Transportation Department Plans To Repave More Than 1,000 Miles Throughout New York City
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A new project announcement will affect anyone who drives in New York City. The Department of Transportation unveiled a plan Tuesday to repave 1,000 miles of roadway throughout the boroughs, but it could come with a lot of frustration for commuters.
The more than $1 billion commitment over the next 10 years is aiming to get city streets in better shape, CBS2's Emily Smith reported. The repaving will happen from the Bronx all the way to Staten Island.
One road in the Dongan Hills Colony section of Staten Island is just one of several that will be under construction and cheaper gas prices are to thank. The oil the city buys to produce asphalt has been less expensive lately, making it an opportunity to fix sunken roads.
It will help fix the problem, but it's going to be a bumpy summer.
"This is like a third world country, Staten Island, as far as the potholes go," Staten Island resident John Zwaryczuk said. "I've never seen it so bad."
The Department of Transportation would not go on camera, but a spokesperson told CBS2 they originally planned to repave 1,200 miles before the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30. But now city leaders are adding 65 extra miles to the project, all to be finished this month.
"You see roads literally coming apart. They've outlived their life span. And the only way is to rip up old asphalt and put new down," Staten Island Borough President Jim Oddo said.
He's been pleading the city for a bigger budget to get the roads paved for at least eight years.
"You can't fix a problem that took a decade to be born. You can't fix it in one or two paving seasons," he said.
While its welcome news for millions of drivers hitting deep potholes everyday, there will be milling on the streets for up to 20 days at a time. The conditions can make for an uncomfortable, bumpy drive or even road closures.
"I remember Bay Street was shut down for three or four days," resident Vinnie Trento said.
CBS2 was told by DOT that work on the road will be done mostly at night to alleviate traffic issues. However, the roads will temporarily be bumpy from all the milling.
Check out the full list of streets in each borough that will be repaved:
Staten Island:
Richmond Road from:
Clove Road to W Fingerboard Road
Narrows Road North to Clove Road
Van Duzer Street to Narrows Road North
Forest Hills Road from
Gunda Street to Richmond Hill Road
Richmond Hill Road to Platnum Avenue
Manhattan:
3rd Avenue from:
99th Street to East 124th Street
Queens:
Queens Boulevard from:
Union Turnpike to Hoover Avenue
Hillside Avenue from:
184th Street to 188th Street
Clearview Expressway to Braddock Avenue
Utopia Parkway between:
Horace Harding Expressway & Jewel Avenue
Lefferts Boulevard from:
Kew Gardens Road to Metropolitan Avenue
Kew Gardens Road from:
Lefferts Boulevard to Van Wyck Expressway
E/B S/R Horance Harding Exressway from:
Kissena Boulevard to 164th Street
