In June, JPCA President Robert Holden made a series of suggestions to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to help keep traffic moving around the new Maspeth High School. In late August DOT enacted every one of Holden’s suggestions that included “no standing” on the east side of 74th Street from the eastbound service road to 57th Avenue. Holden also suggested “no standing” on the west side of 74th Street from 57th Avenue to the westbound LIE service road and “no standing” on the corner of 57th Avenue just east of 74th Street. “These changes will hopefully discourage parents from parking and double parking blocking travel routes for residents and LIE traffic spilloff,” said Holden.
We thank DOT Queens Commissioner Maura McCarthy for quick action. Holden also said that he had already spoken with Deputy Inspector Michael Cody, Commander of the 104th Precinct, who promises to monitor vehicular traffic and illegal parking and standing around the school.
JPCA was critical of the Department of Education for selecting the site for a high school since there are already two schools just blocks away and Maspeth has no subway service and an already overcrowded bus system in that area.