Mayor blames NJ Transit for constant flooding damage

MAHWAH, N.J. - The mayor of one New Jersey town said residents see massive flooding, and damage, every time it rains – and he's blaming NJ Transit.

"Thousands and thousands of dollars worth of damage. It's not fair for the residents," Jim Wysocki, mayor of Mahwah, told FOX 5 NY.

About a year ago, the Mall & Starview Gardens apartment complex began dealing with this massive flooding problem. The apartments, located along the Franklin Turnpike, are also adjacent to NJ Transit railroad tracks.

These tracks, serving the Main Line, sit atop a damaged culvert. Wysocki said maintenance of this structure is NJ Transit's responsibility, and he's concerned the damage could be eroding the support of the tracks.

READ MORE: Mayor writes letters excusing late workers due to NJ Transit

"A big part of the problem is something going on with the culvert here, where three pipes connect," he said. "About a year ago, a transit truck was on top [of the culvert], and it crashed into a sinkhole … I'm not an engineer, but I think a bigger issue going on under these railroad tracks."

According to Wysocki, NJ Transit responded to the flooding issue a few months ago by installing a water pump nearby, but he said more needs to be done.

Video provided to FOX 5 NY shows massive flash flooding overtaking the nearby South Railroad Avenue, a problem that residents say is common.

"Now, all of a sudden, you have to worry about the rain making a flood in the house," Ed Curry, who has owned his Mahwah home for more than 50 years, told FOX 5 NY.

Rich D’Andrea, who also lives on South Railroad Avenue, said he's had to file several insurance claims over the past year – and even had to redo his basement.

"The insurance didn’t cover everything," he said. "That’s that problem because we’ve had so many claims."

Wysocki said the town's biggest fear is a full collapse of the culvert. He's calling on NJ Transit to step up and fix this "growing problem."

In a statement to FOX 5 NY, NJ Transit said:

"NJ TRANSIT is aware of this issue and is taking both short-term and long-term actions to remedy the situation.  In the short term, NJ TRANSIT is filling in portions of an eroded embankment.  In the longer term, we are working to advance efforts to procure a design consultant to prepare for a new culvert to handle the additional runoff from the development."

FOX 5 NY reached out to Mall & Starview Gardens, the apartment complex lining the tracks, and we’re waiting to hear back.