FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com NOVEMBER 10, 2016 • The Queens Courier 3 Photo via GoogleMaps The pedestrian bridge located at 216th Street in Bayside will soon be closed to foot traffic. CLOSING TIME This pedestrian bridge in Bayside is unsafe and needs a complete rebuild, officials say By Suzanne Monteverdi [email protected] /@smont76 A pedestrian bridge connecting one side of Bayside to another must be demolished soon, city officials announced at the Nov. 7 Community Board 11 meeting. Two representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOT) informed residents on Monday night that a pedestrian bridge in Bayside will soon be closed to public use and must be removed due to safety concerns. The bridge connects 216th Street, which is interrupted by Long Island Rail Road’s Port Washington line, by allowing pedestrians to safely walk over the tracks. Richard Gipetti of the DOT Queens Borough Commissioner’s office announced at the Nov. 7 meeting in Bayside that the bridge will be closed to pedestrian use due to unsafe conditions. Gipetti explained that an inspection done by the agency back in 2006 revealed that the bridge “was coming to the end of its usable life.” “At the most recent inspection we found that the bridge is coming upon that time and that the pedestrian bridge can be closed as early as the end of this month,” Gipetti said. One attendee asked what the DOT intends to do upon closing the bridge. “The intention is to remove it,” the DOT representative said. “It’s going to be closed and we’re going to begin the time frame of removal.” When asked when the bridge will be removed, the DOT did not have a definitive answer. “That time frame hasn’t been determined yet,” the DOT representative said. “We’re working with the Long Island Rail Road to figure out a time that doesn’t infringe on their schedule.” Gipetti pointed out that, should it be rebuilt, the bridge must also be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant and will be built to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Because of that, the footprint of the bridge itself will need to be enlarged. “In the interest of safety, DOT anticipates closing the 216th Street footbridge by December,” said a DOT spokesperson, who said that there are no plans to replace the bridge currently in place. Queens Library settles suit with its former president BY THE QUENS COURIER STAFF [email protected]/@QNS The final chapter of the Thomas Galante era at the Queens Borough Public Library is finally complete. The library and Galante, its former president who was fired amid scandal in December 2014, have settled a wrongful termination lawsuit that he previously filed, it was announced on Monday night, Nov. 7. Queens Library will pay $1.5 million in legal fees and other damages to Galante, who had led the system for 20 years. Galante filed the lawsuit a year ago, claiming he was let go for political reasons rather than job performance or proof of wrongdoing. Galante, who had originally sought $7.2 million in damages, will receive $300,000, with his lawyers and others working on the case getting the rest of the settlement. About half of the total settlement is covered by Queens Library’s insurance coverage. “It’s in the best interest of this institution and the public to put our time and resources towards our future, rather than litigate this matter to conclusion,” said Queens Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott in a statement. “I look forward to continuing our work of providing outstanding service to all of our customers.” In an interview with QNS, Galante expressed relief that the struggle was finally over, noting that he had worked 12 hours a day to help defend himself. “It feels good to have this over with,” Galante said. “I defended myself and stood up for former board members. … It closes a chapter with the library. I hope it goes forward in a great way and does well.” In January 2014, reports surfaced that Galante allegedly spent library funds on personal expenses at a time when the library was forced to reduce staffing and services over funding cuts. This led to several investigations and calls from public officials that Galante to either resign or be removed from office. The Queens Library board of trustees initially balked at making a change, prompting anger from local lawmakers. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz would remove and replace eight trustees. The reconstituted board then voted in September 2014 to suspend Galante, then fired him that December. File photo/QNS Former Queens Library President Thomas W. Galante.
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