City Tunnel No. 3, Stage 2 Manhattan Leg Shaft 33B Project

Final Environmental Impact Statement

DEP is pleased to announce the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the City Tunnel No. 3, Stage 2 Manhattan Leg Shaft 33B Project. The Notice of Completion and the Final EIS are available for viewing below. Paper copies of the document along with the appendices can be examined at any of the repositories listed below. Electronic versions of the Final EIS on CD (in pdf format) are available upon request by calling 718-595-4409.

Public Hearing & Informational Forums

A Public Hearing was held on December 5, 2005 to receive formal comments on the Draft EIS.  The following is the transcript of the hearing:

Transcript of Draft EIS Public Comment Hearing (PDF)

In addition, two informational forums were held on November 17 and 21, 2005 to informally discuss the project with the public. The subject matter of the two forums was identical and focussed on the Draft EIS methodologies and analyses with special emphasis on the traffic, air quality and noise analyses.  The following presentation was given at the informational forums:

Part 1 - Introduction and Agenda (PDF)
Part 2 - Traffic (PDF)
Part 3 - Noise (PDF)

Project Description

DEP is proposing to construct a water supply shaft, Shaft 33B and associated water mains, on the upper east side of Manhattan. Shaft 33B would be the last shaft to be sited for the City Tunnel No. 3 project that is currently under construction. As a water supply shaft, Shaft 33B would connect City Tunnel No. 3 to the water distribution system that serves East Midtown and the Upper East Side. A new water supply shaft for City Tunnel No. 3 is critical for these two areas, to address water distribution needs, provide adequate supply to meet the neighborhoods’ heavy demand, maintain sufficient pressure and to provide redundancy to the existing water supply system. City Tunnel No. 3 is being constructed in part to facilitate inspection and repair of City Tunnel No. 1, which was activated in 1917 and has been in continuous operation for almost 90 years. Before the inspection of City Tunnel No. 1 can begin, City Tunnel No. 3 must be activated.

The preferred site for Shaft 33B is on E. 59th Street and First Avenue, adjacent to the Queensboro Bridge. Three feasible alternative sites for the shaft are evaluated in the Final EIS including: the E. 59th Street/Second Avenue Shaft Site; the E. 61st Street between First and Second Avenue Shaft Site and the E. 54th Street/Second Avenue Shaft Site. Three different potential water main connection routes are also assessed in the Final EIS, these include: the First Avenue route (the reasonable worst-case route); (2) the Sutton Place route (an additional representative route); and (3) the E. 59th Street/E. 61st Street route (an additional representative route).

The Final EIS includes a new chapter, Chapter 15 “Comments and Responses” that considers and responds to comment received during the Draft EIS public comment period (November 7, 2005 thru December 22, 2005) and oral comments received at the December 5, 2005, Draft EIS Public Hearing. After a thorough consideration of environmental consequences discussed in the EIS including those associated with construction of the water mains, and consideration of the public comments received on the EIS, on balance, the site at E. 59th Street and First Avenue remains the preferred site for Shaft 33B.

Statement of Findings for the Siting of Shaft 33B (PDF)

Notice of Completion (PDF)

Foreword (PDF)

Table of Contents (PDF)

