NYCDOT BELT PARKWAY BRIDGE VERTICAL CLEARENCE AND TRUCK TURNING ANALYSIS OF INTERCHANGES FOR STUDY OF ALLOWING TRUCKS ON BELT PARKWAY DURING CONSTRUCTION OF CONTRACT HBQBQE FEBRUARY 2016 BeltParkwayClearanceandEntranceSurvey SummaryofFindings ThisworkisbeingprogressedincooperationwithothertasksbeingstudiedfortheBQEworkfromSand StreettoAtlanticAvenue.Thepurposeofthisworkistodeterminethefeasibilityofallowingtrucksto utilizetheBeltParkwayasanalternaterouteduringtheconstructionworkontheeBQE.Th Belt ParkwaycurrentlyisconfiguredfornonͲcommercialtrafficonly.Atthepresenttimetherearesome expressbusroutesandlocalbusroutesthatutilizeportionsoftheBeltParkwaybutthatislimited. ItshouldbenotedthattheBeltParkwaywouldbeusedbytrafficcomingfromBrooklynBatteryTunnel orfurthersouth.TrafficfromBrooklynBridgeandManhattanBridgeheadingnorthstillneedstobe accommodatedthroughportionoftheproject,inadditiontrafficheadingsouthfrombothofthese bridgeswouldneedtobedivertedelsewhere. ThereareseverallimitationsthattheBeltparkwaypresentstoallowtrucktraffictoutilizethefacility andtheyare: 1. Narrowlanewidths 2. SubͲstandardturningradiionmanyentranceandexitramps 3. Lowverticalclearanceissuesonmanystructuresthatspantheroadway. 4. LowLiveLoadCarryingCapacityofbridgesthatcarryBeltParkway Thisstudyseekstolookattheseissuesfromascientificandeconomicpointofviewtoestablishthecost ofmakingtheparkwayintoatruckcompliantroadway.Thisstudydoesnotaddressthefactthat Parkwaysarenotavailabletotrucksnordoesisaddresswhattheresidentsandbusinessesalongthe throughfarewouldsay.Additionally,thereisnoprovisioninthestudyforlandacquisitionasthosecosts areadditionaltothecostsofbuildingwhatwouldberequiredtomaketheroadwaytruckcompliant. Additionally,thereisanassumptionofafulllengthtruckutilizingtheinterchangesasthatdeliversthe mostcostadversescenario.ThetruckallowancecouldbereducedtoaWBͲ40loadwhichwouldreduce thecostfactorsrequiredtoperformworkoftheroadwaysoftheinterchangesbuttheheightclearance issueswillnotbereduced. History TheBeltParkwaywasconstructedinthe1940’sand1950’sbyRobertMosesandisconnectedtothe BQEat65thStreetinBrooklyn.ItrunsaroundBrooklynwitheithertheparkwayelevatedorthelocal streetselevatedateachcrossing.TheparkwaycrossesnumerouswaterinletsfromJamaicaBayandis crossedbyatleastfourtransitlinesoverhead.Manyoftheoverpassesandunderpasseshavestone claddingand/orstoneattachedtothestructuraloverpass. Overtheyearssinceitopened,therehavebeennumerousstructuresthathavebeenworkedoneither byinͲhouseforces,componentrehabilitationorpartial/fullreplacements.TherecentworkontheBelt hasbroughtseveralstructuresuptofederallimitedaccesshighwaystandards.However,therearestill manystructuresthatarewhollysubͲstandardandthosewillbeviewedinthisstudy. Thisstudyisconfinedtothelimitsfrom65thStreetinBrooklynandSunriseHighwayinQueens.Thereis alsoconsiderationgiventostoppingattheVanWyckExpresswayasthatwouldthenformaloopof limitedaccesstruckrouting.However,therearealsosomeintersectionissuesontheQueenslegthat poseseriousissuestotruckstransferringontotheNassauExpressway. 