Queens Borough President Donovan Richards calls for flood mitigation infrastructure to be installed on the Cross Island Parkway. Photo: Shane O’Brien
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards joined Council Member Vickie Paladino, State Sen. Vickie Paladino and community partners in Bay Terrace Friday, Aug. 8, to call for flood-related street signage and storm mitigation efforts after areas of the Cross Island Parkway were submerged following flash flooding at the end of July.
Elected officials and community advocates gathered near the intersection of 208th Place and the Cross Island Parkway, where several vehicles were submerged during the July 31 flooding, to call on the Department of Transportation to install signage warning motorists of the risks of driving in the area during stormy weather.
Officials said the recent floods, which saw more than 6 inches of rainfall within an hour, was the result of a cloudburst, whereby an enormous amount of rain falls within a short period. The ensuing flash floods submerged several vehicles in the Bayside area, while dozens of businesses reported up to one foot of water accumulated in their basements.
Richards described street signage as a “small step” toward addressing the issue but warned that “somebody is going to die” in future floods if unsuspecting motorists are not warned of the risks.
“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 said Friday morning.
Richards additionally called for flood mitigation infrastructure to be installed in the area to help protect Bay Terrace against future issues but acknowledged that such infrastructure will take time to install.
He described the installation of street signage as “low-hanging fruit” and urged the DOT to act 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 said.
Richards called for a “holistic” approach to flood mitigation in the area, including street signage and “spongifying” measures that would help reduce the amount of water.
Paladino, meanwhile, said the July 31 flood dissipated within hours but acknowledged the damage that the floods did in that timeframe. She said her office “did not sleep” until it had contacted all relevant agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Small Business Services.
Paladino also called for street signage to be installed along the Cross Island Parkway, stating that local residents are aware of the dangers of driving in the area during stormy weather but noting that people unfamiliar with the area may not know the risks.
“People need to know that this is a flood zone,” Paladino said.
Liu, on the other hand, said events such as the July 31 flooding are happening “more and more” and called on city, state and federal agencies to steps to keep local residents safe.
Liu said installing signage that warns people of the dangers of driving in certain areas would be an important step toward keeping people safe.
He also hit out at the federal government after the Trump Administration gutted more than $300 million in funding for flood protection and climate resiliency projects 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 said.
Matthew Silverstein, the president of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance who lives a short distance away from the low-lying intersection, said he regularly witnesses flash flooding in the area and believes it is only a matter of time before someone loses their life in a severe weather event.
He called for signage to warn people of the risks and also called on the state legislature to implement spongifying measures in the area. Silverstein, who described the area as “Lake Bay Terrace” said the street is often “completely underwater” and spoke of how emergency services often access the area by boat.
Silverstein welcomed the idea of installing signage to warn unsuspecting motorists of the dangers of driving on the Cross Island Parkway during 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 said. “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.”
Paul DiBenedetto, a member of Community Board 11 and the vice president of the Bayside Historical Society, said the recent storm was so intense that he could not see his exit while driving on the Long Island Expressway. DiBenedetto, a self-described “amateur historian,” said he severe storms have been occurring at a far greater frequency in recent years, highlighting the need for signage and other infrastructure.
DiBenedetto praised Paladino for ensuring that drains are cleared and enable flood water to dissipate quickly after an intense weather event.
“The water did accumulate, and then it went away. But that accumulation is unacceptable,” DiBenedetto said. “We have to get that water out of here in the first place.”
DiBenedetto described signage as a “great first step” toward addressing the issue.
Richards added that there is “no good reason” for the DOT to not install signage in the area.
The DOT has not yet responded for a request for comment.
→ Continue reading at amNY
