NYC to turn concrete medians into green stormwater infrastructure

Last week, New York City announced plans to transform seven large concrete medians in Queens Village into lush, green drainage spaces to better manage stormwater and reduce neighborhood flooding. The project is estimated to cost approximately $2.5 million, is anticipated to break ground in late 2022 and construction will continue for up to twelve months.

By absorbing a minimum of 5 million gallons of stormwater annually from Hillside Avenue and Winchester Boulevard in the vicinity of Martin Van Buren High School, the green medians would create additional capacity in the neighborhood’s sewer system, reducing local flooding and any sewer overflows into Jamaica Bay.

“Replacing these large concrete medians with natural drainage areas will keep a substantial amount of stormwater out of the sewers serving Queens Village and help to reduce flooding,” said Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “In just the last several years we have constructed more than 11,000 green infrastructure assets that beautify neighborhoods, absorb stormwater and reduce sewer overflows, and we will continue to partner with elected officials, community boards, businesses and residents to make our city more resilient to our changing climate.”

What the medians look like now: relatively inefficient and bland.

“Thanks to the advocacy of the Rocky Hill Civic Association and DEP’s commitment to green infrastructure, new green spaces will reduce flooding, improve waterways, and beautify the streetscape,” said Council Member Barry S. Grodenchik. “Most importantly, they will create a cleaner, greener, healthier environment for local residents.”

In total, nearly three acres, or more than 121,600 square feet, of what is currently impermeable concrete will be rebuilt and optimized with subsurface drainage chambers and engineered rock and soil and planted with ornamental grasses and perennial wildflowers in order to absorb the rain that falls on it and adjacent roadways, or a minimum of 5 million gallons annually. Additional large concrete medians in Queens will be transformed into resilient green infrastructure medians beginning next year, with other sites in the planning and design stages.

Over the last several years, DEP’s green infrastructure program has constructed more than 11,000 green infrastructure installations including curbside rain gardens, green roofs, subsurface detention, permeable pavers, concrete and asphalt, and now green medians have been added to the City’s drainage toolbox.