“No parking” signs litter a large stretch of 38th Avenue in Bayside as the never-ending sewer and water main replacement project continues.
But many times there are no construction workers in sight. This was the case on Monday, Sept. 9, where photos showed nothing but clear roads as drivers circled the block after block in search of parking.
The signs denoted that drivers are not allowed to park in marked areas from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Sept. 9 to 13. However, actual construction work was not spotted on 38th Avenue until Sept. 11. Workers were seen in trenches along 38th Avenue while others were directing traffic.
According to Project Manager Boris Sirunyan, representatives from the construction firm CAC Industries “constantly monitor” locations to see where residents can resume parking. But Sirunyan defended the amount of space construction zones take up, saying that the sites encompass more than just the streets they dig up.
“[A] construction zone is not only [the] actual trench but equipment, trucking. All this needs some space to operate,” Sirunyan told QNS in August.
The Department of Design and Construction broke ground in May 2018 and Sirunyan said that CAC Industries has finished about 30 percent of the work.
In the past, residents have complained about the start-and-stop nature of the work, saying that workers come for a few days and disappear for weeks on end.
“It seems like [construction workers] come for a day and then they disappear for two weeks,” said the owner of Mike & Sons Paint and Wallpaper in January.
DDC said that the project is set to be finished by 2021. Construction spans seven miles in Bayside and Flushing and includes new water mains, new storm and sanitary sewers and 80 new fire hydrants and catch basins.
Emily Davenport contributed to this report.
