Giant School Traffic Safety Program Launched In Queens

The City Transportation Department has launched a massive traffic safety project designed to increase protection for all youngsters walking to and from Queens 350 public, private, and parochial schools, it was learned by The Queens Courier.
With one-quarter of New York Citys schools, Queens is part of the countrys largest municipal school traffic safety program, an award-winning plan that safely guides children walking to and from school.
City crews are busily posting nearly 11,000 new, uniquely-colored, warning signs at designated school crossings. The special yellow-green signs are reflectorized for nighttime safety during the winter monthsto alert drivers that local youngsters are using school facilities during evening hours.
At the same time, workmen are busily painting over-sized roadway "School X-ING" messages along more than 3,200 locations. Special equipment extrudes long-lasting hot-melt vinyl letters onto the roadway, and at the same time, sprinkles highly reflective glass beads onto the white letters to enhance nighttime visibility.
Describing the $530,000 installation, Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall said, "In Queens, more than 4,500 signs have been installed, and they feature a more fluorescent look. We are about 70 to 75 percent complete with the sign installation project." With more than 258 school crossing messages already completed, the bulk of work remaining to be done will be done by roadway message painters during October and November, she said.
The Citys pedestrian safety plan is not new. Launched nearly 50 years ago by the Traffic Department as part of its Safe Route To School programs, traffic engineers created an arbitrarily safe walking venue for kindergarten-high school-bound youngsters. In addition to the signs and crosswalk, workmen also posted signs banning parking at school curbs during school days.
Major complaints concerning the plan come from school officials, who call for increased enforcement of school no parking rulesparticularly during inclement weather.
 letters to enhance nighttime visibility.
Describing the $530,000 installation, Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall said, "In Queens, more than 4,500 signs have been installed, and they feature a more fluorescent look. We are about 70 to 75 percent complete with the sign installation project." With more than 258 school crossing messages already completed, the bulk of work remaining to be done will be done by roadway message painters during October and November, she said.
The Citys pedestrian safety plan is not new. Launched nearly 50 years ago by the Traffic Department as part of its Safe Route To School programs, traffic engineers created an arbitrarily safe walking venue for kindergarten-high school-bound youngsters. In addition to the signs and crosswalk, workmen also posted signs banning parking at school curbs during school days.
Major complaints concerning the plan come from school officials, who call for increased enforcement of school no parking rulesparticularly during inclement weather.