On Wednesday November 13th Con Edison started construction on a high pressure gas line to replace a 100+ years old gas line on West 238th Street in Riverdale. What should have been a three day construction project ending on Friday (as I was told) has lasted into the weekend and will not be done for at least another 4 or 5 days. Of course Con Edison has hired a contractor since it would be to costly to Con Ed to have their own workers do the work.
Having been on the scene several days and taking many photos of what has gone on I can not believe the lack of concern on Con Edison's part. The contractor for Con Ed has closed the street to any metered parking on both sides of West 238th Street between Riverdale Avenue and Greystone Avenue. West 238th Street has been closed during the day to southbound traffic from Riverdale Avenue. As you will see in the photos below huge gas piping is strewn on the side of the road, on the sidewalk, and even resting on the city street light poles. Northbound West 238th Street finally was closed at Greystone Avenue after the contractor was detouring vehicles into Fieldston Road (a one way street) against traffic.
Dozens of vital parking spots to the merchants on Riverdale Avenue, and nighttime parking spaces to the community, not to mention the dollars that are being lost to the city as these metered spaces can not be used. The roadbed will also have to be repaved as the patchwork done by Con Ed will soon become loose causing potholes and exposing the heads of the gas mains to the plows of the sanitation trucks. All this and no notification to the residents and merchants of the area affected by this construction work as to when it would start, how long it would last, and when it would end. This matter will be taken up at the Community Board 8 Joint Traffic & Transportation/ Environment & Sanitation committees meeting on Tuesday Night - 7:30 PM at the Riverdale Y located on at 5625 Arlington Avenue off West 256th Street.
Left - This is what greeted you as you tried to make a left turn onto West 238th Street from Riverdale Avenue.
Right - The trench dug by Con Ed on West 238th Street.
Left - In the daylight.
Right - In the dark at night.
Left - More piping and other equipment.
Right - The roadbed will never be the same as chunks of the upper base are now missing to be filled in by tar that will leave potholes in a few months.
Left - A view from across the street.
Right - A view looking down the street showing the piping on the sidewalk. I don't remember those cracks in the sidewalk at the base of the street light.
Left - High pressure gas line with main, but why was this section marked Valentine Avenue put on Riverdale Avenue?
Right - Work done by Con Edison on West 238th Street and Waldo Avenue 6 - 8 months ago for a high pressure gas conversion at the Manhattan College Dorm there. Is this what the entire streech of West 238th Street from Riverdale Avenue to Waldo Avenue will look like?
