WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES JANUARY 24, 2019 9
Sewer work continues to keep M.V. street closed
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
RPOZARYCKI@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
The portion of Penelope Avenue
in Middle Village that had been
closed the last two weeks for
sewer reconstruction work will remain
shut down even longer.
Earlier this month, the city’s Department
of Design and Construction
closed Penelope Avenue between 74th
and Pleasantview streets, including
the intersection of Penelope Avenue
and 74th Street itself, to all vehicular
traffi c as part of a major sewer project.
The closure began on Jan. 9 and was to
continue until Jan. 18.
However, the DDC announced on
Jan. 18 that the locations would now
remain closed from Monday, Jan. 21,
through Friday, Feb. 1. Councilman
Robert Holden shared the offi cial DDC
notice on his Facebook page.
The street closure includes restrictions
on curbside parking and
driveway access. Only emergency
and local traffi c will have access to
Penelope Avenue between 75th and
Pleasantview streets.
With many local residents losing
their parking spots as a result of the
ongoing work, Holden and Community
Board 5 have asked the city Department
of Transportation to provide
some relief.
Ryan Kelley, a spokesperson for Holden,
told the Ridgewood Times that the
councilman is working with the Department
of Transportation to temporarily
lift a no-standing regulation along
Juniper Boulevard South, adjacent to
Juniper Valley Park, which is located a
block north of Penelope Avenue.
The no-standing regulation has
been in place for years on the park
side of Juniper Boulevard South to
curb overnight loitering, according
to Community Board 5 District Manager
Gary Giordano. He’s hopeful that
the temporary spots, which would be
placed along westbound Juniper Boulevard
South between 75th and 71st
streets, would be used by residents
whose vehicles were displaced by the
sewer project.
Photo via Flickr/NYC Water
Kelley noted that Holden’s offi ce
has received numerous complaints
from area residents about the lack of
parking, and the councilman believes
the temporary spots would be an ideal
solution to their problem. The temporary
restrictions would likely be in
eff ect until the work is done.
A backhoe hauls sewer equipment in southeast Queens.
Public utilities agree on bill breaks for fed workers hit by shutdown
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
RPOZARYCKI@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
If you’re a federal employee from
Queens losing wages during the
ongoing government shutdown,
don’t worry about losing your gas or
electric service due to unpaid bills.
The state’s Public Service Commission
(PSC) announced on Jan. 17
an agreement with the major utility
companies serving New York State to
assist unpaid and furloughed federal
workers as the shutdown continues.
The companies include Con Edison,
National Grid and PSEG Long Island,
each of which powers Queens with gas
and/or electric services.
“The federal government shutdown
is already taking a serious toll on
many government workers and their
families,” Public Services Commission
Chair John B. Rhodes said of the
voluntary agreement. “I want to thank
New York’s utilities for their prompt
response and sensitivity to the growing
hardships these families are facing.
Their actions will help ensure that New
York’s federal government workers
will not have to worry about keeping
their homes warm and their lights on.”
The relief measures vary with each
utility company, but the practices
may include suspending or waiving
late payment fees, extending or
deferring payment due dates and
craft ing deferred payment agreement
based on each customer’s fi nancial
circumstances.
Additionally, the utility companies
may also place a collection suspend on
accounts, suspend collection calls and
disconnection notices, and waive late
fees for federal workers who reach out
to them about their unpaid bills.
These measures will remain in place
until the shutdown ends and the workers
are paid, the PSC noted.
Along with ensuring that federal
workers’ services are continued, the
PSC added, the relief measures also
ensure that their individual credit
ratings won’t be lowered due to their
unpaid bills.
Any unpaid or furloughed federal
employee who’s having diffi culty paying
their gas or electric bills should
reach out to their utility company’s
credit or customer services departments
for assistance.
Con Edison customers can visit
coned.com to learn more or call
800-75-CONED. National Grid customers
can visit nationalgridus.com/
NY-Home or call 718-643-4050 for
further details.
Photo via Getty Images
/coned.com
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
/nationalgridus.com
link
link