QUESTION
How is the Parks Department addressing sidewalk repair issues caused by tree roots more quickly, and when were the sidewalk repair standards last updated?
3:53:35
·
4 min
The Parks Department Commissioner explains that the sidewalk repair standards were recently updated for the first time in about 25 years to expedite repairs.
- The update introduces new technologies and approaches, including a pilot program using foam material for quicker fixes.
- The department aims to address sidewalk issues caused by tree roots raising the sidewalk and creating safety hazards more swiftly across districts.
- Council members acknowledge sidewalk repair as a widespread issue impacting multiple districts and causing accidents.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
3:53:35
And my last question is around sidewalk repair, which Council member nurse touched on it.
3:53:41
So clearly, it's an issue for many districts.
3:53:45
We've submitted a number of requests in terms of, like, the sidewalk repair because the tree branches often raising the sidewalk, creating safety concerns.
3:54:00
I've sent videos to the parks department where people walking by have literally fallen on them, only to be told that it couldn't be removed.
3:54:09
How is the parks working to address that more quickly?
3:54:13
As opposed to waiting for an entire year at a minimum to have situations like this address.
3:54:23
And when is the last time that the standards were updated?
3:54:26
Because I know there's, like, a metric that forestry goes by in terms of what is eligible for removal.
3:54:34
And so what maybe 10 years ago may not have been a safety concern now has become 1, but I am thankful for the the work and the progress we have done in Rockaway.
3:54:44
I know there's a tree that's supposed to be taken out this year, which we got on the list last year, but there are several other conditions like that.
3:54:52
And I know when talking to my colleagues, we often have very similar issues.
3:54:57
So maybe it's time that the parks department look at the standards and the metrics in which it's using to to have these addressed.
3:55:07
And thank you in advance.
Sue Donoghue
3:55:10
Thank you, council member, for your questions.
3:55:12
First off, the Marine debris removal were really thrilled about that new office, and I have to give a heads out off to the first deputy commissioner and Nate Groove
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
3:55:23
for It was amazing.
3:55:24
But yeah.
Sue Donoghue
3:55:25
I've done an incredible job getting that up and running.
3:55:29
I will state that it was really primarily set up for recreational vessels.
3:55:36
And so we I know there's been a lot of and a lot of back and forth on the barge.
3:55:41
It's really the size and scale of it is outside of this program in that the funding that it requires is is much more than what is in this program.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
3:55:55
I'm sorry.
3:55:55
Commissioner, just to interrupt really quickly just to explain the spirit of the bill had that vessel in mind.
3:56:02
So as a co prime sponsor on that, I just wanna clarify on the record that the spirit of the bill was to include the barge removal as well.
Sue Donoghue
3:56:11
Got it.
3:56:11
Okay.
3:56:12
Thank you for that clarification and appreciate it.
3:56:15
Division has a $1,000,000 in funding.
3:56:17
And so right now, we don't have the money in place in that budget to be able to address the vessel.
3:56:22
That the barge.
3:56:23
But I know we're looking at grant funding.
3:56:26
We're we're pending conversations with the Army Corps of Engineers.
3:56:29
To try and specifically be able to address that.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
3:56:32
Do we have a dollar amount yet that it costs for it?
3:56:35
No.
3:56:35
Unfortunately, no.
3:56:36
So what's steps has parks.
3:56:38
So we've been talking about the barge for 3 years now.
3:56:40
So what steps have parks department taken
Sue Donoghue
3:56:43
to address?
3:56:44
First step, it is gonna jump back.
Iris Rodriguez-Rosa
3:56:45
So When it comes, these barges, as you know, are are could be a football field in length.
3:56:50
And I mean, they're huge and they're very deep, and it takes quite an extensive amount of work to be able to try to remove these kinds of barges.
3:56:59
So right now in the spirit and your correct council member, the spirit of of the we're trying to remove all kinds of debris, whether they're recreational vessels or barge.
3:57:10
But we have to look at the impact and the large and the magnitude of these barges are just huge.
3:57:17
So we want to make sure that we're very clear in terms of what is required.
3:57:21
To be able to remove this.
3:57:22
So we're looking at agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers and other institutions that have done similar removals to be able to obtain what's the dollar amount that it would take, what is the the process that it would take to be able to remove So we have we are committed as an agency to be able to try to address this particular aspect of the barges.
3:57:42
But right now, we're we are dealing with many, many recreational vessels that are throughout the city.
