2015 Diamond Award Recipient 

Roadway Flooding Conditions

rt110_floodaidert110_grate

NY 110 Drainage & Roadway Improvements - Innovative Solutions to Chronic Flooding

NYS Department of Transportation, Region 10

This mile-long highway reconstruction project is located on the North Shore of Long Island in the Hamlet of Halesite, in the Town of Huntington, Suffolk County, at the gateway to Huntington Harbor.  The roadway borders Mill Creek and Huntington Harbor; both are environmentally- sensitive wetlands.

New York State Route 110 (New York Avenue) experienced frequent flooding in the vicinity of the Madison Street/Prime Avenue intersection to the intersection at Mill Dam Road.  This section of Route 110 was originally constructed in 1929. The majority of the existing drainage system was also installed then, and only minor drainage improvements had been made since that time. The depth and extent of the flooding depended on the intensity and duration of the storm event and its coincidence with the tidal cycle.

The project provides a safer, more effective roadway, while maintaining the aesthetic and environmental character of the area by addressing safety and drainage deficiencies. The project included measures to reduce the frequency of flooding at the low point within this portion of Route 110; provides safety, operational, and pavement improvements; and enhances pedestrian mobility. The drainage improvements included the installation of a large culvert under an intersecting local roadway to act as a creek bypass during significant storm events. Elements of the drainage work included:

• A large culvert to act as a creek bypass during significant storms

• Maintenance/repair of culverts and stream bed

• Replacement of tide gates and installation of an additional gate

• Relocation of utility lines to allow unimpeded creek flow

• New filtration basin

A portion of the roadway was realigned to accommodate the construction of two new roundabouts, as well as a continuous two-way left turn lane where appropriate.  Also included were the repair and resurfacing of pavement; installation of new pavement markings; new signing; repair/replacement of deteriorated curb and sidewalk; and enhancing pedestrian mobility and safety by improving pavement markings, traffic channelization and pedestrian crosswalks where appropriate.

 

  • Developed an environmentally-sustainable solution to a chronic drainage problem of a 3,500-acre watershed, characterized by steep slopes. 

  • Constructed modern tidal gates, which allow typical tidal activity but close upon excessively high tides to prevent upland flooding.

  • Utilizes a large culvert with curb-to-curb inlets to divert a significant portion of the watershed area runoff to an improved, parallel creek.

  • Project was awarded an "Evergreen" rating, the highest possible rating under NYSDOT's "GreenLITES" program.