QNE_p004

QC01282016

4 The QUEE NS Courier • JANUARY 28, 2016 for breaking news visit www.qns.com BLIZZARD 2016 Photo by The Queens Courier staff Bayside struggles to shovel out after BLIZZARD OF 2016 BY ERICA SIUDZINSKI and hilly passages in the editorial@qns.com snowbanks, which served as the @QueensCourier only access to sidewalks and businesses, holding onto the snow for After the Blizzard of 2016 balance. With the bus stop buried dumped more than 2 feet of snow under snow, passengers waited in on the borough, Queens struggled the road. to shovel its way out of the mess Local business owners are as the workweek got underway. responsible for shoveling the sidewalk Conditions in Bayside were in front of their business and hardly ideal. Though Bell keeping it clear, leading to inconsistent Boulevard was reasonably plowed clearing. A number of shop and most cars could get through, owners worked hard on making it the snowbanks made parking passable for pedestrians. nearly impossible on Jan. 25. Two employees from Maggie Those who walked more than Moo’s had been out clearing their half a block down any side street sidewalk and salting for over an on Jan. 25 found that it hadn’t hour. They said the poor response been shoveled at all. Nearly 2 feet to the snow was bad for business, of untouched snow packed the since customers couldn’t get sidewalk on the corner of 40th through the snowbanks to their Avenue and Bell Boulevard. shop. Vehicles moved slowly down Many businesses were closed. the streets to keep from hitting any Those that were open were shortstaffed, poorly parked cars. Pedestrians, due to difficult commutes lacking a corner crosswalk, stood in the street and peeked around cars as they waited to cross. Icy puddles of unknown depth marked the sidewalk corners. Pedestrians clambered over narrow or sparse business. Jessie Zhou at Xcellent Beauty Salon said it took her nearly an hour to get to work from nearby Flushing. “It’s very hard to drive here, and there’s almost no parking,” she said, adding that traffic and closed roads slowed her morning commute. Ted at Pete’s Pizza didn’t have a lot of time to talk, as he was the only worker who was able to come in on Jan. 25. “We’re short staffed and we have a lot of orders,” he said. “This snow really makes it difficult for our cars to get around and make their deliveries.” LIRR employees at the Bayside station waved commuters away, informing them that no trains were running on the Port Washington line. These workers had been out working for nearly three days and had not yet been home. A diesel train rolled through the station, attempting to thaw the rails with alcohol, a rare sighting on the Port Washington line according to the workers. They predicted limited service might run for the evening rush hour commute, but that recovery would be slow, as the train yard is still buried under snow. Cars buried on side streets in Bayside storm photos HE COURIER/Photo by Katrina Medoff 30th Road, Astoria THE COURIER/Photo by Katrina Medoff 31st Avenue, Astoria Photo by Erica Siudzinski A LIRR work train at the Bayside station This little guy had trouble navigating the snow too.


QC01282016
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