Arthur Kill Road Improvement Project, initiated in 2015, is three years away from start of construction; Borough President Fossella and Councilmembers Borelli & Carr hold field meeting with DOT, DDC, DEP and Parks

BP requests accelerated timeline to relieve congestion, improve quality of life

​Borough President Vito J. Fossella invited representatives from the four agencies involved in the Arthur Kill Road capital project to a site meeting with Councilman Joe Borelli and Councilman David Carr’s office to receive updates on the long-delayed road project and explore ways to efficiently accelerate the timetable. The capital project was initiated in 2015.
 
BP Fossella and Councilman Borelli, along with Councilman Carr’s chief of staff Giuseppe Deserio, met with DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley, DEP Assistant Commissioner Mario Bruno, Nicholas Barbaro from DEP Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations, DOT Borough Commissioner Roseann Caruana, and chief of staff Joseph Homsey from the Borough Parks office.
 
When completed, the Arthur Kill Road widening project will reduce traffic congestion along the corridor and create a safer road for motorists. It will also add a multi-use path for bicycles and pedestrians and improve access to Brookfield Park. DDC officials report that the design phase will continue through 2024 and construction is expected to begin in 2025. DDC also reports that the anticipated completion for the project will be in 2028.
 
“It is difficult to understand how a capital project along a 1.5 mile stretch of road can take 13 years to complete,” said Borough President Fossella. “We found that length of time unacceptable, and so we contacted the lead agency, the New York City Department of Design & Construction, to organize this field visit.”

BP Fossella asked for assurances that every step would be taken, where possible, to accelerate the project. He also requested consistent updates and continuous collaboration among the agencies.

“The DDC, DOT, DEP and Parks all agreed that the timeframe was manageable and that the various agencies would work together,” Fossella added. “My goal is to improve the quality of life for constituents and residents in the surrounding neighborhood. We’re going to work with the Adams administration and its agencies so that the project is completed safely and in a timely manner. There are several projects going on in other parts of Staten Island that are frustrating to commuters so let’s learn from those and get this project done as quickly as possible.” 

This stretch of Arthur Kill Road has historically been an issue of traffic congestion because it is too narrow, without turning lanes and pedestrian walkways in many sections. It also has an impact on the merchants and stores in the area. 

“Even in the best-case scenario, this project will have spanned the full terms of five Mid-Island and South Shore Council Members, three Minority Leaders, two Borough Presidents and two Mayors before it is complete,” said Councilmember Joseph Borelli. “When we talk about how broken the city’s capital development process is, this project is the poster child. Borough President Fossella is absolutely right to push these agencies to speed up this project, and to continue to hold them accountable to the taxpayers that continue to pay, in more ways than one, for its delays.”

 “This is an incredibly important project for Staten Island,” said Councilmember David Carr. “Arthur Kill Road has long been a congested thoroughfare and expanding it to allow for left-turn queues and other improvements is critical.”