Construction recently began on the Fuhrmann Boulevard/Buffalo Outer Harbor Access project, which is the first phase of the Southtowns Connector agenda-a project to unify the City of Lackawanna, the Town of Hamburg, the Village of Blasdell and other towns and villages on the outskirts of Buffalo.

The construction contract was awarded to Union Concrete Constructors in West Seneca, New York for $47.3 million. The team started utility work, clearing and grooving as well as waterline sanitary work in January.

All design and engineering work was performed in-house at NYSDOT, but the architectural team was inspired by the late architect Frederick Law Olmstead.

“We followed his vision and tried to pull a lot of elements that he used in the Buffalo Parkways design, so the project didn’t look out of place and the whole area would benefit from uniformity,” said Douglas Ackerman, NYSDOT project manager.

The New York State Department of Transportation has been revising their project plans since 1991. After three major revisions and a substantial refocusing effort, NYSDOT has finally settled on the most efficient way to improve road access, provide adequate service for traffic between the Southtowns and Downtown Buffalo, as well as enhance access to the Lake Erie waterfront for transit, bicycles and pedestrians.

The project will also include reconfiguring the Route 5/Fuhrmann Boulevard/Ohio Street complex along the Buffalo Outer Harbor into a waterfront arterial system will consist of either a wide, at-grade boulevard or a combination arterial road/parallel waterfront access road system, designed to be more consistent with the proposed land use included in local plans, according to the NYSDOT.

Improving road access to brownfield developable sites-Republic Steel site, the Union Ship Canal site, the Bethlehem Steel site and the Buffalo Outer Harbor area-along NY Route 5 is another major focus of the project.

“Infrastructure improvements alone will not bring the needed vibrancy back to Buffalo’s Outer Harbor. Aesthetics are important in luring residents and visitors alike and have been considered at every turn,” said the NYSDOT in a release about the project.

Lighting will be decorative, crosswalks will be colored, “Blue Stone” walls and markers will be included as well as extensive landscaping.

The project is slated for completion in 2010.

Construction is underway on the only means of vehicular transportation to Roosevelt Island in New York City.

The 418-ft Roosevelt Island Bridge is undergoing a complete renovation including replacement of the entire roadway deck and approaches, and all mechanical and electrical systems including all lights on the bridge and approaches. Installation of new sidewalks and pedestrian safety fencing, replacement of bearings to meet current seismic codes will be project goals as well as repairing all deteriorated structural elements, river piers and the timber fender system.

A new turn lane from the bridge onto Vernon Boulevard southbound will be constructed, and a new traffic light will be installed at 36th Avenue and Vernon Boulevard. The turn lane is an addition to the project by community request. NYCDOT anticipates the addition will relieve backups that occur on Roosevelt Island and create a safer crossing for pedestrians.

Currently, New York City Department of Transportation has started removing existing paint and plans to repaint the entire bridge.

NYCDOT has consulted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, NYC Departments of Health, Environmental Protection, New York State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation on the safe removal of lead paint on the bridge. The work will be performed within a sealed Class 1A Containment System-which prevents materials from escaping the work zone-and surrounding soil and air will be constantly monitored and tested.

The bridge is a tower drive, vertical lift, movable bridge spanning across the East River between Queens and Roosevelt Island that first opened to traffic in 1955, according to the NYCDOT. It has two 17-ft lanes of opposing traffic and a 6-ft sidewalk. In order to minimize delays during construction, the bridge traffic will be maintained in two 10-ft-wide lanes. When operations that require an expanded work zone are conducted, only one 12-foot wide lane will be open to serve both directions, announced the NJDOT.

The $86.5 million project will be completed by November 2009.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation recently announced the complete closure of Delilah Road in Atlantic County to continue construction. The road will be closed between Route 30 and Shore Road in Absecon and Pleasantville for the project.

When construction began in September 2006, two lanes had been maintained on Delilah Road prior to the recent full closure. An embankment was being placed on the outside slopes of the highway and drainage was installed on Route 30. Preparation work, including paving, was done on Route 30 for future traffic shifts, wetland mitigation work, hauling in fill material for placement once the detour was implemented, signing as well as other work that did not impact traffic on Delilah Road.

To mitigate the negative effect on traffic, NJDOT has rerouted eastbound Delilah Road to Fire Road to Mill Road to Route 30 eastbound. Delilah Road westbound will be detoured along Route 30 westbound to Mill Road to Fire Road to Delilah Road.

“NJDOT is following an aggressive schedule for the replacement of the Delilah Road bridges. We are committed to reopen this important gateway to the Shore by Memorial Day 2009,” said NJDOT Commissioner Kris Kolluri.