Angled parking will now be studied by NYC Department of Transportation on Bronxdale Avenue between Pierce and Morris Park avenues in an effort to create more parking spaces and slow down traffic around the new Van Nest School building. The school is slated to open in September, but angled parking may take longer to make its debut.
Community Board 11 district manager John Fratta arranged a sit-down meeting between DOT Bronx commissioner Constance Moran, principal Carol Ann Gilligan of the Van Nest Academy and others with a stake in the new school. They discussed a routine traffic study, to be conducted by the DOT, that would look into putting up appropriate signage and markings on the street intersections indicating that motorists are in a school zone.
Also put on the table for discussion was a plan to create more parking spaces for both teachers and businesses along Bronxdale Avenue by cutting back the sidewalk and moving utility poles to create angled parking. The idea will be the subject of a second traffic study by DOT as soon as the work fence comes down and construction is complete this summer on the new public school building, which sits on the corner of Bronxdale and Van Nest avenues.
“We had a mutual concern for the safety of students and parents during arrival and dismissal, due to the speed of traffic on Bronxdale Avenue,” Gilligan said. “We discussed angled parking on Bronxdale Avenue between Pierce and Morris Park avenues. This has the dual benefit of calming traffic and creating more parking spaces along Bronxdale Avenue.”
Fratta said that the angled parking idea could help answer the question of how to handle parking for the extra cars belonging to teachers and staff at the new school building, which will house the Van Nest Academy and the Carl Ichan Charter School. He is also looking into other alternatives to finding spaces for the extra cars, such as working with the New York Sports Club to utilize part of their parking lot.
“We realize that we will have a parking problem with all of these teachers,” Fratta said. “We are also looking into the possibility of a stop light on the corner of Pierce and Bronxdale avenues.”
CB 11 member Joe Bombace said that the angled parking idea would greatly benefit businesses on the strip, and named Van Nest Auto Parts, Van Nest Lanes bowling alley and Maestro’s Caterers as just a few that might benefit. After speaking with residents and merchants, he said he has heard much positive feedback, though he does not believe that angled parking will be expedited. Angled parking in the area might also require muni-meters.
“It could pave the way for angled parking on the Morris Park Avenue shopping strip, which I feel would greatly benefit the community,” Bombace said. “Let’s do it. The sooner, the better.”
