STREET MAINTENANCE/New York is set for FDR rehab, traffic diversion
The New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) is rehabilitating a half-mile stretch of FDR Drive between East 54th and East 63rd streets in Manhattan. The $136.3 million project, which began last fall, includes roadway repairs and upgrades to neighboring parks.
Running parallel to the East River, the section of FDR Drive is approximately 60 years old. Its load capacity has diminished over time as a result of routine wear and tear.
The “stacked” roadway consists of a three-lane, northbound roadway and an elevated, three-lane, southbound roadway that is covered by a roof. The south- and northbound roadways will be re-paved, and new lights, signs and drainage systems will be installed on both.
FDR Drive’s unusual structure and riverside location — as well as heavy traffic flow — present challenges for rehabilitation. To minimize traffic disruptions and work around space limitations, New York-based Daniel Frankfurt, the engineering and architectural firm that designed the project, has planned a detour roadway that will extend into the East River and carry northbound traffic throughout the rehabilitation.
When the detour roadway is ready for traffic, southbound traffic will be re-routed to the existing northbound roadway, and repairs will begin on the southbound lanes. After the rehabilitation of the southbound roadway is complete, repairs will commence on the northbound lanes. When the rehabilitation is complete, the detour roadway will be torn down.
The rehabilitation project also will include some work on the roadway’s roof. For example, cracks in the roof slab and beams will be repaired, and the roof’s concrete underside will be repaired. New joints and a new drainage system also will be installed on the roof.
As part of the project, the New York City Parks and Recreation Department is overseeing improvements to three small public parks at East 56th, East 57th and East 58th streets, which are partially located on the roof deck. Wheelchair ramps will be installed to improve access to the parks and to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. New plants and curbs also will be added.
Preliminary work on the FDR Drive rehabilitation began in September, and construction of the detour is slated to start this month. Whitestone, N.Y.-based Slattery-Skanska and Cranford, N.J.-based Weeks Marine are the general contractors.
The New York City DOT establishes the rehabilitation project’s daily work hours and will maintain the roadway after repairs are completed in April 2007. The project is being funded by a combination of state and federal money.