Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together

COMET
Newsletter Winter 2015

Abandoned and Empty Building

Concerns Residents

Before fire House on 54th Avenue

at Van Horn Street

We all wonder how long it will take to repair

the structure or tear it down. Who would be
responsible to do the work the City or the
property owner who is nowhere to be found?
See page 5.
Photos by Geraldine Walsh

House in July
after fire

If you see something, say something!

Counter Terrorism Hotline
1-888-692-7233 or 1-888-NY-SAFE

House today - months after fire

If you see something, send something.

Go to the APP Store, type in "see send".
You can attach photos or send information.

NYC Green Infrastructure

Photo by Richie Polgar

the trench similar to a French drain. This also allows excess flow
to be directed where you want it to go. Landscape fabric is used
to cover the perforated pipe to keep the soil from washing in
and clogging the pipes. Larger plant material like berry bushes or
fruit trees can be planted at the top of the swale to provide an
additional protection against erosion.
During a typical rainstorm, the green infrastructure installation
collects stormwater running off the street and sidewalk before
it enters the combined sewer system. The City is responsible for
green infrastructure maintenance. NYC Parks & Recreation crews
will remove litter, sediment, and weeds from each installation on
a regular basis.
Bioswale opposite Elmhurst's Georgia Diner.
Weve noticed that many folks are improving their front yards
and installing materials to make maintaining their property
easier by removing grass and replacing it with concrete or other
non-porous materials that eliminates the need for maintaining
the lawn and shrubbery. Some folks, fed up maintaining the grass
ribbon in front of their property at the curb concrete over it.
Most of us dont consider what happens to the water runoff that
used to be absorbed by the grass and shrubs.
You may have noticed
green spray paint on
sidewalks, geotechnical
investigations using
drilling machines to
test the underlying soil
and surveyors walking
through our area and
wondered what is going on. This activity is being conducted to
determine the best locations to install bioswales.
Bioswales are green infrastructures that collect storm water
runoff from rooftops, streets, driveways and sidewalks before
it goes into the combined sewer system and contributes to
Combined Sewer Overflow pollution (CSO) in surrounding
waterbodies. Green infrastructure is a more cost-effective way to
manage storm water in New York City and will save New Yorkers
billions of dollars over the next 20 years.
As described on their website, http://www.nyc.gov/html/
dep/pdf/green_infrastructure/bioswales-standard-designs.pdf,
a bioswale is a linear, sloped retention area designed to capture
and convey water, while allowing it to infiltrate the ground slowly
over a 24 to 48 hour period. The slopes are usually planted with
native species similar to a rain garden. A bioswale built into a
sloped area can also help prevent erosion. In order to increase
the water retention capacity, perforated pipe can be placed in
Pg. 2 Winter 2015 COMET

You can help the environment by keeping grass, shrubs and

trees on your property. If you are going to install a hard surface
material, use one that is porous and able to soak up rainwater. We
all need to do our part by taking small steps to prevent flooding.
We are showing you some photos of a bioswale taken from the
website. Comet member Richie Polgar took a photo of one that
has already been installed opposite Elmhursts Georgia Diner on
Queens Boulevard.
Photo by John Schaffer

104th Precinct/NYS DOT/NYPD Traffic

Conducts Truck Enforcement Initiative
Grand Avenue at Remsen Place in Maspeth

In an effort to curtail the overwhelming

truck traffic problem in Maspeth, the
104th Precinct, in conjunction with NYS
Department of Transportation (NYS DOT)
and NYPD Traffic, conducted an initiative
on November 4th. The operation took place
during the morning and evening rush hours.
Captain Gregory Mackie, 104th Precinct
Executive Officer, provided us with some
photos and statistics.
The summonses written for the day tour
included 9 moving summonses for off-route
issued by 104th Precinct Traffic Unit, 18
moving summonses for trucking violations
issued by NYPD Traffic, 4 Criminal Court summonses for truck
violations issued by NYPD Traffic, 8 inspection summonses
for trucks by NYS DOT and 1 truck was towed by NYS DOT. The
summonses written for the evening tour included 5 moving
summonses for off-route issued by 104th Precinct Traffic Unit,
4 moving summonses for no seatbelt issued to truckers by
the 104th Precinct Traffic Unit and 22 moving summonses for
trucking violations by NYPD Traffic Unit.
The grand total for the day for the truck enforcement totaled
8 inspection violations, 58 moving violations, 4 criminal court
summonses and one truck towed.
On November 6th, 31 more trucks were summonsed. All the
Criminal Court summonses were issued by the Citywide Traffic
Task force for Motor Carrier Safety violations.
The photos were provided to us by Captain Mackie, 104th Precinct.

