Giant storm sewers address flooding in Queens
QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) — When storms dump rain on the city, sewers are put to the test. Some of them can't handle the flow.
Flooding is a problem around the city. A multi-billion-dollar mega project is underway in Queens.
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A half-mile stretch of storm sewer is being 'cast in place,' where crews build the form and concrete is poured.
It will eventually run from 149th Avenue and 224th Street along Springfield Lane in Idlewild Park. It will drain into a creek and Jamaica Bay southwest of Rockaway Boulevard.
Thomas Foley is the commissioner of the NYC Department of Design and Construction.
'A great engineering feat that's on budget and on schedule. People won't know this is under their feet,' Foley said.
Smaller local lines connect to bigger sewers to channel stormwater and runoff. The new sewers at this location can handle more than a million gallons of water a minute.
The plan includes protection measures for almost 5 acres of tidal wetland in Idlewild and Brookville parks. The sewers are below ground.
PIX11's Greg Mocker walked inside the 12-foot-wide and 8-foot-tall structures with engineers, workers, and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.
'With about 40 to 50 years of disinvestment, and developers building homes without putting in sewers, that's environmental racism. This will give people the quality of life they deserve. It's the fruits of our labor,' Richards said.
The Southeast Queens Initiative is a group of more than 40 infrastructure projects totaling $2.7 billion, which are rebuilding streets and adding drainage throughout Southeast Queens.
Crews are working on different sections and connections in the coming years. The project around Idlewild Park is set to be done in September 2026.
City water and sewer customers pay for parts of the projects.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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