The Big Dig: Fifth Avenue Lowdown

Yesterday, we updated the story we first ran on Friday that a reader had sent about the appearance of one-way signs on Fifth Avenue in Sunset Park. As it turned out info was on the MTA/New York City Transit website in the context of the B63 bus being rerouted going northbound. A reader left another comment late last night that is worth highlighting because it provides a glimpse of what's to come. Major construction work will be happening to Fifth Ave. over the next several years and the next spot to be torn up will be the Sunset Park shopping district. Here is what our reader wrote:

It's wonderful living in a city that leaves its residents in the dark about things that have been in the planning for 20 years! 5th Avenue from 24th to 34th Street is going to be torn open for the city to inspect and where needed replace the sewer (waste water) and water (supply) pipes. The job is scheduled to last 18 to 24 months with cash incentives to the contractor to finish earlier. This job is part of a much larger job that extends the entire length of 5th avenue. Bay Ridge was done a few years back - the disruption was awful. The heart of the Sunset Park shopping district will be done when the current job is finished. It will be a nightmare for the mom & pop type stores that have a very low profit margin - their loss of business will be devastating. Your observations of the current work and ideas on how the business district can survive the coming construction would be appreciated - call the Sunset Park Business Improvement District at 718 439-7767.

No worries. Everything should be finished by 2020, give or take.