By:Anne Marie Allocca
That congestion just may be alleviated in the coming year. The school was chosen to participate in the Nassau County Walk-to-School Pilot Program co-sponsored by the New York State Department of Transportation and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council. Daniel Onorato, District 24 assistant superintendent, applied to participate in the non-motorized transportation study. A meeting was held in October at Carbonaro to discuss the program's objectives and applications, and implementation and funding strategies. In attendance were local elected officials, concerned parents, faculty, staff, district officials, a police department representative and NYSDOT representatives.
"The study's goal was to encourage students to walk to school and to establish safe routes to schools for our children," Onorato said. "Carbonaro was selected because of the unique drop off situation with South High School nearby and the congestion at Hungry Harbor Road and Mill Road."
Onorato has also spoken with Valley Stream's Mayor Ed Cahill and town Councilman James Darcy regarding this important issue.
Dr. Lisa Conte, Carbonaro principal, is very optimistic about this new program. "The school is located on two main arteries so there is a lot of traffic and you get a high rate of speed, too," Conte said. "The county, village and town are all on board as well."
For now, they are taking baby steps on the way to putting the program in motion. Parents are already starting to walk to school for "Walking Wednesday" with the help of Carole Meaney, District 24's Board of Education president, who has a child in the school.
"We have also changed our entrance for children to the front of the school on Hungry Harbor Road to alleviate the congestion near visitor parking," Conte said. "We are also asking parents to park and then walk to the front entrance to pick up their children after Operation Success (an after school program). We're trying little things and so far the parents have been very cooperative."
A committee of parents, sixth-grade students, staff members has been formed to meet with local officials to alleviate the congestion at the school. Conte notes a survey will be sent to parents in early December to ascertain how walking to school will affect them.
Also on Conte's agenda is to encourage "traffic calming ideas," such as additional speed signs and painted crosswalks. Also, the district plans to encourage parents and other volunteers to drive "neighborhood pace cars." The volunteers would drive around the neighborhood at the correct speed limit, which then forces the traffic behind them to follow the same speed.
"It's been proven when people see visuals they tend to drive calmer." says Conte.
Right now there is no target date for the walk to school program to begin, but Onorato is hopeful is will be in effect within this school year.
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