Residents in the part of Queens where a fatal crash took place Tuesday on an off-ramp from the Long Island Expressway said a longstanding dangerous condition there contributed to it.
Since at least 1993, long-haul truck drivers have been using the westbound stretch of road near 69th St. and the expressway in Maspeth as a spot to park and get a few hours of sleep.
On Tuesday, Kevin Hurtes, 27, of Westbury died when he left the expressway and slammed into the back of one of those trucks.
“I’ve been living here since 1993 and trucks have been parking there the whole time,” said Kim Ronzo, 42, who works in banking. “Trucks have rest stops. They shouldn’t be stopping there when it’s a busy exit. It’s sad that someone had to get that phone call … because of it.”
A police spokesman said the the 104th Precinct is “addressing the condition” and the city Department of Transportation has posted a 30-mph speed limit.
A woman familiar with the area told the Daily News in an email that drivers actually have to know to go below the speed limit.