One street on Staten Island has drivers swerving to stay in control. Our Susan Jhun has the details.
It's a really bumpy ride for drivers on Staten Island traveling along Van Duzer and Swan streets.
"It's an obstacle course," said neighborhood resident Carey Spearman. "You have to watch the sewer tops. If you go over the bottom, your car goes out. If you turn off to the side, you are going the wrong direction. If somebody jumps in front of you, there is no place for you to go."
The result of a rough road which people in the neighborhood say comes from an unfinished construction project that started two years ago.
"We woke up one morning and all of a sudden, they were here digging up the streets," Spearman said.
Drivers say about six months ago construction came to a halt and the rugged road has stayed untouched since.
"We thought when the spring came they would be back over here to repave," said Marion, a neighborhood resident. "But that hasn’t happened obviously."
Without any warning signs, residents say the uneven road and open sidewalk create a serious safety hazard.
"It's not safe to walk into the street, because those cars have to go around those sewer tops," Spearman said. "So they're going to be swerving, you're going to be crossing — somebody is going to get hit.
After some digging we found the construction project belongs to New York City Economic Development Corporation. A spokesman released this statement to us:
"This site is just one portion of a larger infrastructure project to provide a much needed backup water supply to the people of Staten Island. Our contractor is responsible for maintaining the site while it’s under construction and providing appropriate signage, and we have instructed that contractor to immediately fix conditions at the site, including erecting barricades and reposting signage. We are currently on schedule to have street paving complete by the end of June."
Good news for drivers who look forward to a smooth ride again.
We'll keep you updated.