NYSTA Term Agreement for Statewide Hydrology & Hydraulics Engineering

Watts is currently serving the New York State Thruway Authority in providing engineering services related to hydraulic and hydrologic studies.  This is a 3-year; $1 million contract to provide a wide range of analyses and designs.  Assignments under this contract include topographic and bathymetric surveying, drainage system and culvert analyses, preparation of stormwater pollution prevention plans, evaluation of stream channels, and bridge scour analyses.
 
One of our key assignments to date was the scour evaluation and countermeasure design for the Interstate 90 Bridge over the Mohawk River.  This assessment was performed in support of NYSTA’s on-going scour Plan of Action program.  For this site, the subject bridge was undergoing rehabilitation and an updated scour analysis was needed.  Watts and our team performed a bathymetric survey of the river, prepared a HEC-RAS model, and computed scour depths.  From there, a scour countermeasure design was performed in accordance with the current FHWA methodologies. 


Another key assignment under this contract is the inspection, assessment, and rehabilitation design for 35 large culverts in the NYSTA Syracuse Division.  For all sites, the Watts team performed a topographic survey, a detailed structural inspection, a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, prepared an inspection report, identified the most appropriate rehabilitation strategies given construction budget limitations, and prepared construction cost estimates.  Watts also designed a flood mitigation wall and pumping station at MP 30.4 on the New York State Thruway.  This $2.5 million project included 800 ft. flood wall and various drainage modifications.  The pumping station is designed to handle runoff from a 50+ year storm, over a one-mile section of this 10-Lane Superhighway, and includes remote-control hardware for off-site operation.