Bell Boulevard still waiting to be paved

Frustrated motorists and shopkeepers on Northern and Bell Boulevards want their road back. After the Department of Transportation (DOT) milled the popular Bayside streets close to a month ago, they have become a mine-field of bumps, barriers, holes, rocks, sewer-covers and dust. Councilmember Dan Halloran told The Queens Courier that in order to lay asphalt, weather conditions must cooperate – in reference to high humidity and recent rain.
“Anytime you are over the 90 degree mark, it makes it difficult for setting purposes,” said Halloran who mentioned that the alternative to the road work was waiting after the Labor Day holiday. “We are looking at a week’s more time before conditions improve.”
Bill Fordin at Great Bear Auto Shop on Northern Boulevard says that dangerous, uneven terrain on city blocks can be potentially dangerous to vehicles including bent wheels, tire blowouts, damage to vehicles undercarriage and wheel alignment.
“I have never seen Bell Boulevard look like this,” said Olga Ross, from Pete’s Pizzeria and Restaurant, who said that the current conditions are worse than they were during the turbulent winter. “I can’t wait to see the flat black tar on there. Nice and smooth.”
A spokesman from the Department of Transportation (DOT) recently told The Courier that the delay was because Con Edison had to complete electric and gas repairs and that Bell Boulevard would be paved later this week. Paving along Northern Boulevard will be completed directly after Bell Boulevard.