108th Precinct Parking Initiative in Woodside / Winfield

Captain John Travaglia, 108th Precinct, told us his officers issued 17 commercial parking violations in our area on November 6th.
Hopefully our precincts keep up the good work in our community!!

Bus Lane Enforcement

If you drive, park, or stand in a bus lane during the hours of
operation you face fines ranging from $115 to $150. The hours
of bus lane operation varies from place to place and signs are
clearly visible. The 104th Precinct has provided the information
below concerning Woodhaven Boulevard, a portion of which is
located in their command.
Important Bus Lane Information Provided by Captain Mackie,
104th Precinct:
Bus lanes are in effect Mon-Fri, 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm,
throughout the entire stretch of Woodhaven Boulevard. Unless

there is a sign that specifically prohibits turns, motorists may

enter the red bus lanes to execute a right turn, as defined by the
NY State Vehicle and Traffic Law, Section 1160, sub (a):
"...both the approach for a right turn and a right turn shall be
made as close as practicable to the right hand curb or edge of
the roadway."
And also 1163, sub (b):
"...a signal of intention to turn right or left when required
shall be given continuously during not less than the last 100 feet
traveled by the vehicle before turning."
COMET

Winter 2015 Pg. 3

To eliminate any confusion which may still exist regarding these

lanes, all turns must be made with REASONABLE SAFETY, which
means that right turns at these locations (unless prohibited by
sign) MUST be made from the red lane. We are still seeing vehicles
making turns from the outer lane, and this is exactly what caused
the Resort World's Casino bus accident back in August. Making
the turn from the outside lane to avoid being in the bus lane
while making the turn constitutes an IMPROPER TURN which is
a hazardous violation and a summonsable offense. Only vehicles
which are continuously driving from corner to corner in the bus
lane without any intention of turning, during the posted days and

times, are in violation of the bus lane provision and are subject
to enforcement.
As of now, I have no reported locations of fixed (stationary)
cameras along Woodhaven Boulevard in the 104 for bus lane
enforcement. However, there is a possibility of these cameras
being installed on MTA Buses to catch violators (which is currently
in use in Manhattan). We regularly communicate with the
112 Precinct, which covers the northbound leg of Woodhaven
Boulevard, as well as DOT. If I receive any updates regarding
these lanes/installation of new cameras, I will definitely pass
them along to you so the community remains informed.

MTA Adds Two Temporary Stops to Q47 Bus Line

Detour Still a Hardship for Some Woodside/Winfield Riders

We want to thank Assembly

Member Marge Markey and
Council Member Elizabeth
Crowley for bringing the
communitys concerns about
lack of Q47 bus stops to the
MTA and convincing them to
add additional stops for the
duration of the Calamus Avenue
sewer project. Unfortunately,
the temporary stops will not
give any relief to our Woodside
folks who live along Calamus
Avenue between 70th and 74th
Streets. They have a long walk which causes a hardship during
inclement weather. The new stops will give more options to
those who are heading to and from Grand Avenue. See the MTAs
notification below.

