Councilman Chaim Deutsch has announced that he has arranged for several safety enhancements on Elm Avenue and East 12th Street. With two schools situated in the vicinity – Bais Yaakov Academy (BYA) and PS 199 – parents, neighbors, and school administrators have been requesting a stop sign at this intersection for nearly twenty years. The New York City Department of Transportation repeatedly denied this, despite the hundreds of children who walk to and from school along this block each day.

Recognizing the serious need for this stop sign to prevent speeding cars in these school zones, Councilman Chaim Deutsch contacted NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg directly. Commissioner Trottenberg immediately approved the request, and worked with Councilman Deutsch to arrange for installation within the week.

With the new stop sign already installed, Councilman Deutsch has also arranged for a speed bump on Elm Avenue, between Coney Island Avenue and East 12th Street, which has just been approved by NYCDOT. A speed bump is another important way to limit the ability of cars to speed on our streets.

“The safety of our precious children is of utmost importance,” said Councilman Chaim Deutsch. “We have hundreds of young kids crossing Elm Avenue to get to school each day, and these enhancements are vital for their safety. I am grateful to Commissioner Trottenberg, as well as the administration of both schools, for working with me to ensure that we get the safety enhancements that we need.”

“As a neighbor to two schools and the father of several young children, the need for increased safety measures at my corner was significant. On behalf of my family and my neighbors, I thank Councilman Deutsch for getting these safety improvements on Elm Avenue,” said Yaakov Abadi, a resident of Elm Avenue.

Councilman Deutsch has also arranged for local campers to have use to outdoor recreational space during summer months. With hundreds attending neighborhood camps each year, it is important for children to have recreational space.

In addition, Councilman Deutsch worked with Principal Rosalia Bacarella of PS 199, and identified a need for upgraded chairs in the school auditorium. The outdated seats were a safety concern, with children’s feet often getting stuck in the gaps. Councilman Deutsch allocated a capital grant to PS 199, to fund new chairs for the auditorium.

“On behalf of the students, parents, and administration at PS 199, I thank Councilman Deutsch for his support of our school. The seating in our auditorium has been in need of an upgrade for some time, and we are so grateful that Councilman Deutsch supplied us with this grant to replace them,” said Principal of PS 199 Rosalia Bacarella.” In addition, the significant safety enhancements that have been made on Elm Avenue, thanks to Councilman Deutsch, are instrumental in protecting our 499 students every day. It is wonderful to have a representative who makes the time to visit our school, meet the students, and work to resolves our concerns!”

“Thank you to Councilman Deutsch for being so responsive to BYA’s needs. With 800 students, and 800 campers in the summer, the safety enhancements made on Elm Avenue are essential to improving the safety of more than a thousand children who utilize our school building every day. In addition, Councilman Deutsch helped our camp to obtain a permit so that our campers have access to a park during the summer. We are so grateful to the Councilman for all that he does for our school and for our community,” said Rabbi Chaim Milworm, administrator of BYA.

Councilman Chaim Deutsch is a strong advocate for enhancing the safety on streets near our local schools. He continues to work to ensure the protection of children, pedestrians, and motorists in these, and all areas.

(YWN Desk – NYC)