SYRACUSE -- Over the past couple of weeks, thousands of motorists have been forced to avoid 8 traffic hazards on James Street which were created by the Syracuse Department of Public Works.
Periodically the city must repair sewer grates that are in danger of collapse due to the volume of traffic on James Street.
As part of the preparation process, the workers actually pulled the grates out of their frames, exposing gaping holes which they covered with wooden pallets and barricades. As a result, motorists are forced to swerve into the passing lane to avoid crashing into the barricades and holes in the road.
Lynwood Daniel says he's witnessed several incidents in which cars have smashed into the barricades. "
They created the hazard," Daniel says. "It's a waste of money and it's a hazard. They wonder why they get a lawsuit."
Deputy DPW Commissioner Tom Simone says that because James Street is narrow, and because it's an important road for commuters, the city decided to make repairs on Saturdays, rather than block off traffic.
He says the DPW had intended to complete the work last Saturday but "inclement weather got in the way."
Because CNY Central was looking into the situation, Simone says he ordered crews to place plastic barrels in front of the open sewer drains.
"It is a hazard because it is on the edge of the curb," Simone told CNY Central's Jim Kenyon. "Because of the attention you brought to us, we've put barrels on those as well to make them more visible to drivers."
Simone expects that the DPW will complete repairs to the 8 sewer grates tomorrow.