MTA Notification
Prior to the implementation of our detour, MTA Bus Company
installed notices in the Guide-A-Ride boxes of each temporarily
discontinued bus stop along Calamus Avenue and 79th Street,
with an explanation of the need for the detour and redirecting

customers to the nearest active Q47 bus stops (69th Street at

Calamus Avenue or Grand Avenue at 79th Street). However,
effective, Sunday, November 15, 2015, two temporary Q47 bus
stops will be added in each direction on the current detour and
these added bus stops will be served full-time for the duration
of the detour.
The new, temporary Q47 bus stops will be added at the
following locations:
Northbound Q47 to Jackson Heights:Grand Av at 73 Street
and 69 Street at 52 Drive
Southbound Q47 to Glendale: 69 Street at 53 Av and Grand
Av at 73 Street
We believe that the addition of these two new temporary bus
stops will improve access to the Q47 by reducing the walking
distances for some of our customers affected. We will be
updating our Guide-A-Ride box information along the existing
route path and along the detour. Our online timetables will also
reflect these changes. PLEASE NOTE: Upon completion of the
Calamus Avenue DDC project and the reopening of Calamus
Avenue to regular traffic, we plan to restore the regular Q47
route, thereby discontinuing the detour thus removing these
new temporary stops.

October 17th Recycling, Paper Shredding, Rain Barrel Give-a Way, VIN Etch
Cosponsored by Maspeth Federal, Council Member Crowley, 104th/108th Precincts and COMET

Pg. 4 Winter 2015 COMET

Whats Happening to the Streets in Elmhursts Valley?

Sinkhole forming at Kneeland
Avenue at Hillyer Street

Pedestrian ramp at Jacobus

and 51st Avenue

Sinking catch basin on

Manilla Street
Another sinkhole on Kneeland
Avenue at Hillyer Street - before

Faded crosswalk lines on 51st

Avenue near our schools

Block Captain Howard Moskowitz has been reporting sinkholes

that are cropping up in the vicinity of Kneeland Avenue, Hillyer
Street and Manilla Street. NYC Department of Transportation (NYC
DOT) has been filling them with asphalt but residents suspect
more is going on under the street.
Howard gave us a brief history concerning the sinkholes and
subterranean deterioration on Kneeland Avenue. He said that
during June of 2014 a large sinkhole was reported at Kneeland
Avenue and Hillyer Street and believes it was repaired that August.
During February 2015, a leaking water main combined with seeping
salt from Department of Sanitation trucks caused an electrical fire
in the same area. As a result, an explosion occurred and electricity
on Kneeland Avenue was shut down for several hours. The water
main repair took place over the next several days.
During this past summer Howard noticed another sinkhole
forming at the intersection of Kneeland Avenue at Hillyer Street
as well as yet another one along the curb on Kneeland Avenue.
Once again the condition was reported and NYC DOT filled them

with asphalt. He also reported a crumbling pedestrian ramp on

51st Avenue at Jacobus Street and what appears to be a sinking
catch basin on Manilla Street. We are all beginning to wonder if
this is not a NYC DOT problem but rather an issue that needs to
be researched by the Department of Environmental Protection. If
there are water leaks under the street asphalt will not help and
the streets will continue to sink. The last thing residents need is
another power outage this winter.
Michael Mallon and Sebastian Mcguire from Councilman Daniel
Dromms office took a ride-a-long with Comet President Roe
Daraio and Comet Treasurer Geraldine Walsh on Friday, November
13th, to see our concerns on the south side of Queens Boulevard
first-hand. Geraldine hopped out of the car and to our amazement
started pulling up wet and sinking asphalt from a sinkhole in a
parking spot on Kneeland Avenue that had been repaired and
has now begun to sink again. We were assured that Councilman
Dromms office will have the agencies look into the problem and
determine what can be done to rectify it.
Photos were taken by Howard Moskowitz.

The Elmhurst Gate Saga Continues

We previously reported to you that the gates on 85th Street at 57th Road and 84th Street and
57th Road were unsecured. Vandals were hanging out at the 84th Street location and youth were
seen throwing rocks at Long Island Railroad (LIRR) passenger trains at the 85th Street location
which is NYS Department of Transportation property. The good news is that these gates are now
locked. However, when we went on our tour with Councilman Dromms staff members Michael
Mallon and Sebastian Mcguire, we found yet another gate, this one located on 85th Street near
57th Road. This gate had a latch that can be easily opened allowing people to access the LIRR
tracks. His office has promised to find out if this gate belongs to NYC DOT or NYS DOT and hopefully
get it secured quickly.
Photo was taken by Geraldine Walsh

