A note from Catherine at the Community Bookstore contained quite a plethora of information about the nabe, including the text of a letter requesting LPIs near PS 321. I believe the letter is an outgrowth of a recent meeting of the Park Slope Civic Council’s Liveable Streets Committee. The next meeting is on Wednesday, 19 November, 8.15 a.m. Ozzie’s on Fifth Avenue where you can discuss sending a request
to DOT for a traffic impact assessment being done.

Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Joseph Palmieri
Joseph Palmieri
16 Court Street
Brooklyn NY 11241

Dear Commissioner Palmieri,

I live in Park Slope on 6th Ave. between 1st and 2nd Streets behind PS321. My two children that attend the school and I am concerned about pedestrian safety
in the vicinity of the school’s block. I have repeatedly observed cars
cutting through the cross walks in order to get through the light while
children and families are in them. Twice I’ve had to pull my children
out of the path of cars that want to quickly muscle through the turn
before the pedestrians reach the middle of the crosswalk. Other parents
have shared that this has happened to them as well.

Fourth
and fifth graders are allowed to leave the school for lunch and as a
parent, I embrace this opportunity for my children to experience a
small measure of independence. However, the crossing guards who are
stationed there to help the children tell me that even while they are
standing in the crosswalk, cars will try to barge through before the
children so that they don’t have to wait – or risk not making the turn
before the light changes.

I recently attended a traffic-calming
meeting organized by The Community Bookstore and District Manager Craig
Hammerman. A DOT employee who was in attendance recommended that I
write to you directly and request that a ‘leading pedestrian interval’
be put on the traffic lights at the two intersections on 7th Avenue
at 1st and 2nd Streets. I request at least 7 seconds for the children
to get out there and be visible to the cars. While I understand that
the timing of lights is an issue, I hope that this could be possible at
a minimum during the following times: 8:30-8:45am, 11am-1pm and 2:55 –
4:30pm. Though school ends at 3pm, there are students who attend
after-school classes and cross alone when they are done.

I hope
that you’ll consider granting this safety measure to our neighborhood’
s children as soon as possible and look forward to your response.

Respectfully yours,

Katie Mosher-Smith

cc: Catherine Bohne, 7th Avenue Community Bookstore
Craig R. Hammerman, Community Board 6 District Manager
Michael Cairl, Park Slope Civic Council’s Livable Streets Committee Chair
Liz Phillips, Principal, PS321
Nera Cruz, PS321 PTA Co-President