United by Potholes: a Rosedale Crisis

For years the citizens of Rosedale have been basically throwing away their money. We pay good taxes, yet our roads are a mess, filled with potholes bigger than our tires can manage. It’s about time my people get the roads we deserve; we work hard for what we have, so why watch it be destroyed?

Small, hard to see, but lethal on a tire: A Rosedale problem that NEVER goes away.

Small, hard to see, but lethal on a tire: A Rosedale problem that NEVER goes away.

A Rosedale resident, my friend Kadysha, argues that pot holes due to water erosion have been destroying her car. Kadysha lives in front of a bus stop that has a large crevice in the street that is never repaired; when she has to pull into her driveway, the crevice causes her bumper to scratch concrete. This story doesn’t surprise me; there was a time when I was driving on Brookville Road near Kadysha’s house and I had a similar experience. If you don’t pay attention, you’re in a world of trouble around that area of Rosedale, and it's not like things ever change. It’s not one pothole; they’re continuous down the whole block. Imagine $60 simply falling out of your pocket every time you hit a pothole; that money adds up. This is upsetting because Brookville Road is a relatively busy street. Kadysha also says that she’s written letters to authorities and has gotten no response; she continues to live with this problem daily.

Another Rosedale resident, my cousin Julisha, argues that  when it rains there are too many large puddles and flooded areas because of the potholes. She says people in Long Island don’t live like this. When she has to walk to the bus stop on a rainy day her shoes flood, she trips, and she steps in surprisingly deep puddles on a regular basis. I could also relate to these problems as they sound like any teenagers' rainy day issues. Last winter, I was walking the day after it finished snowing, not knowing there would be a large body of water under it due to the poor drainage, and as I began to cross the street, I stepped into the snow only to find a lake underneath but of course it was too late. My shoes were flooded, my pants were drenched, I was freezing, and I had to go back home. Julisha says now when it rains that bad, she doesn’t even leave the house. I agree with this solution, but employers and professors at my college may not!

There are hundreds of these cracks, crevices and caves all over Rosedale.

There are hundreds of these cracks, crevices and caves all over Rosedale.

Both Kadysha and Julisha have very strong arguments. The only question now is: why isn’t the local government helping us? I see people on Brookville Road damaging their cars daily, or swerving as if their piggy banks depend on it. When Julisha said “People in Long Island don’t live like this,” it made me think. I know everywhere has their fair share of terrible roads, but why does Long Island have fewer issues than Queens County? Our government should be using our tax money to better our community, and not just by working on our parks and traffic lights. Throughout the years, I’ve seen improvements to stop the flooding from Brookville pond; local officials should see the roads completely redone.

In conclusion, by writing this article I’m hoping to be in contact with others in my community about fixing the pothole problem. There haven't been enough voices speaking out about this situation and I feel now is the time for Rosedale to work together and reach out to our elected officials. This situation isn’t getting any better.

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