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Residents and council discuss speed hump placement; mayor announces park stewards and outreach to encampment
Summary
A resident urged city action after observing drivers bypass partial speed humps near Krieger Elementary; the mayor said the city is ordering additional temporary speed humps, has hired park stewards for several parks and will deploy outreach to a North White Street encampment affecting children walking to school.
Poughkeepsie — Public comment at the Sept. 9 Common Council meeting raised safety concerns in school zones and near city parks, prompting the mayor to describe immediate steps the city is taking on speed humps, park stewardship and outreach to address a small encampment on North White Street.
Paul Brenner, who gave his address as South Grand Avenue in the Eighth Ward, said speed humps placed on only one side of some streets are ineffective because drivers simply drive around them. He said he lives across from Krieger Elementary School and has witnessed frequent double parking that blocks bus exits and near‑misses between vehicles and children.
Brenner called for speed humps to ‘‘cover the entire road’’ in school zones and urged better enforcement of parking and stopping rules. He said he has seen parents park at fire hydrants and make K‑turns that bring traffic to a standstill during school arrival and dismissal.
Mayor Michelle Flowers responded that the city has ordered additional temporary speed humps to complement ones already installed, and that the administration has met with school staff about traffic plans for Krieger Elementary. The mayor said the city will hold a follow‑up meeting with school officials the week after the council meeting to check whether measures are working and to consider additional signage.
Separately, the mayor described a park‑steward initiative organized with nonprofit partners and the Alliance. She said park stewards have been hired for Earl and Patrice Park and Malcolm X Park, and that a steward is scheduled to start at Pershing (Pershing Avenue Community Garden) to improve safety and encourage family use through stewardship and monitoring.
The mayor also reported a worsening situation on North White Street where a vacant property has attracted people who have been sitting along the walkway; she said outreach teams will be deployed to offer services and to advise that the behavior cannot continue near school walking routes.
No formal ordinance or enforcement action was voted at the meeting; the mayor described administrative steps and outreach the city plans to take in the coming days.
