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Parents and officials press for immediate street safety fixes after fatal crossing near Mamaroneck Avenue School
Summary
Following a recent fatal pedestrian incident near Mamaroneck Avenue School, parents and the superintendent urged rapid short-term actions and coordinated county/state traffic work; the board heard pleas for crossing guards, revised light patterns and other measures ahead of September school opening.
Parents, board members and the superintendent used the July 8 meeting to press for urgent pedestrian-safety measures after a recent fatal collision near Mamaroneck Avenue School.
Superintendent Charles Sampson described the loss of two community members as "horrific" and said the district has been in constant contact with village, county and state officials. He told the board that short-term fixes — signage, crossing guards and traffic-management changes that can happen before September — are being pursued while a longer-term traffic study required by state law will take more time. Sampson also said the district had just received a $1,200,000 grant intended to improve safety near Colonial Avenue and Murray Avenue, the same news that arrived the day of the accident.
Parents asked the board to sustain momentum until measures are implemented. Dr. Jennifer Montgomery, speaking as a parent and member of a pedestrian advocacy group, urged steps including additional police and crossing guards, modified signal timing, updated pedestrian signage and redesigned school traffic patterns to be implemented before school reopens. Montgomery said county officials told the advocacy group that changes under county jurisdiction could be implemented "by the beginning of September." She told the board that "Mamaroneck is 9 times more dangerous than New York City for pedestrians," a figure she attributed to advocacy-group messaging during public comment.
Resident Angelique Schindler cited a 2019 walking assessment around Mamaroneck Avenue School whose recommendations were not implemented, and urged continued parent engagement with officials to avoid delays caused by overlapping jurisdictions. Board members reiterated that multiple agencies — village police, county transportation and the state — share responsibility and said they would continue to bring stakeholders to the table.
The board did not take formal action at the meeting but recorded the series of appeals and the superintendent's update as the district and municipal partners continue coordination on short-term fixes and the required traffic study.
