Calming things down Bayside school also
Flushing street safety plan focuses on public school getting safer streets
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Two Queens lawmakers
announced that the
intersection near a Bayside
public school will soon be
safer for students.
On Monday, Councilman
Paul Vallone received word
from the Department of
Transportation (DOT) that
the agency will install a
traffic signal in front of P.S.
376 at the intersection of 48th
Avenue and 211th Street.
Prior to the news, Vallone
along with Assemblywoman
Nily Rozic and members of
the P.S. 376 community had
embarked on months-long
advocacy for more traffic
safety in the area.
Vallone’s advocacy for
traffic calming measures
began before the school
opened in September 2017. The
councilman wrote multiple
letters to DOT and took a tour
of the school site with the
city agency.
“After asking the
Department of Transportation
to reevaluate this issue and
requesting the addition of
traffic signals at 48th Avenue
and 211th Street, I am pleased
to hear that DOT will install
traffic treatments at this
location,” said Vallone.
“Collaboration with Principal
Kang, the school’s PTA and
the DOT was a critical part of
implementing these positive
changes. The safety of our
children always comes first,
and I thank the DOT for
their responsiveness to the
concerns of the community.”
Over the winter, school
community members
gathered over 200 petition
signatures in support
for increased safety
improvements at the Bayside
Hills school. Vallone delivered
the signatures to DOT and
co-authored a letter with
Rozic calling on the agency
to conduct a traffic study
during drop-off and pickup
hours to determine the
feasibility of installing traffic
safety measures.
“The wellbeing of our
students is paramount and
every effort must be taken
to ensure their safety at all
times, but especially near
and around schools,” said
Rozic. “I’m gratified that the
Department of Transportation
has agreed to add traffic
signals and safety treatments
at 48th Avenue and 211th
Street — the intersection
surrounding P.S. 376. I would
also like to acknowledge the
efforts of Principal Kang and
the school’s PTA.”
In September 2017, Vallone
collaborated with the school’s
Principal Clara Kang and
DOT to install signage
bringing down the area’s
speed limit from 25 to 20 miles
per hour.
“We are pleased to work
with the elected officials
and the school community
to install the new traffic
signals in front of P.S. 376,”
said DOT Queens Borough
Commissioner Nicole Garcia.
“As this school continues to
grow, the signals coupled
with new high-visibility
crosswalks will provide
clear, designated crossing
time for pedestrians, making
it easier and safer for
everyone, especially the
young students.”
State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic has long worked with the DOT to improve pedestrian safety in the
Flushing community. Photo courtesy of state Assemblywoman Nily Rozic’s offi ce
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Assemblywoman Nily
Rozic announced last week
that the city Department
of Transportation (DOT)
will install traffic calming
measures in Flushing
near multiple schools after
years of requests from local
electeds, advocates and
community members for
additional improvements to
ensure pedestrian safety.
Rozic has long worked
with DOT to improve
pedestrian safety.
“The Flushing community
has long advocated
for pedestrian safety
enhancements on Colden
Street and it is thanks to
their efforts that we have
secured additional lighting
and crosswalk signals,”
said Rozic. “I am glad that
DOT has recognized the
critical need to implement
these changes and
look forward to their
upcoming installation.”
The safety treatments,
which are called rectangular
rapid-flashing beacon
(“RRFB”) lights, allow
pedestrians to press a button
that activates warning lights
at the crosswalk that alerts
drivers to the presence of
students and pedestrians.
DOT will install the lights
in the coming weeks near
Rachel Carson Intermediate
School 237Q, the Muslim
Center Junior High School,
and the East-West School
of International Studies at
Colden Street and Geranium
Avenue. As a part of the
RRFB lights installation,
new crosswalk markings
and signage to improve
overall visibility will
also be installed.
School officials
thanked Rozic and the
DOT for addressing traffic
safety concerns in the
neighborhood.
“It is comforting to work
with dedicated community
leaders like Assemblywoman
Rozic, who fight for our
children’s safety. Aggressive
driving on Colden Street at
Geranium Avenue has been
a concern for East West and
I.S. 237 for a long time,” said
Anthony Cromer, principal
of the East-West School of
International Studies. “The
installation of the flashing
Beacon Light is a great step
in the right direction,”
Amy Tam, co-founder of
Families for Safe Streets,
said they hope DOT continues
to prioritize pedestrians
and cyclists over cars when
evaluating streets since
they are the most vulnerable
road users.
“As parents who lost a
child a few blocks away at
Cherry Avenue and Main
Street due to traffic violence,
it’s encouraging to see DOT is
adding more safety measures
in this area,” said Tam.
The Muslim Center
School community Principal
Nahid R. Farooqi said, “We
believe safety should always
be a priority and we thank
Assemblywoman Rozic for
joining us over the past years
in calling for additional
improvements to ensure our
students’ safety.”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4526.
Area in front of P.S. 376 in Bayside
Photo via facebook.com/BaysideHills
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