Construction Begins On First NY Works Project To Repair Roads In New York City

ALBANY, NY (06/20/2012)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald today announced that construction has begun on contracts to resurface two segments of the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx and portions of the Prospect and West Shore expressways in Brooklyn and Staten Island through Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's NY Works program. This represents $27.6 million in paving on State roads in New York City.

"Governor Cuomo's NY Works program speeds up our bridge and highway reconstruction efforts and puts people back to work," Commissioner McDonald said "The traveling public will see nearly twice as much highway work than just last year. We ask motorists to be patient and drive carefully through construction zones."

With today's announcement, construction has begun on the first NY Works transportation improvement projects only two months after Governor Cuomo signed the 2012-2013 Budget allowing funding for these projects to move forward.

Both contracts exceed Governor Cuomo's goal of 20 percent participation by Minority- and Women-Owned Business enterprises (M/WBEs), with 26 percent participation on the Major Deegan Expressway project and 22 percent participation on the Prospect and West Shore expressway projects.

Alphonso David, Governor Cuomo's Deputy Secretary for Civil Rights, said: "New York State must continue to be a strong leader in promoting economic opportunity for minority and women owed business enterprises. Governor Cuomo has outlined his goal of eliminating barriers for minority and women owned firms to participate in state contracting opportunities and has committed the resources to achieve that goal. The MWBE goals outlined in NY Works street and highway repaving program is a direct reflection of the Governor's commitment and illustrates that minority and women-owned construction firms can successfully compete in important projects such as this."

NY Works focuses on improving pavement that is in fair condition to good. This preventive maintenance work will better preserve the state's infrastructure and guard against the need for more costly, in-depth construction. Bundling projects sites within close geographic locations into a single contract enables DOT to lower expenses and obtain lower bids.

A $17.9 million contract includes resurfacing six miles of pavement on Interstate 87, the Major Deegan Expressway, from the Bruckner Expressway to Fordham Road and from the Mosholu Parkway to the Bronx County line in the Bronx.

A second, $9.7 million contract includes resurfacing two miles of pavement on Route 27, the Prospect Expressway, from the Gowanus Expressway to Church Avenue in Richmond County; and more than five miles of pavement on Route 440, the West Shore Expressway, from Rossville Avenue to the Staten Island Expressway in Kings County.

The construction contractor for both contracts is Intercounty Paving Associates of Hicksville, Nassau County.

Work began the week of May 28 on the Major Deegan Expressway and West Shore Expressway. Both roads are expected to be completed by the end of September. Once the West Shore paving is completed, work will begin on the Prospect Expressway and is planned to conclude by the end of November. All of the resurfacing work will be performed in the overnight hours, with lane closures of either one or two lanes from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The Major Deegan Expressway is a major commuter and freight route, carrying up to 119,000 vehicles per day and connecting the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge and the Bruckner Expressway with the George Washington Bride and the Cross Bronx Expressway, continuing north into Westchester County. The West Shore Expressway is the major commuter and freight route for the west shore of Staten Island, carrying up to 94,000 vehicles per day between Staten Island, New Jersey and the metro area. The Prospect Expressway carries 99,000 vehicles per day between the Gowanus Expressway (Interstate 278) and central Brooklyn.

Motorists may encounter flaggers directing traffic and should expect travel delays. It is imperative that motorists remember this season to drive carefully through the many highway and bridge construction zones they will encounter.

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