Lindenwood residents are getting a sinking feeling about one of their streets.
For years, the roadway at the corner of 157th Avenue and 79th Street in has been slowly caving in, but recently it has worsened, leaving residents worried the street might collapse.
“This part of the street has been like this for a while now,” said Joe Thompson, a resident of Lindenwood and president of the Howard Beach Civilian Observation Patrol. “We’ve put in complaints about it to the city.”
After an April 30 flooding disaster, residents say the street has only gotten worse. The Spring Creek sewer overflow facility malfunctioned during a major rainstorm that night causing the sewers in Lindenwood to back up, flooding the streets.
Since then, the part of the roadway that slopes to the sidewalk has been collapsing straight down, forming a ditch along the curb. There is also a large hole forming near the catch basin on the street that sinks down over a foot deep in the asphalt.
“I have family visiting me all the time and I tell them to avoid this block because I do not want their cars to bottom out,” said one resident who was driving by the street. “It’s really bad and it’s only getting worse.”
Thompson said he filed his claim about three weeks ago with 311 but has yet to receive a response. He said that he has talked to residents who have said they have complained for years but have given up because nothing has been done.
“It’s a very unsafe condition and we want to get it addressed,” Thomspon said. “Hopefully this will be solved.”
The Department of Transportation differed comment to the Department of Environmental Protection which did not respond to email requests for comment.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