COMET

Winter 2015 Pg. 5

Neighborhood Eyesores

Maspeth Flushing Avenue

Elmhurst 54th Avenue
In July, a huge fire broke out at
an abandoned house on 54th
Avenue at Van Horn Street in
Elmhurst. This house has been
abandoned for years and the
property has racked up thousands
of dollars in fines during this time.
Prior to the fire the property was
not maintained and during the
snowy winter months pedestrians
heading to work or school had to
slip and slide across the sidewalk.
After the fire, residents are stuck looking at this building
which most likely is structurally damaged. The windows in
the front of the building have been concreted up. During
our ride-a-long with Michael Mallon and Sebastian Mcguire
from Councilman Dromms office we visited this location
and let them see what nearby residents must contend
with. We asked them to find out why this property wasnt
taken over by the City for unpaid fines or why the property
owner, wherever he may be, isnt being forced to either
tear down the house or repair it, if possible. They have
promised to research this for us.
Photos by Geraldine Walsh

A local resident called our

attention to the property
at 60-90 Flushing Avenue
which has been lying vacant
and which has become an
eyesore for residents and
businesses in the area. We
referred the problem to
Roman Paprocki, Chief-ofStaff at Council Member
Elizabeth Crowleys office.
Roman visited the site and
took photos of the dumping
and discovered that the permit for the scaffolding had
expired.
He reached out to the Department of Housing Preservation
& Development (HPD), the agency that is handling this site,
to see what could be done to clean up the property. He also
mentioned the expired scaffolding permit that was issued
to the contractor, who was awarded the contract to repair
the property, as well as the lighting under the scaffolding
that is inoperative. The lack of lighting under the scaffolding
is a concern especially during the dark winter months. HPD
said they will look into the issues raised and take steps to
rectify the problems.
Photos by Roman Paprocki & Tom Porembski

Comet Updates
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Pg. 6 Winter 2015 COMET

Co-Street Naming
Maspeth Avenue/Frank
Kowalinski Way

On Wednesday, November 11th, Council Member

Elizabeth Crowley officiated a co-street naming
ceremony in honor of Frank Kowalinski. Veterans from
the Kowalinski Post and American Legion proudly
attended.

Photos by Richie Polgar

Maspeth Avenue between 61st and 64th Streets was co-named "Frank Kowalinski Way". Kowalinski was the first Polish-American to die in
WWI. The Polish Legion of American Veterans named their Maspeth post after him.

DSNY Rules and Regulations

Good news! The Department of Sanitation tells us that residents can now place their trash
and recycling out for collection at 4:00 pm all year long.

Snow & Ice Removal

Every owner, lessee, tenant or other person having charge of any lot or building must clean snow and/or ice from the
sidewalk within 4 hours after the snow has stopped falling, or by 11:00 am if the snow has stopped falling after 9:00 pm
the previous evening. Snow may NOT be thrown into the street. If the snow or ice becomes frozen so hard that it cannot
be removed, the sidewalk may be strewn with ashes, sand, sawdust or similar suitable material within the same time
limits. The sidewalk must be thoroughly cleaned as soon as the weather permits.
FINE: $100-$150 for the first offense; $150-$350 for the second offense.

Report Plane Noise

http://www.planenoise.com/panynj/daPRAbr9/qs114wbt.php

Upcoming C.O.M.E.T. Meetings

St. Adalbert Parish Center, lower level, 52-40 84th Street, 7:00 pm.
Check our website at www.cometcivic.com to see if a meeting is canceled due to inclement weather.
No meeting in January.
February 1, 2016
March 7, 2016

Newsletter Committee
Mike Fordunski, Tom Porembski, Geraldine Walsh, Richie Polgar, Roe Daraio, Dick Gundlach, Maspeth Press

Thank You!
This newsletter is made possible by funding from Council Members Elizabeth Crowley, Daniel
Dromm and Jimmy Van Bramer through the Department of Youth and Community Development.

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Newsletter Spring 2015

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