Street Construction Gives New Meaning to "Uncoordinated"

A frustrated letter from a reader:

I live at the corner of St. James Place and Atlantic Avenue. Today, construction crews started digging up the street yet again - I think it's the third time in three years. I asked the crew what was going on and they said that they're first testing the water pipes and then plan on digging up more of the street to replace water pipes. I said "The street was just paved. Does that mean that there's no coordination between street paving and water mains?" The guy replied with a smile, "Yes." I was pretty horrified by this - what a waste of tax dollars. I noticed them digging on Waverly as well. I'd like to try to find the most productive way to suggest to the Bloomberg administration that coordination of road work may save lots of unneeded spending. Thoughts?

It actually seems like the kind of thing that would get Bloomberg's goat.

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Agreed. I've seen it happen over and over again, not just in Bklyn, but on 5th Ave in Manhattan. Good luck, it will be like moving mountains the way these city agencies work. But all in all, a very worthwhile cause.

Posted by: Schultz at January 23, 2009 11:05 AM

It's called "make work." Hong Kong and Japan take it to the highest level on the planet!!!!

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 23, 2009 11:06 AM

that junction is one continual mess.

Posted by: dittoburg at January 23, 2009 11:09 AM

trying to make it better will probably just make it worse. It's an imperfect planet, there is a lot of stuff beneath the streets, no way to coordinate every repair.

Posted by: sam at January 23, 2009 11:12 AM

sam...i vehemently agree with you. And I also vehemently agree that using those two words together sounds stupid.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 23, 2009 11:14 AM

When I lived in Astoria this happened, on a much larger scale. A few summers ago DOT repaved virtually the entire neighborhood around Ditmars. DAYS after they finished the summer long job ConED came through and dug up half of the new streets to install something or other. ConED then repaved the dug up areas, really just patched over the holes shittily. Some of those DOT guys even chew tobacco. Talk about classy...

Posted by: EnglishKills at January 23, 2009 11:44 AM

dave in bed:
:)

Posted by: sam at January 23, 2009 12:09 PM

I saw a large grinder machine sitting on Remsen off of Court this am and was thinking the same thing...they just paved the street less than 6 months ago...WTF?

Posted by: Remsen at January 23, 2009 12:36 PM

"I saw a large grinder machine sitting on Remsen off of Court this am"

His hair was perfect

Posted by: PPSer at January 23, 2009 12:43 PM

Huh! Draw blood.

Posted by: infinitejester at January 23, 2009 12:48 PM

Dave is in bed frequently, to hear him tell it. :)

Posted by: mopar at January 23, 2009 1:16 PM

Supposedly streets that have been recently resurfaced are not supposed to be opened except for emergencies.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/permits/protectedst.shtml

In actuality maybe just about everything is classified as an emergency though.

Posted by: zgori at January 23, 2009 1:30 PM

It just might work, but call 311 and have the operator route the complaint to the appropriate agency.

Or email Mayor Mike directly:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

Posted by: subatomic at January 23, 2009 1:30 PM

They did the same thing last year on Dekalb in Fort Greene. Repaved the street and then dug it up to lay new lines / wires / pipes. The bike lane in front of Brooklyn Tech is a total disaster now.

Posted by: kjp216 at January 23, 2009 2:36 PM

"Some of those DOT guys even chew tobacco."

You certainly have high standards for your construction crews.

Posted by: Bklyn Fire Alarm Guy at January 23, 2009 6:30 PM

This is all very organized corruption. It took over 3 years to repave Fulton Street from Classon down to Vanderbilt and they kept digging and repaving the same blocks dozens of times. I'd love to think complaining to Bloomberg would help but does anyone really think he cares about anyplace other than Manhattan? If he or any other Mayor ever had, Atlantic Avenue wouldn't look like Baghdad. And its REALLY bad the further toward Queens you go

Posted by: Onyez at January 25, 2009 7:09 PM

« Empire Stores Redevelopment Also Put on Hold Park Slope One of Nation's "Dreamiest" Neighborhoods »

January 23, 2009

Street Construction Gives New Meaning to "Uncoordinated"

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