Road resurfacing for more than a dozen City Island blocks

A major resurfacing project is scheduled for City Island.

Over a dozen blocks on the island, mostly near the City Island Bridge, are going to be rehabbed beginning on Tuesday, May 31, weather permitting, as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency project in response to Hurricane Sandy.

The NYC Department of Design and Construction will oversee the construction, an agency spokeswoman said, adding that it has a estimated date of completion in the fall of 2016.

Among the items the project will tackle are milling and paving of streets, as well as the installation of some curbs and sidewalks, according to DDC. Installation of tree guards may also occur at some locations.

Councilman James Vacca said the resurfacing was sorely needed.

“A lot of the streets are overdue,” said Vacca, adding “Some of the surface conditions on City Island are terrible and some of the side streets are in need of resurfacing desperately.”

The councilman’s office has fielded a lot of requests from islanders about road paving, he said.

Vacca said the island work crews need to pay special attention to the pitching of streets in relation to storm sewers.

“We just have to be careful on City Island to make sure we have adequate drainage,” said the councilman. “When they pave, every block has a pitch and the street has to be pitched exactly to the catch basins so that the water will flow to the basins.”

Several board members of the City Island Civic Association said that they had not been informed of the project, but at least two commented on the needed work.

Barbara Dolensek, CICA vice president, said she thought the organization should have been informed.

“It could be okay,” she said, “but it would be nice to let the community know, especially the people who drive on these roads.”

Another CICA board member, Fred Ramftl, also said that the association had not been made aware this particular resurfacing project, but indicated that the last time many island streets were paved was roughly 20 years ago.

“A lot of streets are full of potholes,” he said. “We have…streets with sinkholes.”

A list of the streets that are going to see the work, according to DDC, include: City Island Avenue near Bridge Street; Minnieford Avenue between Cross and Kilroe streets; Tier Street between City Island and William avenues; Kirby Street between King Avenue and Long Island Sound; Ditmars Street between King Avenue and Eastchester Bay; Beach Street between Minnieford Avenue and Long Island Sound; Bridge Street between Minnieford and City Island avenues; Minnieford Avenue between Sutherland and Bridge streets; and Marine Street between City Island Avenue and Long Island Sound.

Reach Reporter Patrick Rocchio at (718) 260–4597. E-mail him at procchio@cnglocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @patrickfrocchio.