Fastest R Route causing drivers to frown Cars continue to park illegally in the once tree-lined mall in the center of the road, and debris and dirt still abound in some sections of the 2.2-mile road. But while the main road remains closed, traffic along the service roads has been alleviated somewhat by rerouting cars through the northern half of the unfinished mall, according to Rabbi Jacob Goldstein, chairman of Community Board 9, representing Crown Heights. "It's screwed up, but it moves," said Goldstein. "It's still no great shakes, and you can bust the bottom of your car if you drive too quickly through some of the intersections, but the speed itself isn't bad." Goldstein said that the worst effect of the delay was the damage done to local businesses. "It's terrible. It's killing parking around here," he said, claiming that several businesses along Utica Avenue which intersects the parkway - "almost went bankrupt" because of the combined effects of the parkway reconstruction and work by another contractor on that avenue last year. Those business are just coming back now, he said. The delay began in 1990 when problems cropped up with Naclerio Construction. Work was halted for more than a year but has begun again ago with the city paying Naclerio for the work in installments. Work on the parkway resumed about nine months ago, according to Tom Jelliffe, the acting assistant commissioner for street construction at the city Department of Transportation. - Noah Green