing storm sewers will be replace with larger new pipes. Up to 11,000 feet of old sanitary sewers will be replaced and to improve street drainage, 44 new catch basins will be installed and 87 existing ones will be replaced.
Additionally, 32 exiting fireplaces will be replaced by new ones and 16 new hydrants will be installed. The Jamaica Water Supply Company will be replacing 18,000 feet of old cast-iron water mains, some of which date back to the 1920s.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2020.
This project is a part of New York City’s $1.9 billion investment to improve flooding and street conditions in southeast Queens. The program consists of 45 projects that are expected to be completed over the next 10 years.
“Mayor de Blasio has made a historic investment in the infrastructure of southeast Queens and these shovels in the ground are a sign that flooding relief is on the way for residents and businesses,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “I thank our partners at DDC for managing this important work and look forward to building out a full drainage system for the area.”
