March 6, 2019 By Nathaly Pesantez
Yet another piece of debris appears to have fallen from the 7 train tracks along Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside.
Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who posted now-viral images just two weeks ago of a wooden beam that fell from the tracks and pierced through a car windshield, took to Twitter again today to describe another instance of debris falling from the line and hitting a car at 62nd Street.
The car was occupied and moving when the object struck just before midday today at the intersection, according to his office. No one was injured.
Images taken at the scene and posted by Van Bramer show a cracked windshield over the front passenger side, and a rusted, flat circular object on top of the car. It is unclear how many people were in the car.
The NYPD did not have a report available on the incident when reached, although Van Bramer’s office said they spoke to police officers at the scene, who were writing up a report. MTA inspectors, according to the office, were also at the site.
The council member has also spoken to Captain Michael J. Gibbs, the 108th Precinct’s new commanding officer, about the incident.
Council Member Robert Holden also tweeted about the incident, noting that the 108th Precinct informed him that debris fell from the elevated tracks today–the second time in two weeks.
“Thankfully nobody was injured, but I am calling on the MTA to evaluate all elevated train lines to ensure the safety of pedestrians and drivers below these aging tracks,” Holden wrote.
MTA workers were seen removing loose debris from the site after the incident, and the agency said it would conduct a full investigation.
“We inspected the area in detail and have determined it to be safe,” the MTA said. “The safety or our riders, employees and neighbors is paramount, and this was an extremely serious incident that we are taking aggressive action on.”
The latest incident follows a case reported in January of falling tiles from the 7 line concrete viaduct in Sunnyside that pierced through the windshield of a car parked below. The MTA has since started to remove loose tiles from the viaduct “out of an abundance of caution.”
6 Comments
I am willing to bet someone is throwing this stuff down onto the traffic below. For instance that long board a week or so ago. A long board does not tip itself between the ties on the railbed.
Looking forward to reading the article where someone has died due to debris falling because we all know MTA won’t do anything until someone is actually injured.
I will jump the turnstiles in protest. New York State must release the City from its talons.
Move 7 train underground and make the train tracks bike highway.
See you in 2150…!
Make it into a park like the High Line. Put the bike lanes underground as well.