Monday, August 22, 2011

Major clusterfuck coming soon!

From the Queens Chronicle:

In February, the second phase of the Kew Gardens Interchange project will get underway. It is a massive reconstruction and renovation plan affecting a complex web of thoroughfares — the Van Wyck Expressway, Grand Central Parkway, Queens Boulevard and Union Turnpike — which are used by half a million vehicles each day.

The first phase of the four-part project, which aims to correct structural problems and operational deficiencies, is already in progress.

The engineers overseeing the project from the Manhattan-based firm of Hardesty and Hanover gave a presentation about the status of the project at a Community Board 8 meeting last Thursday.

It will include the ramp to the northbound Van Wyck, originating from the eastbound Union Turnpike and eastbound Jackie Robinson Parkway; replacing the northbound Van Wyck viaduct, and construction on the eastbound Union Turnpike over the connection between the Grand Central, Van Wyck and merge bridge.

13 comments:

Mayor Mike said...

Heh Heh Heh

You're gonna be calling this the good old days once my empire takes over Willets Point!

Nya ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Anonymous said...

Why is it a clusterfuck? Sure it's going to be long and messy, but you always complain about how our infrastructure is not properly developed. When they undertake a capital improvement project you call it a clusterfuck.

Queens Crapper said...

A clusterfuck is a traffic jam. I didn't say the project wasn't needed, just that it will cause traffic issues.

Anonymous said...

So it will essentially be the same as it is now.
It seems that when they do major reconstructions, they sometimes use temporary roadways, keeping the same number of lanes open.

On the topic of road construction, have you seen what they are doing during the overnight resurfacing on the LIE near Queens College? They are putting some kind of prefabricated concrete slabs (embedding them into the roadway) in at what seems like irregular intervals. I have never seen anything like that before, and wonder what the purpose of these slabs are. Have you seen these? Any idea what they are and why they are putting them in?

Anonymous said...

Damn, I am retiring in March and will be stuck in that mess when I leave work for the last time, and finally move out of this city and state.

Joe said...

"concrete slabs (embedding them into the roadway)"

Supposedly they work like pylons to stop the roadway from sinking. There are fresh water springs under all that area.

The LIE is a mess in both directions day AND night now. Similar work related to the Ally Pond springs is going on at the Clearview-Cross Island clover leafs (1/2 hour to clear it )

Mayor Mike said...

I have never seen anything like that before, and wonder what the purpose of these slabs are. Have you seen these? Any idea what they are and why they are putting them in?

............................................
Not to worry. They're the grave markers of my political enemies. I want to rub it in your collective faces. Carry on!

Anonymous said...

While they are at it can they add like three lanes in each direction to the van wyck going towards JFK??

Anonymous said...

Of course not. What are you going to do with all of the displaced families?

Ms. Tsouris said...

The LIE looks like a ghetto road and I see lots of lights on the eastbound side at night but no repaving going on. The eastbound LIE was a bad accident waiting to happen during Sunday night's rain...no lane markings, no real road, bumpy and irregular surface, and many of the lights were off. Who is minding this store? Isn't the LIE an interstate highway? Isn't it called I495? It's the worst road I've ever traveled! This road should be redone first before any more grand projects are undertaken.

Joe said...

"Isn't the LIE an interstate highway? Isn't it called I495"

Federal interstate highway.
From what I understand the first contractor went bankrupt now more defaulting on payments for the 2nd contractor can finish.
Now you have a gravel like roadbed and a couple caution lights with dead batteries.
Tow trucks (vultures) can usually be seen hanging out waiting for accidents by the Little Neck Parkway service road.

"This road should be redone first before any more grand projects are undertaken"
Likely not east of Springfield blvd since it then does not serve NYCs "slab" of Democrat voters & tweeded when you enter Nassau County border.

Now if you look at the Grand Central parkway as it enters Nassau county and becomes the Northern State you will find just the opposite.

Anonymous said...

"I see lots of lights on the eastbound side at night but no repaving going on."
They are putting in those concrete slabs I mentioned before. This must be done before the paving. They seem to be working every night except after it rains.

Anonymous said...

Concrete slabs in the roadway are for structural purposes. To carry the weight of vehicles over traversing pipe, conduit, etc. so they are not crushed.