Work crews have made a number of street improvements near a Glen Oaks school designed to make the area safer for students.
Surrounding M.S. 172, one-way conversion have been enacted on 256th Street, between 82nd and 81st Avenues, and 257th Street between 83rd and 81st Avenues. The change was implemented by the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) in July as a way to calm the streets surrounding the school.
Assemblyman David I. Weprin — who brought attention to the one-way conversions on Sept. 15 with a press conference — began pressing DOT to open a traffic study on the area after hearing concerns from residents and the school’s principal, Jeffrey Slivko.
“Parents, understandably, are often eager to drop their kids off near the entrance of the school in the morning, and like to be first in line to see their children after a long day,” Weprin said. “So we end up getting instances where we have drivers dropping off their children and attempting to leave while other cars are coming in to the same area — leading to double parking and cars pulling over across the street to let kids out.”
Weprin said he hopes the conversions will create a calmer traffic environment at the site.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our children,” Grodenchik said. “I thank Assemblyman David I. Weprin for his advocacy and the Department of Transportation for implementing these safety measures near Middle School 172Q. I look forward to a safe school year.”
