Efforts are underway to keep a riverside park from falling into the river.

Local, state and federal elected officials representing the Upper East Side of Manhattan have formed a task force to address the deteriorating condition of the East River Greenway esplanade.

The esplanade recently caved in near 72nd Street (photo by Seth Halladay)Assemblyman Micah Kellner, City Council Member Jessica Lappin and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney recently formed an ad hoc group and met recently with we met with the New York City Parks Department. They discussed the current conditions of the esplanade, the areas that have the most urgent needs, and what cosmetic repairs can undertaken immediately to improve the area while longer-term structural work is being performed.

The goal of the collaboration is to identify, obtain and deploy available federal, state and city funding to make repairs to the esplanade.

"The East River Esplanade should be one of our community's treasured public spaces, yet currently it is in appalling condition. In fact, the seawall is disintegrating into the river, causing sinkholes and cracks in the asphalt that expose the river below," Assemblyman Kellner said. "These hazards are multiplying, making the esplanade an increasingly unsafe and unattractive place for pedestrians."