May 12, 2007
Dear Community Board 9,
As per my conversation with Community Board 9 Chairperson Andrea Crawford and District Manager Mary Ann Carey, I am writing to seek your assistance in setting up a meeting between the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), the New York City Police Department 102nd Precinct (NYPD), the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and the community to discuss the unsafe traffic conditions in the immediate vicinity of Elizabeth Blackwell Middle School 210 in Ozone Park. The school is located at 93-11 101st Avenue, Ozone Park, NY 11416.
As I informed you and the entire Community Board at your public Board meeting on April 19th, Elvis Quinn, a student of MS210Q was hit by a car near the school, resulting in his death 13 days later. This fatality occurred at the intersection of 94th Street and 101st Avenue. News reports indicate that the student was struck by a car traveling at a high rate of speed to “make” a yellow light and that no charges were brought against the driver.
The student population of MS210Q is over 2,100 students and there are over 100 staff members. The volume and speeds traveled by traffic around the school has grown worse over the years and is presently dangerous for both students and the community at-large.
The Woodhaven Boulevard corridor between Atlantic Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard has grown progressively busier over the years presenting a most dangerous condition to neighborhood pedestrians, particularly school-aged children and the elderly.
Mr. Gilbert Colasante, a lifelong neighbor, was fatality killed a half block away from MS210Q at the intersection of 101st Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard -- see Queens Chronicle article -- “Grandfather, 77, Is Killed While Crossing Woodhaven Boulevard” By Bryan Joiner – November 17, 2005 -- http://www.transalt.org/press/media/2005/195.html.
Therefore, the present fatality is the second fatality within two blocks of the school in approximately the last 2 years.
If my memory serves me, there was an additional fatality one block away at the intersection of 103rd Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard approximately one year prior to Mr. Colasante's death. I'm sure this could be ascertained by checking the records of the NYPD, either the 102 Pct or the 106 Pct (since 103rd Avenue is the dividing line between the two precincts).
During my research I found the attached report prepared by the DOT and released in September 2006 detailing various changes they proposed for MS210Q. Please note, these changes have yet to be put into effect.
In addition to the changes cited in the report I would recommend the following additional changes to the existing DOT proposal to alleviate the unsafe traffic conditions around the school:
First and foremost, a school crossing guard on 101st Avenue and 94th Street
Add a speed bump on 94th Street mid-block between 97th Avenue and 101st Avenue
Add new florescent yellow signage on the same block as in # 2 and on the previous block between 95th Avenue and 97th Avenue on 94th Street. All of the signage in the area of the school should brought up to Federal MTCUD standards
The rerouting of the MTA Q-11 bus line from 94th Street to the service road of Woodhaven Boulevard, as already proposed by the MTA as expeditiously as possible, thereby making 94th Street effectively a residential (non-commercial) street.
Additional “No Commercial Traffic” signage south of Atlantic Avenue forcing all commercial traffic to use the service road of Woodhaven Boulevard instead of 94th Street as a short-cut.
I would also propose that the school buses that currently service the school continue to use 94th Street route but all regularly scheduled MTA (Q-11 and express) buses and trucks would be diverted to the service road of Woodhaven Boulevard.
I would ask for an addition police presence at the start of the school day and at dismissal time by the NYPD to alleviate the double and triple parking adjacent to the school. I believe this would definitely be a deterrent to future accidents near MS210Q.
As a lifelong resident of the Ozone Park neighborhood I can personally attest that cars traveling at accelerated rates of speed to beat the various red lights around the school is commonplace and disturbingly ignored.
I strongly feel that something has to be done to alleviate the dangerous conditions around MS210Q before another tragedy occurs. This is solely about saving the lives of our children and our elderly residents. I feel the DOT proposals and the additional community proposals be put into place as expeditiously as possible.
I would like to thank you in advance for your kind cooperation and assistance to facilitate setting up a meeting so these proposals may be discussed between these various city agencies and the community.
Sincerely,
David M. Quintana
Co-President Parent's Association of Elizabeth Blackwell Middle School 210
