The Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation (BBPDC) is responsible for the planning and construction of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. The approximately 85 acre project, consisting of piers, upland and in-water areas, stretches along approximately 1.3 miles of Brooklyn waterfront from the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges to Atlantic Ave. The purpose of this project is to allow reuse of the deteriorated East River waterfront for public recreational use and waterfront dependent uses.

E2PM was retained by Skanska USA on behalf of the BBPDC to implement the regulatory requirements of the site’s New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Stormwater Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit for construction of the Brooklyn Bridge Park along the East River. As such, E2PM conducted the Qualified Inspector inspections of the site’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) components, including the Erosion and Soil Control (E&SC) measures.

E2PM compiled the site observations, photographic documentation and sketches in bi-weekly and monthly inspection reports to ensure proper maintenance and functioning of the E&SCs and compliance with the site’s NYSDEC SPDES Permit. E2PM would inspect and certify that the proper documentation and regulatory paperwork was onsite and up-to-date, as per the permit requirements. As the Qualified Inspector, E2PM has the training to identify deficiencies and prevent finable permit violations. E2PM would discuss observed insufficient control measures with key personal, including the PM’s, trained contractors and subcontractors, to mitigate the deficiencies, while respecting the Project’s schedule and budget. At the completion of various phases of work, E2PM complete the required Final Inspection to satisfy the regulatory requirements and reduce the permitted area.

In addition to implementing the regulatory requirements, E2PM assisted in the design and management of onsite stormwater and wastewater management, as well as erosion control as follows:

• Recommended and designed E&SC Plans for un-permitted areas of the Park to be disturbed.
• Evaluated stormwater management and provided resolution to the formation of sink holes within the waterfront area along Piers 2, 3, 5 and 6.
• Developed various options to strengthen the bulkheads, upper and lower platforms to prevent soil erosion and sink holes due to the tidal washout of the damaged bulkheads. E2PM provided Value Engineering (VE) and helped to redesign the repair concept for the sinkholes and deteriorating bulkheads.
• Conducted a VE and design of Marine Facilities at the Pier 2 Spiral Pool. Evaluated the structural stability of sheet piling for seawalls and also evaluated the use of innovative inflatable geotubes to facilitate construction along the waterfront to meet US Army Corp of Engineers (COE) permit and NYDEC SPDES GP requirements. The challenge was to be able to demolish the existing concrete bulkhead without allowing significant erosion of the shore, sedimentation of the river and washout of the bank from the strong East River tidal currents.