1. LaneWidth. ThelanewidthonmuchoftheBeltParkwayis11foot.Thisisclearlylessthanthe12foot requiredontheInterstatesystemandtherearenoshouldersexceptinthelocationsofthe6 bridgesinthecurrentBeltprogram.Ifwetassume tha addingtherequiredshouldersis necessarythecostofthatalonecouldbeprohibitive.However,therearecertainlyportionsof theroadwaywherethiscouldtakeplace. Assumingjusta12footwidelanewidthitwouldbepossibletoinstallalongtheentirelengthwe arelookingataddingthreefeetineachdirection. Thatcostwouldberoughly$50millionplusdrainagerelocationsandusercostassociatedwith thisconstructionduetodelaysexperiencedbythetravellingpublic. Theothersignificantportionofthecostofthisistowidenanybridgesthatdonot accommodatethefulllanewidthsthatcarrytheBeltParkway.Thiswillrequirediscussionswith NYSDOT,DPRandothersintheareasofthesebridges.Thespecificsofthisareasfollows: A. BSHPoverBayRidgeAvenue(BIN221249) Thisbridgewasjustreconstructedandisexpectedtohavearatingabove6.0.Itdoeshave enoughlanewidthbutwillnotaccommodateshouldersunlessalaneiseliminated. B. BSHPoverBayParkway(BIN2231319) TheBayParkwayBridgeonlyaccommodatestheexistinglanewidths.Thebridgeiscurrently rated4.533andisnotfundedinthecurrent10yearplan.Theworktowidenthisbridge couldbeincludedintherehabilitationcontract.Thewideningwillbetheminimalifitisjust toaccommodatethe12footwidelanes.Ifshouldersaretobeputintherewillbealarge impactontheDPRlands.Theestimatedcosttoperformthisworkis$50millioninFY17 dollars. C. BSHPover26thAvenueBIN2231329) The26thAvenueBridgeisaridgedframestructureandhasclearanceissuesoverthe roadwaybelow.Thecurrentstructuralratingis4.600anditisnotcurrentlyinthe10year capitalplan.Thereissomelandoneithersidetoaccommodatethewideningbutitisnot clearifshoulderscouldbeinstalled.Thecurrentestimatetoperformthisworkis$45Min FY17dollars. D. BSHPover15thStreet–ShellRoad(BIN2231330) Thisbridgeisaddressedinthebridgeareainthatthetransitlinegoesoverthisbridge. E. BSHPoverOceanParkway(BIN2231360)TheOceanParkwayBridgewasreconstructedin the2000’sandwasbuilttofederalstandardswithshoulders.(Nocost) F. BSHPoverSheepsheadBayRoad(BIN223140Ͳ9) G. BSHPoverOceanAvenue(BIN223141Ͳ() H. BSHPoverBedfordAvenue(BIN223142Ͳ9) I. BSHPoverNostrandAvenue(BIN2231439) TheabovefourbridgesareallonaraisedsectionoftheBeltinSheepsheadBay.Thebridge ratingsare4.738,4.306,4.278,and4.264respectively.Therearewoodedembankmentson bothsidesoftheparkwaysothereisroomtoinstalltheadditionallanewidths.Theremay alsoberoomtoinstalltheshouldersbutthatmayeliminateorseverelyimpactthegreen space.Thesebridgesarebeingbundledintoadesigncontractforinclusioninthe10year plantheestimatedcostoftheprojectis$230MinFY17dollars. J. BSHPoverGerritsenInlet(BIN2231450) TheGerritsenInletBridgeisbeingreconstructedtofederalstandardsintheBelt2contract (Nocost) K. BSHPoverMillBasin(BIN2231479) TheMillBasinBridgeiscurrentlybeingreconstructedtofederalstandards.(NoCost) L. BSHPoverPaerdegatBasin(EBandWBBIN2231482and2231481) ThesebridgeswerenewlybuiltintheBelt1contracttofederalstandards.(Nocost) M. BSHPoverRockawayParkway(BIN22314499) TheRockawayParkwayBridgewasreconstructedintherecentBelt1contracttofederal standards.(Nocost) N. BSHPoverFreshCreek.