Thursday, December 18, 2014

PETITION TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS NEAR P.S. 230

An online petition to improve traffic conditions around P.S. 230 calls for
  • installing better school crossing signage,
  • creating speed bumps on the surrounding side streets, and
  • adding more school crossing guards.

Please sign the petition. Getting motorists to drive more slowly and cautiously can benefit children and people of all ages and abilities who travel in that vicinity on foot, on a bicycle, and in or on a motorized vehicle.

The petition is addressed to Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. Copies will also be delivered to our City Councilmember Brad Lander, our New York State Assemblymember Jim Brennan, and Mayor Bill de Blasio. Neighborhood parent Tara Schad posted the petition.


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I am writing to express my outrage at the hazardous traffic conditions surrounding both the upper school (2nd - 5th grade) building and the lower school (pre-k - 1st grade) buildings of PS 230K in Kensington, Brooklyn.  We have repeatedly reached out to NYC DOT for help addressing the dangers posed by traffic near our school.  You have failed to address our concerns or respond in any way, leaving our community frustrated. 

We submitted formal requests for appropriate signage around our school to alert traffic to the presence of young children (April 21, 2014:DOT-242331-H7R7, DOT-243780-F1C1,DOT-242331-H7E7). 

We formally requested more crossing guards to protect our young school children at the hazardous intersections of McDonald Ave and Albemarle Rd.  We requested speed bumps on the side streets surrounding our school buildings to inhibit drivers from approaching the school buildings at hazardous speeds.  All these requests have been ignored.

PS 230K is a large school (1,400 students) and with new rezoning effective next 2015/2016 academic year, our student population will increase.  It is the Commissioner of NYC DOT's responsibility to ensure that proper signage and safety measures are in place surrounding our school to make sure our youngest citizens are protected from dangerous traffic.  Please address these safety matters immediately.

Polly Trottenberg, you have failed to address our concerns or respond in any way, leaving parents at PS 230K angry and frustrated.  We sincerely look forward to your response in addressing our needs before it is too late.

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Reminder: Tomorrow is the 311 call-in campaign about traffic safety for P.S. 130 and P.S. 230. Call 311 if you're a past, present, or future parent of a student at P.S. 130 or P.S. 230 or if you simply live in the neighborhood and want everyone to be safe, yourself included.