FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JUNE 10, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 11
MTA track inspectors suspended following agency
watchdog report on falling debris in western Queens
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
For years, Sunnyside and
Woodside residents have been terrorized
by falling debris from the
7 train that looms over Roosevelt
Avenue as steel parts and wooden
beams cause pedestrians and
motor vehicles to avoid the roadway
altogether.
On Monday, May 31, the Offi ce
of the MTA Inspector General
released the fi ndings of a nearly
yearlong investigation into the
falling debris from elevated subway
lines across the city, revealing
that seven inspectors skipped
mandated inspections and falsifi
ed reports. Th ose seven inspectors
have been suspended following
the investigation.
Th is lack of oversight contributed
to exposing riders, MTA
employees and especially people
on the street passing below the
elevated tracks to signifi cant safety
risks, according to the report.
“It is appalling that so many
track inspectors, on so many occasions,
skipped safety inspections,
fi led false reports to cover their
tracks and then lied to OIG investigators
about it,” MTA Inspector
General Carolyn Pokorny said.
“Management needs to utilize a
technology that will ensure supervisors
can verify when inspectors
do their job — and when they
do not.”
Th e OIG fi rst opened an inquiry
into the NYC Transit Track division
in January 2020 in response
to reports of track debris raining
down on cars below the elevated
tracks. Some of the debris
was large enough to cause damage
and injury.
Th ese events led NYC Transit
to spend $15.9 million to attach
netting on the underside of elevated
tracks to protect the
public and employees.
“As we have been saying for
months, including during discussion
of this investigation at board
meetings, there is nothing more
important to us than ensuring the
safety of the riding public,” MTA
spokesman Aaron Donovan said.
“Th ese inspectors violated the
public’s trust. Th ey were caught
and immediately removed from
service, and as the MTAIG points
out, they are paying severe penalties
for those violations. NYC
Transit has zero tolerance for any
action that could impact safety –
period.”
Upon learning of the investigation,
the MTA immediately conducted
an inspection surge with
inspectors walking all 665 miles of
main line track in order to ensure
safety. Th e agency also created and
implemented a new inspection
process involving constant realtime
oversight by supervision.
Th e report did not fi nd a direct
connection between specifi c track
defects and the workers’ failure to
conduct inspections.
Sunnyside Councilman Jimmy
Van Bramer, an outspoken critic
of the MTA and a candidate for
Queens borough president, has
been listening to constituent complaints
for years on the issue.
“Th e MTA Inspector General’s
report shows what we’ve known all
along, that the conditions under
the 7 line were incredibly dangerous
and unsafe,” Van Bramer said.
“Th e MTA must do better along
all elevated lines to assure the safety
of not just their passengers, but
the safety of anyone who passes
under an elevated structure.”
Courtesy of Van Bramer’s offi ce
A new report fi nds MTA inspectors to blame for falling debris from the 7
line subway tracks in Woodside and Sunnyside.
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