Last summer, when a severe thunderstorm dropped several months’ worth of rain (eight inches) in just a few hours in New York’s Hudson Valley north of New York City, it triggered historic flooding resulting in landslides, flooded homes, washed out roads and all but engulfing the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, where the New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a robust military-construction mission. Many buildings and vehicles were also damaged.
In the wake of the extreme flooding, earlier this year the New York District began a $188 million project repairing the damage to the campus. Work is now underway at 12 locations.
Assessment and Strategic Planning
Engineers conducted a comprehensive assessment of damage ─ some data gathered with drones ─ identifying key areas requiring immediate attention. Engineers then calculated the volume of material washed away, assessed the movement of retaining walls, and evaluated the terrain for runoff.
Capt. Paul Ciabotti, Army Corps Deputy Area Engineer at West Point, stated: “We’re very grateful for the support of our partners, including West Point’s Directorate of Public Works that have worked with us to ensure we can assign contracts quickly to begin construction. Our goal is to build West Point back better than it was before.”
New York and West Point’s DPW devised a strategic plan prioritizing critical areas for immediate debris removal and repair, allowing residents to resume a greater measure of regular activities, despite some inconvenience. DPW has been and continues to be an integral partner assisting with scope development, participating in pre-construction and weekly-progress meetings, and helping expedite processes and construction reviews.
Road Projects
Two major projects include Washington and Williams Roads that both suffered severe damage ─ rushing water washed out chunks of road and the retaining walls supporting them. Contractors are replacing the retaining walls, re-paving the roads and planting grass.
In both projects, areas were stabilized to minimize further erosion before the retaining walls were rebuilt. Two-foot-thick concrete walls will be covered with veneer stone to match the original walls. The washout at Washington Road was more than 20-feet deep; at Williams Road, over 12 feet. The process was made more challenging by remaining portions of retaining wall and utility lines below ground.
Planning & Collaboration
Through careful planning, collaboration and fast-tracking solutions, construction is expected to be complete in late 2024.
The New York District supports U.S. Army infrastructure and facilities such as West Point through the military construction mission. Other installations supported by New York include Watervliet Arsenal, Fort Drum and Niagara Air Base in New York; and Picatinny Arsenal and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, among others.