1. Executive Summary (PDF)
2. Purpose and Need and Project Overview (PDF)
3. Impact Methodologies
   1. Introduction (PDF)
   2. Land Use and Community Facilities, Zoning, and Public Policy (PDF)
   3. Open Space (PDF)
   4. Socioeconomic Conditions (PDF)
   5. Historic Resources (PDF)
   6. Urban Design and Visual Resources (PDF)
   7. Neighborhood Character (PDF)
   8. Infrastructure and Energy (PDF)
   9. Traffic and Parking (PDF)
   10. Transit and Pedestrians (PDF)
   11. Air Quality (PDF)
   12. Noise (PDF)
   13. Vibration (PDF)
   14. Hazardous Materials (PDF)
   15. Public Health (PDF)
4. Preferred Shaft Site
   1. Project Description (PDF)
   2. Land Use and Community Facilities, Zoning, and Public Policy (PDF)
   3. Open Space (PDF)
   4. Socioeconomic Conditions (PDF)
   5. Historic Resources (PDF)
   6. Urban Design and Visual Resources (PDF)
   7. Neighborhood Character (PDF)
   8. Infrastructure and Energy (PDF)
   9. Traffic and Parking (PDF)
   10. Transit and Pedestrians (PDF)
   11. Air Quality (PDF)
   12. Noise (PDF)
   13. Vibration (PDF)
   14. Hazardous Materials (PDF)
   15. Public Health (PDF)
   16. Mitigation Measures (PDF)
   17. Unavoidable Adverse Impacts (PDF)
5. Water Main Connections
   1. Project Description (PDF)
   2. Land Use and Community Facilities, Zoning, and Public Policy (PDF)
   3. Open Space (PDF)
   4. Socioeconomic Conditions (PDF)
   5. Historic Resources (PDF)
   6. Urban Design and Visual Resources (PDF)
   7. Neighborhood Character (PDF)
   8. Infrastructure and Energy (PDF)
   9. Traffic and Parking (PDF)
   10. Transit and Pedestrians (PDF)
   11. Air Quality (PDF)
   12. Noise (PDF)
   13. Vibration (PDF)
   14. Hazardous Materials (PDF)
   15. Public Health (PDF)
   16. Mitigation Measures (PDF)
6. E. 59th Street/Second Avenue Shaft Site
   1. Project Description (PDF)
   2. Land Use and Community Facilities, Zoning, and Public Policy (PDF)
   3. Open Space (PDF)
   4. Socioeconomic Conditions (PDF)
   5. Historic Resources (PDF)
   6. Urban Design and Visual Resources (PDF)
   7. Neighborhood Character (PDF)
   8. Infrastructure and Energy (PDF)
   9. Traffic and Parking (PDF)
   10. Transit and Pedestrians (PDF)
   11. Air Quality (PDF)
   12. Noise (PDF)
   13. Vibration (PDF)
   14. Hazardous Materials (PDF)
   15. Public Health (PDF)
   16. Mitigation Measures (PDF)
   17. Unavoidable Adverse Impacts (PDF)
7. E. 61st Street Shaft Site
   1. Project Description (PDF)
   2. Land Use and Community Facilities, Zoning, and Public Policy (PDF)
   3. Open Space (PDF)
   4. Socioeconomic Conditions (PDF)
   5. Historic Resources (PDF)
   6. Urban Design and Visual Resources (PDF)
   7. Neighborhood Character (PDF)
   8. Infrastructure and Energy (PDF)
   9. Traffic and Parking (PDF)
   10. Transit and Pedestrians (PDF)
   11. Air Quality (PDF)
   12. Noise (PDF)
   13. Vibration (PDF)
   14. Hazardous Materials (PDF)
   15. Public Health (PDF)
   16. Mitigation Measures (PDF)
   17. Unavoidable Adverse Impacts (PDF)
8. E. 54th Street/Second Avenue Shaft Site
   1. Project Description (PDF)
   2. Land Use and Community Facilities, Zoning, and Public Policy (PDF)
   3. Open Space (PDF)
   4. Socioeconomic Conditions (PDF)
   5. Historic Resources (PDF)
   6. Urban Design and Visual Resources (PDF)
   7. Neighborhood Character (PDF)
   8. Infrastructure and Energy (PDF)
   9. Traffic and Parking (PDF)
   10. Transit and Pedestrians (PDF)
   11. Air Quality (PDF)
   12. Noise (PDF)
   13. Vibration (PDF)
   14. Hazardous Materials (PDF)
   15. Public Health (PDF)
   16. Mitigation Measures (PDF)
   17. Unavoidable Adverse Impacts (PDF)
9. Water Main Only Alternative (PDF)
10. No Action Alternative (PDF)
11. Comparison of Alternatives (PDF)
12. Growth-Inducing Impacts (PDF)
13. Irretrievable and Irreversible Commitment to R esources (PDF)
14. Environmental Impact Screening Analyses (PDF)
15. Comments and Responses (PDF)

Acronyms and Glossary (PDF)

Appendices Table of Contents (PDF)

Appendix 1: Site Screening (PDF)

Appendix 2:

• Consistency Assessment Form (PDF)
• FDNY Correspondence (PDF)

Appendix 5: Historic ResourcesPhase IA Historic Resources Assessment (PDF)

• Addendum to the Phase IA Historic Resources Assessment (PDF)
• Agency Correspondence (PDF)

Appendix 6: Visual Resources (PDF)

Appendix 9: Traffic and Parking

• Accident Data from NYSDOT (PDF)
• Automatic Traffic Recorders (PDF)
• Turning Movement Counts (PDF)
• Intersection Geometry (PDF)
• Signal Timing (PDF)
• Traffic Assignments (PDF)
• Travel Time Runs (PDF)
• Traffic Analysis HCS Outputs - Preferred Shaft Site (PDF)
• Traffic Analysis HCS Outputs - E. 59th Street/E. 61st Street Route (PDF)
• Traffic Analysis HCS Outputs - First Avenue Route (PDF)
• Traffic Analysis HCS Outputs - Scenario A (PDF)
• Traffic Analysis HCS Outputs - Sutton Place Route (PDF)
• Traffic Analysis HCS Outputs - East 54th Street/Second Ave Shaft Site (PDF)
• Traffic Analysis HCS Outputs - Water Main Only Alternative (PDF)
• Traffic Analysis HCS Outputs - Existing Conditions (PDF)
• Traffic Analysis HCS Outputs - No Build Conditions (PDF)

Appendix 10: Transit and Pedestrians

• Survey Sheets (PDF)
• Intersection Geometries (PDF)
• Data Reduction Sheets (PDF)
• HCS - Preferred Shaft Site (PDF)
• HCS - Water Main Scenario (PDF)
• HCS - Water Main 59th/61st (PDF)
• HCS - Alternate Shaft Site (PDF)

Appendix 11: Air Quality

• Stationary Air Quality Analysis – E. 59th & 1st (PDF)
• Stationary Air Quality Analysis – Water Mains (PDF)
• Stationary Air Quality Analysis – E. 59th & 2nd (PDF)
• Stationary Air Quality Analysis – 61st Street (PDF)
• Stationary Air Quality Analysis – E. 54th & 2nd (PDF)

Appendix 12: Noise

• Noise Appendix-Part 1 (PDF)
• Noise Appendix-Part 2 (PDF)

Appendix 14: Hazardous Materials

• Preferred Shaft Site Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (PDF)
• Preferred Shaft Site Phase II Hazardous Materials Analysis (PDF)
• Water Main Route Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (PDF)
• E. 54th Street and 2nd Avenue Site Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (PDF)
• E.59/E.61st Route Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (PDF)
• E. 61st Street Shaft Site Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (PDF)
• E. 59 Street and 2nd Avenue Site Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (PDF)

Environmental Assessment Statement (PDF)

Notice of Intent (PDF)

Final Scope of Work (PDF)