To Better Manage Extreme Rainfall, City Invests $128 Million to Add Six Miles of New Storm Sewers in Whitestone, Queens

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To Better Manage Extreme Rainfall, City Invests $128 Million to Add Six Miles of New Storm Sewers in Whitestone, Queens

In addition, nearly 9 miles of old water mains and 2 miles of sanitary sewers replaced; New sewers prevent 29 million gallons of pollution from entering Flushing Bay each year; Projects completed eight months ahead of schedule

Council Member Paladino secures funding for high-resolution cameras and extendable poles to aid DEP in sewer inspections in Northern Queens

DEP: 718-595-6600, DEPPressOffice@dep.nyc.gov
DOT: 212-839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov
DDC: Ian Michaels, 646-939-6514, michaelia@ddc.nyc.gov

(Whitestone, NY – May 28, 2024) The NYC Departments of Environmental Protection (DEP), Transportation (DOT) and Design and Construction (DDC) joined community members and local elected officials today to celebrate the completion of two infrastructure projects totaling $128 million in Whitestone, Queens that added nearly six miles of new storm sewers in the neighborhood to improve stormwater drainage. Work took place on more than 120 individual blocks and included the conversion of almost 13,000 feet of combined sewers into separate sanitary and stormwater sewer systems which prevent 29 million gallons of pollution from being discharged into Flushing Bay each year.

The two projects, SE810 (orange) and SE811 (blue), improved stormwater drainage, water mains and local street conditions. The yellow area shows overlap of both projects.

Additionally, Council Member Paladino secured funding that has allowed DEP to purchase high-resolution cameras and extendable poles that are used daily by crews in Northern Queens to inspect sewers.

“Residents and businesses in Whitestone had reported regular flooding for many years but this $128 million investment in additional sewer lines has gone a long way to keeping basements dry and relieving some of that stress,” said NYC DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “Importantly, these new sewers also prevent 29 million gallons of pollution from being discharged into Flushing Bay each year – a big win for our shared environment! I’d also like to thank Council Member Paladino for providing funding that has allowed us to purchase additional pole cameras that are used by our crews every day to inspect sewer conditions in Northern Queens."

“This historic investment brings much needed infrastructure upgrades to the Whitestone/North Flushing area, and we applaud the efficient work of our sister agencies to bring this project to fruition,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “This project, in addition to new storm sewers, delivered new pedestrian ramps, roadway surfaces, and sidewalks, while also upgrading traffic signals and street lighting. These upgrades will improve accessibility and public safety for the entire community, and we thank local residents and stakeholders for their advocacy.”

“These were very complicated infrastructure projects where crews worked around several schools, numerous bus routes and utilities that all had to remain open and functional throughout the work,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Thomas Foley. “But the results speak for themselves. Several miles of Whitestone streets have been rebuilt with better drainage and better stormwater management, which will help manage the effects of climate change for local residents. I thank the DDC team for all their hard work on these extensive projects.”

Prior to these projects, the area was serviced solely by a combined sewer that drained wastewater from homes and businesses as well as stormwater from roadways. During heavy rainstorms, if the combined sewer reached capacity it would result in roadway flooding and untreated wastewater being discharged into Flushing Bay.

Because there was sufficient room under the roadways in Whitestone to accommodate an additional sewer line, the installation of a sewer dedicated to draining stormwater was the most effective tool available to engineers to better manage stormwater and reduce flooding and sewer overflows.

The first project, called SE810, was a $72 million project that saw work on 70 individual blocks in Whitestone. Construction began in September 2018 and concluded in 2023. The adjacent project, called SE811, which saw work on 54 individual blocks, was a $56 million project that began in August 2021 and ended in December 2023, about eight months ahead of schedule.

As part of the work, the catch basins that drain stormwater from the roadways were disconnected from the existing combined sewer and redirected to the newly installed dedicated stormwater sewer. This helps to ensure that the untreated wastewater from homes and businesses that is being carried by the previously combined sewer does not get discharged into the Bay, but rather drains to a wastewater facility where it can be properly treated and cleaned. And the additional stormwater capacity helps to reduce the likelihood of any roadway flooding. DDC managed both projects for DEP and DOT.

A newly paved street in Whitestone. The two projects replaced 29 acres of asphalt while upgrading 249 corner pedestrian ramps. Fire protection was enhanced with 61 additional fire hydrants.

Project details

In SE810/811, a total of 31,316 feet of new storm sewers were installed in a neighborhood that had previously been partially served by combined sewers. In the SE810 project area, 12,092 feet of existing combined sewers were converted to primarily sanitary sewers to help reduce combined sewer runoff during rainstorms. The neighborhood’s new storm sewers range in size from 12 inches in diameter up to elliptical pipes measuring 68 inches by 43 inches.

