More Hazardous conditions on 5th avenue

These are pics of DEP removing hydrant because it was leaking. Our concern is with the fact that it now stinks like Diesel on the block (did they get it all?) and if hydrant was leaking, why did they back fill yesterday

Over two weeks after a serious Haz Mat situation occurred on 5th avenue in Whitstone Queens. DEP was on scene once again today to replace the Hydrant that was run over by a Tractor Trailer illegally turning onto our residential street. At that time it was reported that after the truck hit the hydrant, he attempted to back out of the street, in effect running the hydrant over twice. IF THIS WAS A PERSON , IT WOULD HAVE INSURED DEATH!!! In his attempt to back out he ruptured his gas tank and spilled approximately 75 - 100 gallons of Diesel fuel on our street, our sewer system, and our soil.


A company apparently hired by the trucking company came yesterday to remove soil and back fill with sand. They left four large rocks that were under ground above ground, around the hydrant? Today DEP had to dig out the Hydrant because it was leaking. Could this have been a danger if one of the homes on the block caught fire? Has this Hydrant been leaking since March 6th, the date of accident? How is it that those digging and back filling yesterday did not notice the leak? Have lives been once again placed in danger by jeopardizing a Fire Hydrant?

Now that DEP dug out the hydrant, the smell of diesel has neighbors crying foul. "Our entire block smells like Diesel", a DEP worker was seen coming out of the hole and overheard complaining "it should never have been back filled , it stinks down there, they need to get more out!".

This is of great concern to us, as you can imagine.

This traffic problem needs to be resolved.






Did this compromise homes , residents, and Firemen if their was a fire?

Did they get all the Diesel?

What about the Diesel that went into the Sewers?

Keep on Truck'n

They just keep on trucking on 5Th avenue off of the Whitestone Bridge. This lovely 18 wheeler came around twice between the hours of 8:15PM and 9:00Pm and then stops halfway up the block, and decided to back up down the block. He spent over an hour trying to maneuver backing out of the block. All this time cars continued to turn on to 5Th avenue and go around him, even driving up on some sidewalks.

Yet according to the Queens D.O.T., this is not a dangerous situation, just a mere inconvenience. I personally called 911 and guess what happened?

Yep you guessed it , no one showed.

Alfredo

5th avenue traffic worsens

7:28 AM... For the past fourteen years residents of 5th avenue in our neighborhood have had to endure an onslaught of Commercial and Vehicular Traffic. As you can see from this photo things have deteriorated. For the past month between the hours of 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM, Tractor Trailers such as this one have been using our RESIDENTIAL, 27 foot wide, minus 7 - 8 feet for parked cars as a Conduit into surrounding area.

These 18 Wheelers shake foundations, set off car alarms, set off some home alarms. and most of all put our families in harms way. Yet Maura McCarthy, Commissioner of Queens Department of Transportation, along with Gene Kelty, Chairman of Community Board 7 feel that these Trucks, along with the other Commercial Vehicles and the 107 cars per hour (33% of which are speeding, as per DOT counts) are not a DANGER, JUST A MERE "INCONVENIENCE". ?????

SHATTERING RECORDS

FOR THE PAST TWO EVENINGS, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:10 AND 8:30 THERE HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROCESSION OF CARS TRAVELING EAST ON 5TH AVENUE AT A RATE OF A CAR PER SECOND.

YET MY DEAR NEIGHBORS, THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE DOT, JUST A MERE INCONVENIENCE.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CB 7 tables 5th avenue decision

Ladies and Gentlemen, the decision on our Safety Issue on 5th and 4th avenues has been tabled by Community Board 7 until further notice. Being that the 3rd Avenue exit is slated for closure next Spring for approximately one to two years, it was decided that another traffic count should be done when exit is closed to determine ? I guess the number of cars that will be utilizing street when it is closed. This is better than the No Vote that was apparent, so let us wait and see.

I say to those who question the number of survey responses on 5th avenue, please be reminded that traffic from 147th to 149th streets drops over 60% from amount that travels from Whitestone Expressway to 147th street, going from 107 vehicles per hour down to 40, verifying that most vehicles make a turn at the intersection of 5th and 147th.

Also several politicians have requested signage like stop signs on the Service Road and 5th avenue which would in effect stop the cars driving on the Service road but not the cars coming off the exit, which is over 85% of our problem. If they put a Stop on 5th from Service Road to Highway exit, this will either back up traffic onto to Highway, or create a serious Pile up.
Thanks .

What has happened is that the residents of 5th and 4th avenues will have to "Deal with it" for a minimum of 2 years if not more. Then more studies, more surveys, more "Committees", maybe by that time things will change and God willing no one gets hurt.