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Construction along BQE.... — Brooklynian

Construction along BQE....

queencallipygos
queencallipygos
edited November -1 in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy
For the past couple weeks, every weekday morning precisely at 7:15 am a team starts up jackhammering along the BQE, in the vicinity of Vanderbilt/Clinton/Washington and Park.

....What are they doing, and more importantly, when will they be done???

Comments

  • limestonekid
    limestonekid
    When WILL they be done? That jackhammering is knocking the fillings out of my teeth.

    It seems like they're moving west and it looks like they've got a few more blocks to go. It looks like they're knocking out all the old pavement and taking down the old, rusted guardrail as well.
  • boygabriel
    boygabriel
    Fortunately I live out of earshot of the construction but godd*amn the've been at it for months, if not years.

    One my favorite parts was when the construction for some reason required a waterfall from the BQE down to Park Ave below. A contant, gushing waterfall. It started towards bed-stuy, and has moved it's way west all the way towards tillary street.

    What in the hell is the waterfall for!?!?!

    FYI- my best guess at the actual construction is that they're rebuilding the outside lanes on each side. I saw a huge section of guardrail and road that had been detached and lowered on to Park Avenue.

    Also I can see sections where the huge support beams are still in place but there's no road where the outside lane would be.

    On the one hand I'm glad they're improving the miserable excuse for a road that is the BQE in Clinton Hill. On the other hand, when will it end!?
  • nathan
    nathan
    QueenCallipygos,

    I can't believe you didn't know about this. Last year the City Council debated for weeks about how to solve the problem of you oversleeping. After conducting a month-long 2 billion dollar study, it was decided that the most cost effective solution would be to employ hundreds of construction workers with noisy equipment to solve the problem. And it's working!

    Actually, I'm pretty sure they're widening the road supports so they can add lanes.
  • boygabriel
    boygabriel
    Nathan wrote: Actually, I'm pretty sure they're widening the road supports so they can add lanes.
    Really? b/c all I've seen them do is tear out the outside lane and rebuild it. I don't see any extensions on those massive supports that run perpendicular across/over Park Ave.

    maybe I'm not looking close enough? But the supports look the same size (and level of decrepitness) they always have, IMHO.
  • limestonekid
    limestonekid
    Boygabriel wrote: One my favorite parts was when the construction for some reason required a waterfall from the BQE down to Park Ave below. A contant, gushing waterfall. It started towards bed-stuy, and has moved it's way west all the way towards tillary street.

    What in the hell is the waterfall for!?!?!
    I'm not an engineer so don't quote me on this but my understanding about the need for the waterfall is that the water running over the concrete helps quicken the cooling of the concrete while it sets.
  • boygabriel
    boygabriel
    LimestoneKid wrote: I'm not an engineer so don't quote me on this but my understanding about the need for the waterfall is that the water running over the concrete helps quicken the cooling of the concrete while it sets.
    Interesting. I was hoping there was a good reason, not just the desire to be wasteful... and also to spray me with water whenever I drove by b/c it was 70 degrees out, sunny and my windows were open.
  • kevin_on_putnam
    kevin_on_putnam

    Subject: Re: Construction along BQE....

    queencallipygos wrote: For the past couple weeks, every weekday morning precisely at 7:15 am a team starts up jackhammering along the BQE, in the vicinity of Vanderbilt/Clinton/Washington and Park.


    ....What are they doing, and more importantly, when will they be done???

    Rebuilding the Gowanus has been a decade long debate, at one point a tunnel was considered, like the big dig in Boston, but was rejected as too expensive.
    The conversation went on so long the Gowanus started rusting away and they decided to start rebuilding it. I think a huge chunk of concrete fell off the gowanus and nearly crushed an occupied car on third ave.

    Blame Robert Moses, that **!!888*
  • nathan
    nathan
    Boygabriel,

    I'm sure I'll say this wrong, but....

    I'm pretty sure that even though they're working with the original supports, they've welded on pieces that stick out further from the supports than they did before. It's also entirely possible that I hallucinated the whole thing.
  • boygabriel
    boygabriel
    Nathan wrote: Boygabriel,

    I'm sure I'll say this wrong, but....

    I'm pretty sure that even though they're working with the original supports, they've welded on pieces that stick out further from the supports than they did before. It's also entirely possible that I hallucinated the whole thing.
    more on this as it develops

    :)
  • limestonekid
    limestonekid
    Damn!

    I feel sorry for the teachers and students at Benjamin Bannaker Academy. Yesterday the jack-hammering contibued throughout the day and it looks like they're set to do the same again today.

    I'm sure it makes for a fantastic learning environment.
  • boygabriel
    boygabriel
    LimestoneKid wrote: Damn!

    I feel sorry for the teachers and students at Benjamin Bannaker Academy. Yesterday the jack-hammering contibued throughout the day and it looks like they're set to do the same again today.

    I'm sure it makes for a fantastic learning environment.
    The important thing is: when the construction is done, NY drivers will have more asphault devoted to them. It would make Robert Moses proud.

    Speaking of Robert Moses.
  • arzan
    arzan
    Nathan wrote: QueenCallipygos,

    I can't believe you didn't know about this. Last year the City Council debated for weeks about how to solve the problem of you oversleeping. After conducting a month-long 2 billion dollar study, it was decided that the most cost effective solution would be to employ hundreds of construction workers with noisy equipment to solve the problem. And it's working!

    Actually, I'm pretty sure they're widening the road supports so they can add lanes.
    :lol::lol::lol::lol:
  • arzan
    arzan
    They are widening the BQE. That will mean they add a lane each direction. Thus you see them welding large pieces of truss to extend it outward. The waterfall is the need to flood the concrete with water so that it does not overheat and settles uniformly. I guess it overflows when some careless worker forgets to turn off the tap.
  • boygabriel
    boygabriel
    arZan wrote: I guess it overflows when some careless worker forgets to turn off the tap.
    Damn, it literally overflowed for at least 3-4 weeks. And it went methodically down Park Avenue towards Tillary St.
  • arzan
    arzan
    They are widening the BQE. That will mean they add a lane each direction. Thus you see them welding large pieces of truss to extend it outward. The waterfall is the need to flood the concrete with water so that it does not overheat and settles uniformly. I guess it overflows when some careless worker forgets to turn off the tap.
  • remi_ch
    remi_ch
    I can't find info about adding lanes for this segment of the BQE, they are adding a concrete barrier so that might call for some widening.

    WORK TO BE PERFORMED:
    › Replace the existing deck with a new and improved concrete bridge deck.
    › Replace structural steel members and bearings;
    › Install new joints;
    › Install a new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) to inform motorists of real time traffic conditions;
    › Install concrete barriers;
    › Install a new lighting system including new under deck lighting;
    › Install a new drainage system;
    › Install new sign structures and panels;
    › Paint structural steel; and
    › Landscaping operations will be performed at the end of this project.
    https://www.nysdot.gov/portal/page/portal/regional-offices/region11/projects/bqe-reconstruction-project-park-ave/bqe-project-iframe
  • boygabriel
    boygabriel
    Yeah I really don't think they're adding lanes. First of all, I've seen sections where their work looks done and the huge supports underneath are same as they ever were (ie there aren't new bigger ones, or wider extensions).

    Also if you drive along the BQE in Clinton Hill you can see there isn't really room to add another lane. It would almost be touching the adjacent buildings.

    They may widen it a few feet to make the lanes a little wider, but I don't think they're adding lanes.

    If you ask me it looks like they're just rebuilding and replacing what was already there with new concrete supports and barriers.
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