City Completes $139 Million Infrastructure Project in College Point, Queens, Upgrading Over 14 Miles of Water Mains and Sewers

Reconstruction included street improvements and curbs and sidewalks

DEP: 718-595-6600, DEPPressOffice@dep.nyc.gov
DOT: 212-839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov
DDC: Denisse Moreno, 718-391-1854, morenode@ddc.nyc.gov

(College Point, NY – September 25, 2024) The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) joined local elected officials today to celebrate the completion of a $139 million project in College Point, Queens, that covered over 100 individual blocks, upgrading over six miles of water mains and over eight miles of sewers to improve stormwater drainage and water service. The project, which was managed by DDC for DEP and DOT, also upgraded streets with over 24 acres of asphalt and other major improvements.

“This major infrastructure brings critical investments to College Point, with upgraded roads and sidewalks that improve accessibility and enhance safety for all,” said NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We thank the DOT, DEP and DDC teams for their unwavering commitment to get the job done, as well as Councilmember Paladino and Queens Borough President Richards for their staunch support in bringing this project to fruition.” 

“This major infrastructure investment will bring peace of mind to College Point residents who for years have dealt with poor street conditions and flooding after rainstorms,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Thomas Foley. “These upgrades will help with stormwater management in the area and mitigate the effects of climate change for local residents. I thank the DDC team, DEP and DOT teams for their hard work, and Councilmember Paladino and Queens Borough President Richards for supporting us through this extensive project.”

These infrastructure upgrades were made to enhance quality of life for residents in the College Point area, addressing the longstanding issue of basement flooding caused by a combined sewer system. The project replaced parts of the outdated combined sewer system with nearly 8.5 miles of new sewers --over 21,000 feet of storm sewers and over 22,000 feet of sanitary sewers. The construction of storm sewers included the installation of seven large storm sewer chambers and a tide gate designed as a barrier to prevent tidal waters from infiltrating the storm sewer system during high tide. Micro tunneling was used in this project to dig in two locations, eliminating the need for 30-feet-deep excavations that would have caused noise and other disruptions to the neighborhood.

Seven miles of water mains that were over 50 years old were upgraded to new eight to 20-inch-wide ductile iron pipes. The project installed 249 new catch basins and upgraded 51 old catch basins. Additionally, 92 fire hydrants were installed, 30 trees were added and over 8,000 square feet of wetlands were restored.

To improve road conditions for pedestrians and riders, over 4.5 acres of sidewalk and five miles of curb were upgraded, and 226 pedestrian ramps were upgraded to meet ADA compliance. The project also upgraded the roads with 24.5 acres of new asphalt.

"The completion of this critically important infrastructure project is a massive win for College Point, which finally has the modern sewer system it has long needed," said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "Thank you to our government partners for their work in completing this project, to the families of College Point for their patience and to the members of my office's College Point Task Force for their advocacy as we work to make this community a better place for all who live here."

“The College Point sewer project was one of my top priorities since taking office,” said Councilmember Vickie Paladino. “I could see how the people of College Point had suffered under this long-delayed project and I took aggressive action to see its completion. Between weekly phone calls with DDC and regular visits to the site with the contractors, the work began moving faster than it had under any other elected official. I’m proud to be the City Council Member who finally delivered College Point’s roads back to them.”

“I am encouraged by what these infrastructure improvements will do to help alleviate significant flooding and other sewer system issues in College Point,” said New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. “Our residents have been dealing with the destructive consequences of poor stormwater drainage for too many years. There are still areas in need of remediation and we must not ignore the fact that this is a good start but additional areas must be addressed. While the DDC has assured me that these upgrades will have an immediate and lasting impact on our water mains and street conditions, we must continue to take a proactive approach in combating the growing complications of climate change in our most vulnerable communities.”

"Residents of College Point have lived in fear of the rain for far too long, as even a small shower can flood streets, homes and storefronts,” said New York State Senator John Liu. “These water and sewer upgrades will not just provide needed relief for the area’s persistent flooding problems, but allow for some long-overdue peace of mind. Infrastructure upgrades continue to be a top priority for northeast Queens, and we are grateful to DEP, DDC and DOT for working together to bring sustainability and resiliency to the residents of College Point."

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 Environmental Protection
DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8.3 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 a robust capital program, with a planned $31.3 billion in investments over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

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.