Construction Under Way On N.Y. Subway Fan Plants

A $37.8 million contract was awarded to Whitestone, N.Y.-based Slattery Skanska for the construction of two new fan plants at the Park Place/West Broadway and Albany Street/Greenwich Street intersections in Lower Manhattan.

The Park Place plant will be equipped with three 150-horsepower fans and the Albany Street plant with two 200-horsepower fans, which will reinforce ventilation on the No. 1 and 9 lines.

Construction is under way on the fan plants and is scheduled to be completed in 23 months.

Officials Study Design Alternatives for I-287

Officials and engineers with Metro-North Commuter Railroad and the New York State Thruway Authority are considering numerous design alternatives to relieve congestion along the Interstate 287 corridor which includes the Tappan-Zee Bridge.

At a meeting held recently, both agencies presented several transportation alternatives that include expanding Metro-North, construction of a light-rail system, a monorail, or a dedicated bus system or improved ferry service.

In addition, replacement schemes for the Tappan Zee Bridge were also laid out, including retrofitting the existing bridge, constructing a new bridge, construction of a new tunnel or a combination of bridge and tunnel.

Design of any alternative will not progress until the final Environmental Impact Statement is complete, said officials.

The timetable currently being considered is for the EIS to be complete by 2005. Afterwards design would commence and construction could start when the final design is in place by 2009, said officials.

AirTrain Testing Resumes 'System is Sound' Says PA

The Port Authority of NY&NJ announced that operational testing of AirTrain JFK will resume and determined that the fatal accident that occurred on September 27, 2002 was unrelated to the design and construction of the light-rail system.

"On behalf of PA, I again wish to express my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Kelvin DeBourgh, Jr., the Bombardier employee killed in the accident. The PA and its partners are presently considering ways to honor his memory," said Joseph Seymour, executive director of the PA.

"Understanding the importance of this investigation, the PA's Safety Board proceeded very deliberately in its research to determine the causes of the accident and to ensure the safe operation of AirTrain JFK. This investigation caused a postponement of the scheduled opening date of the system to the public. ... After more than six months of careful study, our investigation found the system is sound."

The results of the investigation found that the accident was caused by a derailment after the train hit curve number 650 while traveling at 55 mi. per hour. The maximum design speed of the curve is 25 mi. per hour. In addition, the concrete blocks, which the report states is common practice to simulate weight, did not contribute to the derailment.

$164M Subway Repair Shop to be Built in Corona

Whitestone, N.Y.-based Slattery Skanska was awarded a $164.7 million design-build contract to construct a maintenance facility for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority/New York City Transit in Corona, N.Y.

The project comprises a 100,000-sq.-ft. hall with five tracks for servicing trains, as well as offices on the two upper floors.

The maintenance facility will feature a wheel-truing machine with a progression system, an overhead bridge crane, a compressed air system, an industrial waste system and workbenches. In addition, 12,000 ft. of railway tracks will be laid.

Improvements to Routes 372 & 217 Under Way

Arborio Corp. of Cromwell, Conn., has been awarded a $3 million contract to make improvements to Routes 372 and 217 in Cromwell and Middletown, Conn.

The work includes providing a right-turn lane on Route 372 eastbound at the intersection and extending the length of the existing westbound left-turn lane. On Route 217, a northbound right-turn lane will be added. The bridge on Route 217 over the Mattabasset River will be replaced and a section of 217 will be reconstructed to match the new grade at the bridge. The project is expected to be completed by September 2004.