(BIN2231509) TheFreshCreekBridgewasreconstructedtofederalstandardsintherecentBelt1contract (Nocost) O. BSHPoverHendrixRoad(BIN2231529)(NYSDOTownedfacility) P. BSHPover2ndAvenue(BIN2231239)ThisiswheretheBeltcrossesover2ndAvenue.Thereis plentyofdeckareatoaccommodatethelanesandshouldersastheroadwaytransitionstoa singlelanewidthattheBQE(NoCost) Q. BSHPoverFountainAvenue(BIN2231539)(NYSDOTownedfacility) R. BSHPover84thStreet(BIN2231549)(NYSDOTownedfacility) S. BSCPoverRockawayBoulevard(2231601/2)NYSDOTownedfacility) OnepointthatneedstobeaddressedisthattheBQEhas11footwidelanesinsomeportionsso itisnotunknowntohavenarrowerlanesfortruckaccess.Thereforemuchoftheinformation abovecandbemodifie ornegatedforatemporarytruckroute.However,thecommunitiesalong theroutewilllikelyopposeputtingtrucksonthebeltand/orrequirethatnoisebarriersbe installedwhichwouldcostasizableamount(muchmorethanthebridgework)andbecomea maintenanceissueaslongastheyarethere. 2. IntersectionCompliance. Theintersectionsareallsubstandard.Tobringtheintersectionstocurrentstandardto accommodateaWBͲ67tractortrailerrequiresasubstantialamountofrealestateandmaynot bepossibleatallintersections.Thesemovementswillalsobecompoundedbythefactthat someofthebridgeswillneedtobefurtherelevatedtoaccommodatetheclearance. Additionally,therearelocationswhereeitherparklandwillbeneededorthegeometryand elevationwillnotallowafullWBͲ67tomaketheturn.Itisalsoamajorissueforadjacent roadways,bridgesandpropertyowners. ThereneedstobeaclearpathtoanymajordeliverysitesuchasJFKInternational.Thatwill requireamajorreconfigurationoftheinterchangeatCrossBayBoulevardorabetterfeedto eithertheNassauExpresswayorServiceroadjusttotheeastofCrossBayBoulevard.Thecostof bridgeworkisaddressedinthenextsectionbutthecostoftheongradeworkcouldbe substantial. InlookingattheinterchangesonlyFlatbushAvenueallowsforallmovementsofaWBͲ40truck. Alltheotherinterchangeshaverestrictionsofoneormoremovements.Asthetrucksgetbigger theinterchangesdegradequicklytothepointthatforaWBͲ67truckthereareonlyoneortwo allowablemovementsandsomeinterchangeshavenone. Morerigorousdesignandlayoutwouldneedtobedonetoformulateestimatesforthework butitshouldbekept inmindthatthebridgesovertheBeltincreasethecostsforthework.Asa roughestimateforcomparisonwethinkthatitwouldcostroughly$5MͲ10Mperinterchange forreworktoaccommodateaWBͲ40truck.$20MͲ$25MforaWBͲ62truckand$30MͲto $35MmillionforaWBͲ62truck.Itshouldalsobenotedthattherewillbeinterchangeswhere nothingcanbedoneoronlysomemovementscanbemade.. ItisalsounclearastothecompatibilityoftrucksandtherampstoandfromtheVerrazano Bridge.Wedonothavethefinalconfigurationfortheworkthatiscurrentlytakingplaceand futurework. 3. BridgeClearance ThisstudylooksonlyatverticalclearanceissuesthatwouldaffecttruckstravellingontheBelt Parkway.AsindicatedearliertherearenumerousstructuresthatspantheBeltthatpresenta clearobstacletotrucktraffic.Typicallytheclearancewearelookingforis15feet. A. BeltParkwayatthesplitwiththeBQE(BIN106531E) TheBeltParkwayatthesplitwiththeBQEisasinglelaneentranceandexit.Thegeometryis setandtherearenoclearanceissuesthatarepresent.(NoCost) B. 81theStreetPedestrianBridge(BIN2231250) The81thStreetBridgeisastandardpedestrianbridgebuilttoaccommodatethelocal communityaccesstothewaterfrontpark.Thisbridgeisnotpostedforverticalclearance, howeverdatabaseindicatesaminimumverticalclearanceof13feetͲ3inches. C. 92ndStreetPedestrianBridge(BIN2231260)