QUEENS — The city filled a gaping hole left in the sidewalk after a truck knocked down a tree four months ago on a busy Kew Gardens street — just hours after a DNAinfo New York inquiry.
The tree, on Lefferts Boulevard, near the 85th Avenue Q10 bus stop, toppled on May 8, disrupting local traffic and leaving a massive gap in the sidewalk, which became a tripping hazard, residents said.
The tree on Lefferts Boulevard fell on May 8, after a truck hit it. Photo: Courtesy of Deborah Emin
The hole, which was about 20 inches deep and about 4 feet wide, was only partially covered by a concrete slab that was not aligned with the rest of the sidewalk, contributing to making the spot treacherous for pedestrians, especially those walking with a shopping cart or a baby carriage, residents said.
Grace Anker, the owner of a local pottery studio, who lives nearby, said it was “a dangerous situation.”
Anker said that in order not to trip over the hole, she usually had to walk on the street along the curb.
She also called 311 to report the issue on May 24, and received a response that the case had been referred to the Parks Department.
According to the 311 map, the city received six calls about the site in the past four weeks, including four about the broken sidewalk and two asking for tree replacement.
When Anker posted a photo of the site on a local Facebook page earlier this week, more than a dozen residents chimed in.
“I can't believe that they haven't fixed this yet. It's ridiculous - and dangerous. When the bus stops there, there's no place to walk. It's just a big hole there,” one resident wrote.
“I have to walk in the street with my baby carriage because I can't manage over the sidewalk,” posted another.
DNAinfo/Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska
Parks Department spokeswoman Meghan Lalor said Friday morning that the agency "will take action to add soil or woodchips to the pit in the next few days."
Lalor sent another email in the afternoon, saying that "Parks staff filled the pit with soil today."
She also added that the agency is “continuing to investigate this site for potential replanting.”
The Department of Transportation, which oversees the city's sidewalks, said Friday that the agency will conduct temporary asphalt repairs at the site to make it safe.
