What Needs To Happen To Make Our Streets Safer?

Anna Gustafson -

Following the death of 14-year-old Naiem Uddin, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver at Caton Avenue and East 7th Street last Thursday, neighbors have formed a group advocating for safer streets in Kensington and Windsor Terrace.

The KWT Safe Streets group launched on Saturday and has already garnered 152 members on Facebook. The organization joins another similar group, Windsor Terrace Safe Streets, in its goals to make our neighborhood streets less dangerous.

Numerous neighbors have raised concerns about traffic safety in our area, and particularly where Naiem was hit, including Councilman Brad Lander – who sent a letter on November 6 to city Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and School Construction Authority President Lorraine Grillo about his concerns regarding that intersection.

In the letter, Lander stresses that a street safety plan needs to be discussed for that area, particularly because the SCA is building a new school, PS/IS 437, at Caton Avenue and East 7th Street.

From Lander’s letter (the entirety of which can be read here):

Along with members of the Windsor Terrace and Kensington communities, I am very glad that the new school building will relieve overcrowding in nearby PS 154, PS 130, and PS 230. At the same time, I share their very real concerns about pedestrian safety at the new school building and along the routes by which many children and families walk each day.

Under the current plan, PS 130 and PS/IS 437 will together become a larger “split-sited” school, meaning pre-K through second grade students will attend the current PS 130 building, and third through fifth grade students will go to the 437 site. The new 437 building will also include a District 15  middle school and special education (District 75) seats.

Lander raised a number of concerns about pedestrian safety conditions in the area, including:

  • Significant new pedestrian traffic at and near the school itself, an already
    dangerous intersection, along a stretch of Caton Avenue where speeding is all
    too common.
  • New foot traffic between PS 130 and PS/IS 437, along stretches of Ocean Parkway
    and Caton Avenue that include dangerous conditions.
  • Windsor Terrace families currently zoned for PS 154, who will now walk to PS
    130 and PS/IS 437 along routes that include a number of unsafe intersections.
  • Kensington families current zoned for PS 230, who will now walk to PS 130 and
    PS/IS 437.
  • New foot traffic from the Fort Hamilton Parkway subway station to PS/IS 437
    (especially for middle school students who will be traveling alone from other
    parts of District 15).

While Lander said that he is aware that the DOT is developing a plan to make safety improvements to the streets adjacent to the new 437 building, he said officials must pay broader attention to “insuring safe route to school for all students, families, and teachers.”

Specifically, a number of the problem areas Lander said the DOT needs to address include: Caton Avenue and East 7th Street (and the stretch of Caton Avenue around McDonald Avenue, Ocean Parkway and Coney Island Avenue in general); Terrace Place, Seeley Street and Vanderbilt Street; 19th and Streets and Terrace Place; 19th and 20th Streets and Seeley Street; 19th and 20th Streets and Vanderbilt Street; and the Fort Hamilton F/G subway crossing to PS 130, among others.

What safety issues do you think most need addressing in this area?

Photo via KWT Safe Streets.