The city will finally repave the pothole-plagued stretch of 86th Street between 14th and Stillwell avenues, officials announced on May 5.
Residents have complained for more than a year about the deteriorated state of the street — a condition that the harsh, wet winter only made worse.
“It looks worse than the surface of the moon. Every time you rode over that street in either a car or a bus, your teeth rattled,” said longtime Gravesend resident Ronald Cohen. “I do not know how bus and truck drivers do not end up with herniated disks in their spines.”
The Department of Transportation says that it will refurbish the roadway this summer in three stages — the first from 14th Avenue to 18th Avenue, the second from 18th Avenue to Bay 29th Street, and the third from Bay 29th Street to Stillwell Avenue. Crews will work at night to reduce disruption to traffic and commerce.
“This has been an ongoing problem in the community for a long time, and people were very upset because it has created a dangerous situation for pedestrians and vehicles,” said Assemblyman Bill Colton (D–Bensonhurst). “I am very happy that DOT is finally addressing this problem.”
But residents say still more work will need to be done on the thoroughfare before the ride to Dyker Heights gets completely smoothed out.
“The avenue beyond New Utrecht Avenue to the west is in poor condition also, all the way to 12th Avenue,” Cohen said.
