Nelson Rockefeller Hudson River Park, NY, NY

Custom sand based structural soil for landscape infiltration system functions as the storm water treatment system for Nelson Rockefeller Hudson River Park.

Barrett Kays was commissioned to investigate the design, construction, and construction management of the sand based structural soil that was used for the new park's landscape and stormwater infiltration system. The structural soil mix significantly failed to meet the specifications and was compacted so densely that roots could not penetrate but about 1 to 2 inches into the soil. The photograph below was taken after the soils were removed and replaced with the correct soil mix. The meadow area in front of the Solaire Buildings is used for recreation daily by the local school children and when it rains the water flows into the meadow and is infiltrated.

The Nelson Rockefeller Hudson River Park was constructed by the Battery Park City Authority and is located along the Hudson River and the World Financial Towers and Solarie Buildings.

View across the North Meadow, the Hudson River, and to New Jersey to the West.

The orginal soils installed in the park became flooded and water logged after each rainfall. The picture shows installation of soil pits to examine the soils, soil density, and rate of water movement downward into the soil.

The photograph shows the measurement of the rate of water movement into an undistrubed soil core. The rate of water movement is measured by the constant head permeameter device 'Amoozemeter' brand. It can accurately measure extremely slow rates of water movement.

The photograph shows about three feet of soil material was added over top of the original sandy subgrade. The soil material that was added has too much silt and clay and compacted to a dense impermeable layer over the sandy subgrade.

A view across the North Meadow and towards the World Trade Towers in the early spring of 2001.

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