- The developer has planned a loading dock and parking garage entrance on 97th Street. The main entrance of our school is located on 97th Street east of Amsterdam Avenue. The loading dock and garage will create material safety issues and traffic congestion.
- We are greatly concerned that traffic in and out of proposed loading docks and parking garage, as well as traffic from a new through street or streets planned between 97th and 100th streets will endanger our children, many of whom walk to school by themselves unaccompanied by parents. Massive tractor trailers, 90 feet or more in length, will be moving about and backing up at all hours, placing our small children in jeopardy.
- School buses take our children to and from school at the beginning and end of each school day. The buses also take the children on school trips. The flow of traffic coming out of the Central Park Transverse creates what already is a heavily trafficked and congested condition on West 97th Street. Vehicles also stop at the Ryan Health Center on the side of 97th Street opposite to PS 163. In addition, every Friday, the street is inundated with Farmer's Market vehicles.
- The loading docks, if placed on West 97th Street, can be expected to create unsanitary conditions and health hazards adjacent to our school. Noise and air pollution from store ventilation systems also could adversely affect the health of our children.
- Construction work poses safety issues relating to noise and dust in the air during the school day, and to trucks and equipment on the street as our children walk past the construction sites.
- The PS 163 playground adjacent to the Amsterdam Avenue construction site already experiences high levels of construction-related noise while children are at play. Such activity makes the playground area unhealthful and presents particular problems for children who are asthmatic or experience other serious respiratory conditions.
The development is having a serious impact on our school. Accordingly, we ask that the following steps be taken:
- Of greatest importance, to keep our children safe and to avoid additional major congestion on West 97th Street, the developer should move the Whole Foods loading docks as well as the parking lot entrance to Columbus Avenue, a wide and by comparison not heavily trafficked street. Alternatively, the loading docks and parking lot entrance should be moved to significantly less trafficked West 100th Street.
- Noise dampers and scrubbers should be used to reduce ventilation system exhaust fumes.
- Our local police precinct, the developers, and the construction companies should work with PS 163 during construction to promote the safety of our children on their walk to and from school, and to minimize noise and dust in the air during the school day.
- School crossing guards should be posted at the four major intersections in the construction area before and after school. Traffic guards also should be posted as needed for evening school activities. The precinct should arrange to visit students in classrooms in the fall to discuss safely walking to and from school during the construction period.
- The children of PS 163 use the playground for recess from 10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. during the school year. We ask that construction on the Amsterdam Avenue development site adjacent to the PS 163 playground be scheduled during hours that our children are inside the school or away from the school area.
- Work with Community Board Seven to identify alternatives to the new through road currently proposed behind the new buildings.
Thank you for your efforts on our behalf.
Sincerely,
Virginia Pepe, Ed.D.; Principal, PS 163
Jeri Krassner, Executive Board, PS 163 PTA
Janet N. Field, Parent Chairperson, School Safety Committee, PS 163 PTA
C:
Sheldon Fine, Chairperson Community Board Seven
Luis Reyes, Community Board Seven, Children and Youth Committee
Penny Ryan, District Manager, Community Board Seven
Roser Salavert, Ed.D, Community Superintendent, District 3
Glenis Pole, Director of School Safety
Elizabeth Small, Chairperson, CEC, District 3
PS. 163 PTA Executive Board
Lt. Kevin O’Connor, Park North Command
Paul Bunten, Ph.D., Assoc. A.I.A., A.S.I.D; Park West Village
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