Queens Borough President Donovan Richards requires flood mitigation infrastructure to be put in on the Cross Island Parkway. Picture: Shane O’Brien
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards joined Council Member Vickie Paladino, State Sen. Vickie Paladino and neighborhood companions in Bay Terrace Friday, Aug. 8, to name for flood-related road signage and storm mitigation efforts after areas of the Cross Island Parkway have been submerged following flash flooding on the finish of July.
Elected officers and neighborhood advocates gathered close to the intersection of 208th Place and the Cross Island Parkway, the place a number of autos have been submerged in the course of the July 31 flooding, to name on the Division of Transportation to put in signage warning motorists of the dangers of driving within the space throughout stormy climate.
Officers stated the current floods, which noticed greater than 6 inches of rainfall inside an hour, was the results of a cloudburst, whereby an unlimited quantity of rain falls inside a brief interval. The following flash floods submerged a number of autos within the Bayside space, whereas dozens of companies reported as much as one foot of water collected of their basements.
Flooding between Oceania Road and 211th Road in Bayside.Picture by Carmona Blanca
Richards described road signage as a “small step” towards addressing the difficulty however warned that “somebody is going to die” in future floods if unsuspecting motorists aren’t warned of the dangers.
“The signs that we’re asking for would warn drivers about flood-prone roads and encourage people not to park or drive in the event of heavy rain at this intersection and on the highway,” Richards stated Friday morning.
Richards moreover known as for flood mitigation infrastructure to be put in within the space to assist shield Bay Terrace in opposition to future points however acknowledged that such infrastructure will take time to put in.
He described the set up of road signage as “low-hanging fruit” and urged the DOT to behave swiftly.
“We need to be working with more information, not less, and even if one person sees that sign and moves their car ahead of a storm, it’s worth it,” Richards stated.
Richards known as for a “holistic” method to flood mitigation within the space, together with road signage and “spongifying” measures that might assist scale back the quantity of water.
Paladino, in the meantime, stated the July 31 flood dissipated inside hours however acknowledged the harm that the floods did in that timeframe. She stated her workplace “did not sleep” till it had contacted all related businesses, together with the Division of Environmental Safety and the Division of Small Enterprise Providers.
Paladino additionally known as for road signage to be put in alongside the Cross Island Parkway, stating that native residents are conscious of the hazards of driving within the space throughout stormy climate however noting that individuals unfamiliar with the world might not know the dangers.
“People need to know that this is a flood zone,” Paladino stated.
Liu, then again, stated occasions such because the July 31 flooding are occurring “more and more” and known as on metropolis, state and federal businesses to steps to maintain native residents protected.
Liu stated putting in signage that warns folks of the hazards of driving in sure areas could be an necessary step towards holding folks protected.
He additionally hit out on the federal authorities after the Trump Administration gutted greater than $300 million in funding for flood safety and local weather resiliency tasks in Queens and New York State.
“Just as Queens was about to get hundreds of millions of dollars in the federal infrastructure plan to address some of the severe flooding issues right here in Queens, the Trump administration yanked it, revoked that funding, and this is what we’re going to have to be faced with even more,” Liu stated.
State Sen. John Liu speaks on Friday. Additionally pictured Council Member Vickie Paladino, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Matthew Silverstein and Paul DiBenedetto. Picture by Shane O’Brien
Matthew Silverstein, the president of the Bay Terrace Group Alliance who lives a brief distance away from the low-lying intersection, stated he usually witnesses flash flooding within the space and believes it’s only a matter of time earlier than somebody loses their life in a extreme climate occasion.
He known as for signage to warn folks of the dangers and likewise known as on the state legislature to implement spongifying measures within the space. Silverstein, who described the world as “Lake Bay Terrace” stated the road is usually “completely underwater” and spoke of how emergency providers usually entry the world by boat.
Silverstein welcomed the thought of putting in signage to warn unsuspecting motorists of the hazards of driving on the Cross Island Parkway throughout storms.
“Signage is not going to stop the water from coming, but most people don’t know that this becomes Lake Bay Terrace when it rains,” Silverstein stated. “A lot of people come through these neighborhoods to go to Long Island, to go to Westchester – and those are the ones that get stuck.”
Matthew Silverstein speaks at Friday’s press convention on the Cross Island Parkway. Picture by Shane O’Brien.
Paul DiBenedetto, a member of Group Board 11 and the vice chairman of the Bayside Historic Society, stated the current storm was so intense that he couldn’t see his exit whereas driving on the Lengthy Island Expressway. DiBenedetto, a self-described “amateur historian,” stated he extreme storms have been occurring at a far higher frequency lately, highlighting the necessity for signage and different infrastructure.
DiBenedetto praised Paladino for making certain that drains are cleared and allow flood water to dissipate shortly after an intense climate occasion.
“The water did accumulate, and then it went away. But that accumulation is unacceptable,” DiBenedetto stated. “We have to get that water out of here in the first place.”
DiBenedetto described signage as a “great first step” towards addressing the difficulty.
Richards added that there’s “no good reason” for the DOT to not set up signage within the space.
The DOT has not but responded for a request for remark.
