This photo was taken the morning of Thursday, June 26th on Grand Avenue over the LIE in Maspeth. A truck hauling sand tipped over while making a turn from the LIE westbound service road onto Grand Avenue.

The sand spilled onto the LIE shutting down the westbound LIE and snarling traffic for hours. The FDNY searched the sand for anyone who may have been trapped. Thankfully, only the driver of the truck was hospitalized.

It happened about 8:00am and the truck was up-righted about 10:45am. Residents and civic groups, including the Juniper Park Civic Association, have complained about the large number of trucks exiting the LIE and clogging the commercial district of Maspeth.

Tony Nunziato, local merchant, civic activist and state assembly candidate, responded to the scene. He spearheaded the effort to get trucks off Grand Avenue 4 years ago. An article about DOT’s delay in responding was in the last issue of the Juniper Berry.