The Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) advanced a resiliency program to protect the community from future storm events. This effort consisted primarily of coastal protection, with a barrier alignment starting in the southern area of Battery Park City and continuing north. The North/West Battery Park City Resiliency (NWBPCR) project stretched from First Place along the Esplanade before crossing West Street and tying in north of Chambers Street. A significant portion of this project was the design and construction of a new pump station to address hydraulic challenges in flood-prone areas. As a subconsultant, SI Engineering, P.C. (SIE) provided Maintenance and Protection of Traffic (MPT) design services.
The proposed site for the pump station, Stuyvesant Plaza, is east of the existing 10-story Stuyvesant High School building, northwest of the Chamber Street and Route 9A/West Street intersection. There is an existing pedestrian bridge with an elevator crossing Route 9A/West Street, leading to the high school. North of the school building is the 20-foot-wide North Esplanade, with another existing bulkhead running along the north to south direction, then the Hudson River.
These site constraints made proper MPT design essential to the success of this project. Route9A/West Street is a heavily trafficked, vulnerable area requiring significant safety and urban design considerations. Construction was planned to minimize above-ground expression and impacts to pedestrians, bicyclists, and Stuyvesant High School. SIE was responsible for providing MPT plans for the pump station construction. Additional tasks include utility coordination and compliance services.
