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The debris eventually smashed through the rear windshield and trunk of a livery cab parked below at 100th Street and Liberty Avenue.
By Forum Staff
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday launched a systemwide seven-day “inspection blitz” to immediately begin hand-checking every containment basket in the subway system to ensure they are properly aligned and secured. Inspectors will physically check more than 325,000 baskets across the system’s 60 miles of elevated track within the course of the next week, according to New York City Transit President Andy Byford.
Additionally, NYCT is expediting the review of all video footage of elevated structures by cameras mounted on track geometry inspection cars fitted with GPS over the course of the next week.
The “blitz” follows a Tuesday night incident at 100th Street and Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park in which a 15-pound D-Wedge (a component that is designed to maintain correct spacing between the running rail and a guardrail) became separated from the A line elevated structure. The metal component fell into a protective basket that was not properly secured, and which came loose. The D-Wedge eventually smashed through the rear windshield and trunk of a livery cab. No one was injured.
A similar incident took place on Oct. 23 when a bolt came loose and fell from the N/W line near Queensboro Plaza. A containment basket was found to be misaligned at that location. Disciplinary action has been initiated regarding this incident, Byford reported.
“I take such incidents extremely seriously and have directed my team on an ongoing basis to take all necessary actions and expend all resources to prevent debris from falling from elevated structures,” Byford added. “In addition to post-incident inspections, we are taking aggressive action to proactively prevent debris from dislodging and to catch it if it does come loose. Any of my team found to be derelict in maintaining or inspecting safety equipment, including elevated structure containment baskets, will be held fully accountable.”
According to the MTA, the enhanced inspections “bolster an already robust maintenance and safety program” that includes track-level inspections, detailed inspections from below and consultation on best practices with peer transportation networks. Additionally, netting has been deployed under elevated structures at four test locations, including the Jamaica J/Z line’s elevated structure between 121st Street and 111th Street, below the elevated structure on the Astoria N/W line near the 39 Av station, the 61 St-Woodside station on the Flushing 7 Subway line and the 125 St station on the Broadway 1 line.
The agency’s 2020-2024 Capital Plan includes approximately $200 million for additional netting throughout the system to prevent fallen debris incidents. An additional $75 million has been allotted in the current Capital Plan.
