Staten Island Street Storm Sewer, Drainage Project In New Dorp Beach Area Completed

City Completes $84 Million Street and Drainage Project in New Dorp Beach Area Hit Hard by Superstorm Sandy

More than 1.6 miles of new storm sewers and 101 new catch basins added in Staten Island as street elevations are adjusted for new system

Editor’s note: These storm sewers will likely be helpful in the case of the next strong hurricane.  Hurricane Sandy caused a massive amount of destruction to this area in particular, as well as other areas of the island.  The US Army Corps of Engineers shared photos of the destruction in their article, along with information about other mitigation plans that they have. The project detailed is the seawall planned for the coastal areas of the island, stretching along the whole beach area.  

(New Dorp Beach – May 20, 2025) The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) today announced the completion of an $84 million infrastructure project that installed 8,701 feet of new storm sewers and rebuilt streets and sidewalks in a coastal area of Staten Island that was devastated by Superstorm Sandy. The project was funded by DEP, DOT and FEMA, while DDC managed the construction, which began in spring 2019.

Hett Avenue was lowered almost a foot to accommodate the new storm sewer system. Before and after photos show Hett Avenue now with new curbs, improved sidewalks and streets, and homes with new walks and driveways that meet the new street elevation.

In order to correctly align the new storm sewer system in an area that had none before, DDC raised Milton Avenue, Finley Avenue and Cedar Grove Avenue in the project area by over a foot, while Hett Avenue was lowered around 10 inches. The elevation changes enable the gravity-reliant storm sewers to collect stormwater and drain correctly toward the lower NY Harbor. Backflow prevention devices and locking manhole covers were used to prevent storm surges or high tides from backing up from the harbor into the neighborhood. DDC also worked with more than 880 private homeowners to reconstruct their driveways and in many cases their front yards to accommodate the new street elevations outside their properties.

“The devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy is still fresh in the minds of many New Dorp Beach residents, and this project will help ease their concerns about flooding,” said DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “The completion of this new storm sewer system ensures that the community is better protected against future extreme weather events driven by climate change. I’d like to thank our partners at DOT and DDC for helping make these vital infrastructure improvements a reality.”

“This was a complicated project that required changing the elevations of several streets and the project team worked with more than 880 homeowners to ensure that the final product aligned correctly with their yards and driveways,” said DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley. “To finish off the work, more than 17 acres of new sidewalks and asphalt was installed. This $84 million investment in the New Dorp Beach area will bring some much-needed peace of mind to people in low-lying areas who never had proper storm sewers before.”

“Superstorm Sandy’s devastation on Staten Island was a horrible reminder that climate change is one of our biggest threats,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “This project helps build a safer, more resilient New Dorp Beach for generations to come. We were proud to collaborate with our federal partners and sister agencies at DDC and DEP on this critical infrastructure improvement.”

Before and after photos on Cedar Grove Avenue show a flooding condition eliminated and new catch basins, streets, sidewalks, curbs and ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps

“We are pleased that the project to install new sewers in New Dorp Beach is now complete. Staten Island is all too familiar with how debilitating flooding can be,” said Borough President Vito Fossella. “New Dorp Beach, unfortunately, suffered greatly during storms like Hurricane Sandy in part because the sewerage and drainage systems were not up to par, or just not there. Now, with new storm sewers, improved road design and catch basins, parts of the neighborhood that are usually inundated with stormwater should be alleviated. We would like to thank DDC, DEP and DOT for seeing this project through, and we especially thank our predecessors, Borough Presidents James Molinaro and James Oddo for championing this needed effort.”

“It’s my pleasure to announce the completion of the Roma-Hett project in New Dorp Beach,” said Council Member David Carr. “This is a massive win for our community. I would like to thank my predecessors Jimmy Oddo and Steve Matteo for getting this project off the ground and ensuring its continuation. It is an honor to be able to be the one to see this project to its end. I would also like to give a big thank you to the Departments of Design and Construction and Environmental Protection for their work, and extend my deepest gratitude to the residents of New Dorp Beach for their patience and willingness to communicate with my office for the entirety of this project. This was a massive undertaking, but now this area is more resilient in the face of flooding due to our collective efforts as a borough.

Project Details

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In addition to a new storm sewer system, the project also rebuilt streets, sidewalks, curbs, water mains and sanitary sewers. More than 17,555 feet (3.32 miles) of old water mains were replaced along with more than 16,852 feet (3.19 miles) of sanitary sewers. Fifty old catch basins were replaced and 101 new ones were added while an additional 83 existing fire hydrants were replaced with new ones.

More than 314,844 square feet (7.23 acres) of old sidewalks were replaced while 16,000 square feet (0.37 acres) of new sidewalks were added throughout the project area, while 19,065 feet (3.61 miles) of old curb was replaced and 8,000 feet (1.51 miles)of new curb was added. Sixty-four pedestrian ramps were upgraded to full ADA compliance while another 56 new ones were installed. The neighborhood also saw a net gain of 86 trees planted by the project. Streets in the project area were paved with 43,560 square yards (9 acres) of new asphalt.

The designer for the project was STV Incorporated of New York and the contractor was JR Cruz of Holmdel, NJ.

Banner Image: Storm System at New Dorp Beach. Image Credit – NYC DDC