Remember, One Of The Noble Truths Of Buddhism Is That Desire Creates Dissatisfaction . . .

Which is to say that you’ll need to be a little Zen about thirty more years of construction on the Gowanus:

The never-ending construction nightmare that has become the Gowanus Expressway isn’t going away.

That was the grim news delivered to members of Community Board 7 at their June 20 meeting.

The roadway’s crumbling concrete surface is currently being replaced, officials say. That deck replacement could take until 2012 to complete, much to the frustration of Brooklyn commuters who travel the wearied expressway daily.

But here’s the kicker: the project’s “czar” says the work that is underway right now is only a temporary fix.

“This is just interim work to get us through the next 15 to 20 years,” said Harold Fink of the New York State Department of Transportation, who is the lead engineer on the project.

Yes, the very same road that has been a construction “cone zone” for the past 15 years will likely remain the site of continued construction for at least another 15 years.

. . .

The Gowanus Expressway is in fact the largest bridge in New York State, encompassing more than 2 million square feet of roadway.

Unfortunately, the years haven’t been kind to the expressway’s concrete deck. Experts say the deck is deteriorating at a “very fast rate.”

For the past 15 years, the department has been patching the expressway’s failing surface.

“We’ve been doing emergency repairs, but it just became overwhelming,” Fink said. “The patching strategy used over the past 15 years is no longer viable.”

So instead of patching, the DOT has moved on to a new approach: replacing the deck altogether.

That deck replacement is currently underway. It is to be completed in five major construction contracts over the next five to six years.

“We’re in the midst of the second contract right now,” Fink said.

Of the 2 million or so square feet that must be replaced, about 215,000 square feet of decking have been completed.

. . .

Still, all of this work remains only a short-term solution.

Experts are currently mulling over three long-term solutions, including further rehabilitating the Gowanus or even building a new tunnel.

“In the next couple of years, we’re going to analyze the alternatives,” Fink said, saying traffic, noise and air quality will all be factors in their ultimate decision. Planners must also choose a fiscally viable solution.

A draft environmental impact statement is expected to be released in 2010.

More construction would then begin around 2014 and continue for another seven to 10 years.