PHOTO: Photo Courtesy of Brian J. Matis/flickr.com
What’s the deal with traffic, parking, and lack of crosswalks near our local public schools?
We know it comes with the territory: at drop-off and pick-up times, there is bound to be congestion. The back up at PS 146 alone – even with the presence of crossing guards — has been known to cause honking battles and other manifestations of aggression that, even if checked in the moment surely could lead to further incidents of road rage. Cars park, double-park, triple-park, block private driveways and the edges of intersections, making it impossible to get anywhere on certain streets – either in a vehicle or as a pedestrian. It’s mayhem, and our children could really stand to be without the extra disruption in their lives.
At PS 316 in Ozone Park (a one-year-old school that currently only educates up to first grade) there are no crossing guards whatsoever and only two crosswalks at the busy intersection near the school’s side entrance at 91st Street and 101st Avenue from which all grades are dismissed – and there may be a plan in place to add them, but so far, traversers must use the utmost caution as there are no lanes to guide their crossings. Twice daily, confusion is evident amongst the young children and the family members and caregivers that escort them. Local homeowners complain about cars blocking their driveways. Here there is a polite annoyance: “Oh, I’m sorry, we seem to be in each other’s way. You go first. No, you.” But still, it’s a hazard for all involved.
Just down the block is MS 210, covered in scaffolding for ongoing construction/renovation and thus all the more discreet in the nonetheless dangerous proximity to Woodhaven Boulevard, congestion, and local residents who need to get in or out of their driveways. The two schools being so close to one another makes 101st Avenue an absolute nightmare. Simply put, if you’re driving, you’re afraid you’re going to hit someone, and if you’re walking, you’re afraid you (or worse, your child) will get hit. Crossing guards posted at Woodhaven and on nearby Rockaway Boulevard are all well and good, but what about the west side of 101st Avenue and the side streets?
This past summer, a campaign by third-graders at PS 207 yielded…well, yields. Yield signs, that is. We wish we were as smart as those third-graders. After the kids organized a petition signed by 500 people in Howard Beach, Assemblyman Goldfeder sent a letter to the city Department of Transportation, appealing to Mayor de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative to make safety upgrades to places near PS 207 where no crossing guards were posted. This is a great step forward for a school that’s had more than its fair share of challenges in recent years.
We need more improvements like the yield signs at PS 207 for other nearby schools: allotted parking spaces, designated times to use certain narrow side streets, crosswalks, crossing guards, better signage, traffic lights…we’re not sure which of these to request, or maybe all of them — but let’s work together to get them. If you notice traffic safety issues at your school or in your neighborhood near a school, please let us – or better yet, your local representatives – know.
