Weprin Calls For Infrastructure Investment In Wake Of Floods

With flooding wreaking havoc through much of central and eastern Queens, Assemblyman David Weprin, D-Little Neck, is urging more investment in local infrastructure to protect lives and property.

Flooding has been a problem throughout many areas of Queens for decades. Some areas of the borough — including Willets Point — are very close to the water table, resulting in widespread flooding even in modest rain.

Weprin is urging the renewed investment in road repaving and resurfacing to prevent large-scale disasters in the long run.

“People should not have to worry that every time the rain falls, their basement will flood or their street will become impassable. Yesterday’s flash floods are an urgent reminder of the personal, economic, and property damages that regularly result because of our nation's rapidly deteriorating infrastructure,” Weprin said. “If we invest in infrastructure to fix these problems now, we'll create jobs while improving our economic competitiveness and quality of life in the immediate term and long run.”

The heavy rain that fell in the city over the weekend drew the borough’s flooding issues into sharp relief, and reignited issues that have been facts of life for residents in some areas for many years.

Weprin also drew attention to the many waterfront communities in the borough, like the Rockways and Brighton Beach — which just happen to be within the Ninth Congressional District in which he hopes to serve.

“As a member of Congress, I will work diligently to partner with and fully fund the operations of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop structural solutions to protecting these waterfront communities and to prevent the sand erosion that has affected Rockaway Beach and endangered the local community’s families and businesses,” Weprin said.