It’s a cover-up.
Streetsblog noticed the still-molten pavement materials on the block between 94th and ninety fifth on Sunday. A resident of the block confirmed that metropolis staff made the restore shortly after Wen-Chiang fell off his bike, inflicting deadly head wounds, after encountering a damaged patch of pavement lengthy identified to metropolis officers.
The resident, who declined to provide his identify, didn’t know that somebody had died on the block, which is between 94th and ninety fifth streets.
“I can’t imagine it,” he stated. “I’m speechless.”
The resident stated he and his neighbors had filed many 311 stories to tell town of the damaged, caved-in pavement that induced Wen-Chiang’s loss of life, however the roadway was by no means correctly repaired, he stated.
That a lot is evident.
In October, 2019, the pavement in entrance of 94-22 fortieth Drive (simply earlier than the “BUMP” marking) appeared clear and protected on this Google picture:
By October 2021, that is what that very same stretch regarded like:
There have been eight complaints to the Division of Transportation because the first picture was taken. Going by means of them one after the other will exhibit town’s failure to maintain the roadway protected for cyclists:
- Jan. 12, 2021: A resident complains of a cave-in on the road. The DOT responded, “The Division of Transportation inspected and has requested the Division of Environmental Safety tackle the difficulty. The situation will probably be re-inspected in 60 days.” Earlier than the DEP may even examine the issue…
- Jan. 24, 2021: A resident calls 311 and calls the cave-in a “pothole.” The DOT responded: “The Division of Transportation inspected this criticism and repaired the issue.” It should not have been correctly mounted, as a result of …
- Could 16, 2021 and Could 17, 2021: Town receives back-to-back complaints that the allegedly mounted pothole has change into a “cave-in.” The company stated, “The Division of Transportation inspected and has requested the Division of Environmental Safety tackle the difficulty. The situation will probably be re-inspected in 60 days.” It’s unclear if DEP addressed the difficulty as a result of ..
- Sept. 16, 2021: A resident complains of a cave-in on the road. DOT responded, “The Division of Transportation inspected and has requested the Division of Environmental Safety tackle the difficulty. The situation will probably be re-inspected in 60 days.” It’s unclear what occurred as a result of…
- Oct. 29, 2021: A resident complains of one other cave-in. DOT responded, “The Division of Transportation inspected and has requested the Division of Environmental Safety tackle the difficulty. The situation will probably be re-inspected in 60 days.” It’s unclear what occurred, as a result of …
- Feb. 18, 2022: A resident complains of a “failed road restore” on the block. The DOT stated, “The Division of Transportation will examine the situation and can decide the subsequent motion.”
That promise of an inspection got here six days earlier than the loss of life of Lin Wen-Chiang. The 311 report continues to be marked “in progress,” so it’s clear that the DOT didn’t restore the injury – once more — in time to avoid wasting his life.
That restore got here shortly after Wen-Chiang’s loss of life, apparently accomplished by the Division of Environmental Safety, as a result of the steel plate that now covers the sinkhole has the initials DEP on it. The still-wet paving materials wasn’t even correctly leveled, creating a brand new hazard.
The DEP is effectively accustomed to the block, nevertheless. Since March, 2020, the company has acquired 14 complaints concerning the water system beneath fortieth Drive, the latest on Jan. 7, 2022.
A person who answered the door at Wen-Chiang’s constructing in close by Corona declined to debate the person, however stated Wen-Chiang had no household within the states, however was lively in a close-by church, although he refused to say which one.
The Division of Transportation didn’t reply to our questions final week and once more on Sunday about why the roadway remained in disrepair on Thursday evening, after a number of 311 complaints earlier than the bicycle owner’s loss of life. Company spokesman Vin Barone stated, “This can be a tragedy and an investigation is underway.”
The Division of Environmental Safety didn’t reply till Monday evening. Spokesman Ed Timbers issued the next assertion:
DEP responded to every Corrective Motion Request (referral from 311 by means of DOT) for this location, evaluated town’s subsurface water and sewer infrastructure and located it to be working correctly on every event, together with after the incident. DEP and DOT are working collectively to find out the foundation reason behind the roadway despair.