To help direct stormwater to the new sewers, a total of 213 catch basins were replaced by the two projects and 118 new catch basins were installed. To improve the long-term reliability of the area’s water service, 47,341 feet of old water mains were replaced, ranging in size from 8 inches to 20 inches. To enhance fire protection, 111 fire hydrants were replaced with new ones and an additional 37 were added.

More than five miles of new curbs were installed to direct stormwater to the catch basins and 27,730 square yards of local sidewalks were built. The streets were finally paved with nearly 29 acres of asphalt. The projects replaced 249 pedestrian ramps at 158 individual corners, ensuring that they are ADA-compliant.

Microtunneling under the Whitestone Service Road minimized the construction impact on the community

Upgrades were made along entry points to the Whitestone Expressway and Cross Island Parkway. In SE811, rather than using traditional roadway excavation to install a 72-inch reinforced concrete pipe underneath the Whitestone Service Road, micro tunneling was used to minimize disruption to traffic and the community. Crews also used quieter helical piles instead of timber to reduce noise during construction.

The project area included Parsons Boulevard. More than five miles of curbs were replaced along with 27,730 square yards of local sidewalks

Pole Cameras

Council Member Paladino provided funding that allowed DEP to purchase new high-resolution cameras with extendable poles that crews use to inspect sewers.

Sewers in New York City are generally located under roadways and lie about 8-10 feet below ground. The primary access points are the manholes located in the roadway. Crews can open a manhole cover and lower a pole camera down to the sewer and take high-resolution photos of the inside of the sewer. They can also view what the camera sees in real-time on an iPad.

The pole cameras funded by Council Member Paladino are used by DEP’s Queens North Sewer Maintenance crews and aid in their ability to more quickly identify defects and blockages, implement preventive maintenance strategies and ultimately improve the performance of the sewer system in Northern Queens.

“I am incredibly proud of this project and its completion which will benefit hundreds of my constituents in Whitestone and Flushing,” said Council Member Vickie Paladino. “Massive infrastructure projects are never easy, but the end results speak for themselves and I’m optimistic the community will experience that in their quality of life. Thank you to DDC Commissioner Foley, DEP Commissioner Aggarwala, DOT Commissioner Rodriguez, and the City of New York, for your attention to and investment in our community.”

"No borough is under threat from climate change and extreme weather quite like Queens. Communities like Flushing have experienced far too many damaging flood events in recent years, requiring us to move with the urgency of now to upgrade our aging infrastructure," said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "That's exactly what we've done with this crucial $128 million investment in sustainability and resiliency for the families of Flushing and Whitestone. Thank you to all our government partners for your work bringing this project to fruition and I look forward to many more like it all across the World's Borough."

“This project will make a tangible difference in the lives of residents in northeast Queens and the future of our environment,” said Councilmember Sandra Ung. “Not only will it mitigate flooding issues in our neighborhoods, but infrastructure improvements above ground will deliver public safety enhancements for everyone. This project will also play a crucial role in improving the ecological health of Flushing Bay and the surrounding wetlands, which has benefits beyond the project’s footprint. I commend the city agencies that worked together to bring this project to fruition while minimizing the local impact.”

“As neighbors to the Flushing Bay who live in low lying flood prone areas, Whitestone and Flushing residents are no strangers to flooding and sewer backups during heavy rainfalls,” said State Senator John Liu. “Separating combined sewers into sanitary and stormwater systems will provide much needed relief during these events, which are becoming far more frequent here in New York City and around the state with the onset of climate change.”

“This new sewer system will address the flooding frustrations residents have expressed for years while ensuring pollution and waste aren’t flowing into Flushing Bay,” said State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. “This new sewer system was long overdue and, as a Whitestone resident, I appreciate its completion.”

The two projects completed in 2023 follow-up on an earlier one that began in June 2012 and was completed in December 2017. That $67.5 million project included the installation of storm and sanitary sewers, as well as water main work on the Whitestone Expressway service road from 13th Avenue to 29th Avenue plus other nearby areas.

About the NYC Department of Environmental Protection
DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.5 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP also protects the health and safety of New Yorkers by enforcing the Air and Noise Codes and asbestos rules. DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $31.3 billion in investments over the next 10 years. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter.

About the NYC Department of Transportation
The New York City Department of Transportation’s (NYC DOT) mission is to provide for the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods in the City of New York and to maintain and enhance the transportation infrastructure crucial to the economic vitality and quality of life of our primary customers, City residents. NYC DOT’s staff manage an annual operating budget of $1.4 billion and a ten-year $33 billion capital program, along with 6,300 miles of streets and highways, over 12,000 miles of sidewalk, and approximately 800 bridges and tunnels, including the iconic East River bridges. NYC DOT’s staff also installs and maintains nearly one million street signs, 13,250 signalized intersections, over 315,000 street lights, and over 350 million linear feet of markings.

About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor Adams’ long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $33 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to City projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.