Once again vehicles got stuck in floodwaters at the underpass on the Long Island Expressway (underneath the LIRR) during the evening rush hour on Friday, May 23rd. This time jamming traffic for miles and causing backups on our residential streets. This happened just as travelers were hitting the road for Memorial Day Weekend.

The cars got caught in rising floodwaters near the Woodhaven Boulevard exit on the westbound side of the expressway at about
5 p.m., according to the FDNY. The emergency response caused delays on both sides of the L.I.E. Firefighters had to rescue drivers who were stuck in the water. Tow trucks were brought in to get the vehicles out.

DEP officials are looking at poor drainage in the area as a possible cause of the severe flooding. According to WNBC-TV the section of the L.I.E. remained closed Friday night as workers continued to clean out the drain.

What’s amazing is that this has been a reoccurring problem for several years and could be solved with regular cleaning and maintenance. However the city and state continue to neglect the areas in and around the LIE. Just notice the debris on the shoulder of the expressway that sits there for months.