Students Take On Whooshing Traffic
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Every year for as long as Aria Grillo can remember, children and cars have collided at the same time of day — just after 11 a.m. — and in the same spot, West 17th Street, outside the New York City Lab School between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. The first incident she saw as a seventh grader in 1995. ”My friend and I were crossing the street,” said Ms. Grillo, who is a senior. ”Someone called my name, so I turned back, and then this speeding Mercedes just plowed into my friend. I saw her fly 20 feet, and I knew that there was a split second where it could have been me.” The friend survived her broken ribs and fractured collarbone. But since then, at least six other students, including three since October, have been hit while crossing the street, Ms. Grillo said. There are three schools and two playgrounds on the block. The police would not provide statistics on the number of pedestrian accidents there. The problem, Ms. Grillo said, as she testified in front of a Community Board 4 committee last week, is that the street is a favorite with trucks bound for the West Side Highway or Chelsea Market. More : query.nytimes.com |