By Leslie Albrecht
DNAinfo Reporter Producer
UPPER WEST SIDE — Parents say drivers are treating West 70th Street near West End Avenue like the Autobahn, and they're asking for safety changes to slow cars in front of P.S. 199.
Parents brought a list of safety improvement suggestions to Community Board 7's transportation committee on Thursday night, which voted unanimously to support the plan.
"This is not a problem just at school hours, this is a 24-7 problem," said Frank Ricci, who lives near West 70th Street and West End Avenue.
"Cars start at Freedom Place, they get a good head of steam up and by the time they get to 70th (and West End Avenue), they're going 35 miles per hour."
Parent Eric Shuffler said West 70th Street is extra wide, which makes cars prone to speeding on the street. The problem is especially bad during pick-up and drop-off times at P.S. 199, Shuffler said.
He and other P.S. 199 parents are asking for several safety improvements.
Among them are dropping the speed limit to 20 miles per hour along West 70th Street from Riverside Boulevard to Amsterdam Avenue, installing red light safety cameras at West End Avenue and West 70th Street, getting rid of some parking spots in the area to improve pedestrian and vehicle visibility, and lengthening signal times so pedestrians have more time to cross the street.
Resident Harry Gelb, who's lived in an apartment overlooking the school since 1980, said he supported the traffic changes.
"It's a terrific idea, it's been long in coming and it's long overdue," Gelb told Community Board 7's transportation committee.
