Gabion baskets, pictured above, help provide support to the structure of the embankment following the completion of repairs from a damaging 2018 storm. Image Credit: DDC.
A 2018 nor’easter damaged Shore Road, resulting in a partial collapse of the embankment and damage to the roadway and walkway. On June 23, 2022, the Department of Design and Construction, elected officials, and community members celebrated the completion of a $4.9 million project to stabilize Shore Road, which runs along Little Neck Bay from West Drive to Bayview Avenue in Douglaston, Queens.
The project was intended to help Shore Road recover from damages caused by the nor’easter of spring 2018. The storm caused devastating damage to the embankment, which partially collapsed, and the timber walls, both of which were meant to support the street and pathway. Naturally, the street and pathway were damaged as well. In addition, the nor’easter left Shore Road vulnerable to further inclement weather.
In June 2021, repairs for Shore Road’s roadway and walkway began. This included: installing steel sheets and 40-feet-deep soldier piles for roadway support; approximately 700 cubic yards of gabion baskets to support the roadway and embankment; and the restoration of the 2,550 walkway on the lower portion of the embankment and over 900 square feet of the roadway along the embankment.
A design team from the Department of Design and Construction designed the project with Hazen and Sawyer. The construction was completed by MFM Contracting Corp and EnTech Engineering, PC provided engineering services. The project was managed by the Department of Design and Construction and funded by the Department of Transportation. The project, which cost $4.9 million, was completed at $700,000 under budget.
DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley stated, “The design here using gabion baskets filled with stone was developed in-house at DDC and is an efficient yet aesthetically pleasing solution to the stabilization problem on Shore Road. DDC is engaged in coastal protection projects throughout the City and is prepared to employ a variety of strategies to guard shoreline areas.”
State Senator John C. Liu stated, “The Shore Road waterfront is a hidden gem in Douglaston, widely enjoyed at all times of the year by both residents and visitors wishing to take in sweeping vistas of Little Neck Bay. When the 2018 nor’easter threatened to destabilize the entire region, we knew immediate resiliency actions needed to take place. Throughout the pandemic, when construction slowed across the city, my office worked closely with DDC, DOT and the City Comptroller to expedite this emergency contract and make sure it remained a priority to the administration, and we’re elated that the finished project came in on time and under budget. The restored walkway is a wonderful addition to our community that offers both a place for recreation and upgraded infrastructure that will protect against climate change well into the future.”
By: Malka Amar (Malka is a CityLaw intern and New York Law School student, Class of 2023.)
DDC: “City Completes Emergency Contract to Stabilize Shore Road from West Drive to Bayview Avenue in Douglaston, Queens” (June 23, 2022).