Congresswoman Maloney said, “Quick progress to repair the Queens seawall is urgently needed, because the huge cracks and gaping wholes by the river’s edge behind Queensbridge Houses are a danger to the community. I’m proud that the House has approved these funds for the seawall, and will work to ensure that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with its local partners for the project, make use of all public funds to advance the project in an expedited fashion.”

Currently, the 200 foot portion of a Queens seawall on the East River has completely failed, and experts are warning of further deterioration along the waterfront. While the City Parks Department rightly fenced off the area, the danger for people accessing the waterfront along the seawall remains, and the insult to the community of being barred from the waterfront continues to be a serious problem in need of immediate action. In addition, cathodic devices under the seawall that are critical to the safe operation of New York subway lines are endangered by the seawall’s deterioration.

In February of 2005, Congresswoman Maloney organized a meeting of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the MTA, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, and area elected officials, including Borough President Helen Marshall, Senator George Onorato, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, and Councilmember Eric Gioia, all of whom have been longstanding supporters of the seawall’s repair. The purpose of the meeting was to convey to the Army Corps the importance of the project to the people and elected leaders of Queens.

The meeting was instrumental in presenting the evidence necessary to convince the Army Corps that the project was indeed in the federal interest to repair. The Army Corps has since agreed to lead the design and engineering phase of the project, with its anticipated local partners the MTA and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. Also in attendance at this key meeting were members of the City Parks Foundation, who have played an important role in advancing the seawall’s repair and in ongoing improvements of the parks of Western Queens.

The funds announced today follow three prior federal appropriations for the project, $275,000 for FY2005 and $100,000 for FY2004, which Congresswoman Maloney was instrumental in obtaining with the support of other members of the New York delegation, and $100,000 for FY2003, which Congressman Joe Crowley and Maloney were instrumental in obtaining with the support of other members of the New York delegation.

In addition, the City of New York has allocated $250,000 for the project and the State of New York has allocated $325,000 for the project.

The Queens seawall bulkhead, originally designed as a stone-filled timber crib, is in poor condition and an approximately 200-foot portion of it has completely failed. In the interests of public safety, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has installed fencing to prevent access to an approximately 30 feet wide promenade along the park waterfront. Before the promenade can be opened to public access again, the bulkhead must be restored to a structurally safe condition.

The Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) has completed a Reconnaissance Study of the seawall and has found that there is a federal interest in its repair. The next phase of work for the seawall’s repair will include an engineering analysis, an environmental review, and the production of design documents.

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