Local pols help alleviate parking problems at Gravesend school

February 24, 2016 Anna Spivak

Photo courtesy of Councilmember Mark Treyger

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After 10 years of parking struggles at Gravesend’s P.S. 101, The Verrazano School, school-bound drivers are finally seeing relief thanks to two local elected officials.

With “No Standing” and “No Parking” signs surrounding the school, located at 2360 Benson Avenue, teachers, parents and local residents were unable to find nearby parking for years.

“A school should not have to wait a decade for a city agency to listen when help is requested,” said Councilmember Mark Treyger, who, alongside Assemblymember William Colton, was able to have parking reinstated along two sides of the school. “The lack of parking options around P.S. 101 was causing teachers and school staff to wait with elementary school students at the end of the school day while parents searched for parking or navigated through unsafe double and triple-parking congestion.”

“Teachers already have enough challenges to deal with,” he continued. “They should not have to search for parking in the morning in order to get to work, or be forced to wait around just because parents could not find available parking.”

Treyger and Colton met with Department of Transportation (DOT) Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Keith Bray and arranged for a site visit at the school in 2015. The electeds pressed the commissioner on why parking had been blocked off on three sides of the school.

“For over 10 years, we have been asking for assistance from the DOT with this matter due to the incredibly limited parking during Monday and Tuesday mornings in our area, which forced our teachers to park seven to eight blocks away from the school,” said Principal Gregg Korrol. “I want to thank Councilmember Treyger and Assemblymember Colton on behalf of the P.S. 101 staff for assisting us with the DOT to have two of the three ‘No Parking During School Hours’ signs removed from the perimeter of our school.”

According to the DOT, after the site visit, changes were made to accommodate the school.

“After consultation with P.S 101 and local elected officials, it was decided that bus loading and student pick up/drop off could be accommodated within a smaller area than previously allotted,” said DOT spokesperson Jose Bayona, “and in consideration of community needs, we restored parking to much of the perimeter of the school.”

“The removal of the ‘No Standing’ signs is a victory for the teachers, parents and the local residents,” added Colton. “This will ease the traffic during school dismissal and hopefully will create a safer environment.”