June 7–13, 2019 Brooklyn Paper • www.BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260-2500 AWP 3
Waterlogged!
Ferry commuters left stranded by fl ood
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By Kevin Duggan
Brooklyn Paper
They need a ferry to get
off the ferry!
Greenpoint ferry commuters
have been forced to build
their own escape from the India
Street landing due to its
namesake access street routinely
flooding after heavy
rain.
Water-bound straphangers
have resorted to donning rubber
boots and bringing along
pocket knives to cut the zip
ties of construction barriers,
which they use to build
a makeshift walkway across
the cul-de-sac — which is submerged
almost knee-deep at
times, according to one Greenpoint
resident.
“People carry pocket knives
to cut through the zip ties of
the barriers,” said Jonathan
Vanasco, who recently posted
pictures online that his wife
took on her regular commute
from Manhattan to the nabe at
Kings County’s northern periphery.
“A lot of people like
to have ferry boots.”
Braver travelers even scale
a four-foot fence on the south
side of the pier to climb along
slippy rocks on the waterfront
and get to Java or Kent streets,
which could lead to an accident,
according to Vanasco.
“There’s no space and it’s
just rocks. They get really slippery
and people slip on them
and have been definitely close
to falling in the water,” he said.
“It’s been an accident waiting
to happen.”
The floods have left many
less agile travelers stranded
and in great distress, according
to Vanasco.
“You see people who are elderly
and they just don’t know
what to do and they just stare
at the water. People will wait
it out or just depressingly go
through the cold water,” he
said. “People will be near tears
and calling their friends not
knowing what to do.”
The street has flooded after
most rainfall for years, but
recent construction on both
sides of it has blocked off a
sidewalk that used to provide
ferry passengers with higher
ground around the pond, Vanasco
said.
The dangerous conditions
recently caused the boats to
bypass the stop entirely and
provide Greenpoint-bound
commuters with free shuttle
buses instead, according to an
advisory by a local pol.
“To ensure the safety of
our riders, service on the East
River route will temporarily
bypass the Greenpoint ferry
landing in both directions,”
Councilman Stephen Levin
(D-Greenpoint) said in a May
30 Facebook post. “Until safe
access to the ferry landing is
available, there will be a free
shuttle bus available to riders
every 30 minutes between the
Greenpoint and Hunters Point
South ferry landings.”
Levin did not respond to
this paper for further comment
by press time.
Rain water used to run off
into the East River but recent
developments have caused the
street to flood, according to
a spokesman for the Department
of Environmental Protection,
who said the city is
working with Manhattanbased
developer Mack Real
Estate Group — which erected
the adjacent 40-story condo
building, The Greenpoint —
to address the issue by reopening
the sidewalk and possibly
building new stormwater sewage
connection.
“Historically, the stormwater
has drained directly
to the East River. However,
recent development on the
block has altered that drainage
pattern. Short-term solution
could be as simple as
making the new sidewalk on
the north side of India Street
open to the public,” said Edward
Timbers in an emailed
statement. “Long term solution
could be a new stormwater
sewer connection.”
Vanasco said that the developers
should foot the bill
for repairing the blockages
because he believes they are
caused by cement seeping into
the drains from the recent construction.
“Most people in the area
think that the flooding is from
concrete flowing into the runoffs.
Concrete trucks come and
hose off their trucks,” he said.
“Maybe the developers should
pay for it not the people.”
The DEP’s Timbers said
that there was no evidence of
concrete blocking the drains
and that the agency is looking
into the causes.
“No evidence of concrete
blocking drains - our field
staff are continuing investigation,”
he said.
A spokesman for the developer
denied responsibility,
saying that the draining
issues were on city property,
but added that real estate bigwigs
are working with agency
officials to install a temporary
walkway in the coming
days at their own cost until
bureaucrats figure out a longer
term solution.
If you care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, memory
loss or dementia, you are not alone.
The Alzheimer’s Association offers free expert information
and support from our social workers and counselors, support
groups and education programs throughout the five boroughs.
CALL OUR 24/7 HELPLINE
800.272.3900 or visit alz.org
Supported by the NYS Department of Health
Greenpoint ferry commuters frequently have to find their own way across India Street — the only access to
the pier — when it floods after heavy rain. Some resort to using construction barriers as a makeshift bridge.
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