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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 13-111

November 18, 2013

CONTACT:

Chris Gilbride / Angel Román (718) 595-6600

City Completes $26 Million Infrastructure Upgrade in Williamsbridge Neighborhood in the Bronx

New Water Mains, Sewers, Catch Basins, Sidewalks, and Street Lights Installed and 60 Blocks of Roadway Resurfaced

The Departments of Environmental Protection, Transportation, and Design and Construction today announced the completion of a three year, $26.6 million infrastructure upgrade project in the Williamsbridge neighborhood in the Bronx. The project included the installation of more than three miles of water mains and 69 fire hydrants to ensure the reliable delivery of drinking water to homes and businesses and adequate pressure to fight fires. In addition, more than a mile of sewers and 140 catch basins were installed to ensure the proper drainage of stormwater from streets and sanitary sewage from homes and businesses. Sixty blocks of resurfaced roadway, new sidewalks, curbs, and pedestrian ramps, 144 new street lights, and three new traffic signals will all help to provide a safe environment for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. The project also included the planting of 48 new trees that will help to clean the air and provide shade in the warmer months. The project was funded by the Departments of Environmental Protection and Transportation and was managed by the Department of Design and Construction.

“Investing in the water distribution and sewer systems, and the fire safety, clean drinking water, and basic sanitation they provide, is critical to the city’s residential, commercial, and industrial growth,” said DEP Commissioner Carter Strickland. “We are planning for an additional $217 million in water and sewer upgrades in the Bronx over the next ten years to ensure that the infrastructure keeps up with the growth of the borough.”

“This project will help provide new roadways and more reliable water service for the people of Williamsbridge,” said DDC Commissioner David J. Burney, FAIA. “Infrastructure upgrades, like the new water mains we installed in this project, are usually unseen – but they’re vital to our City’s future. We’re delighted to work with our partners at DEP and DOT to provide infrastructure that will serve Bronx residents well for decades to come.”

“The completion of this project signifies the importance of our infrastructure, not only as aesthetically pleasing but also for the functionality that communities so often take for granted. Thank you to all the agencies that worked together to improve the Williamsbridge section of the12th District,” said New York City Council Member Andy King.

“Over the last few years much development has taken place in Bronx Community Board 12 and maintenance and enhancement of the vital local infrastructure was badly needed,” said Community Board 12 Chairman Father Richard F. Gorman. “On behalf of a grateful neighborhood, I thank all the City Departments for getting this important work done.”

As part of the work, 560 feet of trunk water mains were installed. Trunk water mains range in size from 36 to 48 inches in diameter and are the large arteries that serve as a conduit between the water tunnel shafts and the local distribution network that connects to individual homes and businesses. Approximately 16,275 feet of distribution water mains, ranging in size from 6 to 12 inches, were also installed. These upgrades to the water distribution system will provide a critical redundancy to the network and help to minimize disruption to consumers during any future planned maintenance or emergency shutdowns. In addition, 7,163 feet of combined sewers, 347,661 square feet of new sidewalk, 3,436 feet of steel concrete curb, and 177 pedestrian ramps were installed.

The infrastructure upgrades took place at the following locations:

  • East 222nd Street from White Plains Road to Tillotson Avenue
  • East 221st Street from White Plains Road to Bronxwood Avenue
  • East 220th Street from White Plains Road to Bronxwood Avenue
  • East 218th Street from White Plains Road to Bronxwood Avenue
  • East 216th Street from Barnes Avenue to Bronxwood Avenue
  • East 215th Street from White Plains Road to Bronxwood Avenue
  • East 214th Street from White Plains Road to Bronxwood Avenue
  • East 213th Street from White Plains Road to Bronxwood Avenue
  • East 212th Street from White Plains Road to Holland Avenue
  • East 211th Street from White Plains Road to Barnes Avenue
  • Tilden Street from East Gun Hill Road to Bronxwood Avenue
  • Barnes Avenue from East 222nd Street to East Gun Hill Road
  • Bronxwood Avenue from East 222nd Street to East 213th Street
  • Holland Avenue from East 215th Street to East Gun Hill Road
  • Carlisle Place form East 213th Street to East 211th Street
  • Laconia Avenue from East 222nd Street to Burke Avenue

Expanding and upgrading the water distribution and sewer collection systems in neighborhoods that need additional capacity to support current residents and businesses, and to meet expected future demand, are key operational goals outlined in Strategy 2011-2014, a far-reaching strategic plan that lays out 100 distinct initiatives to make DEP the safest, most efficient, cost-effective, and transparent water utility in the nation. Since 2002, DEP has invested more than $93.5 million to upgrade water mains and more than $125 million to upgrade sewers in the Bronx. Over the next ten years, DEP is planning to invest more than $122 million to upgrade water mains and nearly $96 million to upgrade sewers throughout the borough.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than one billion gallons of water each day to more than nine million residents, including eight 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 has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 in the upstate watershed. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $14 billion in investments over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. This capital program is responsible for critical projects like City Water Tunnel No. 3; the Staten Island Bluebelt program, an ecologically sound and cost-effective stormwater management system; the city’s Watershed Protection Program, which protects sensitive lands upstate near the city’s reservoirs in order to maintain their high water quality; and the installation of more than 820,000 Automated Meter Reading devices, which will allow customers to track their daily water use, more easily manage their accounts and be alerted to potential leaks on their properties. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/nycwater, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/nycwater.

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