Hundreds of parents and teachers stopped traffic on the Grand Concourse at a rally earlier this month for safer streets near Bronx schools.

The rally drew about 500 people to East 170th Street, enough to block cars on the Grand Concourse. They shouted and waved signs and a few cars honked in apparent support.

The rally, organized by the Community Collaborative for Bronx schools (CCB), formerly known as the Community Collaborative for District 9 schools, called on Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement a 15-mph speed limit around all Bronx public schools.

A spokesperson for the DOT  said it is working to alleviate the school traffic problem.

“In recent years, throughout the city, we have installed thousands of school crosswalk markings and signs,” the spokesperson said. “We have placed speed bumps at 350 schools and, as a result of our dialogue with CCB, we will be conducting a pilot program to test 15-mph speed limits around five Bronx schools this fall.”

But parents are not satisfied.

“We are aware of the pilot program and we are not happy with that,” said Ronn Jordan, a parent leader from CCB. “It does not go far enough.” 

CCB activists were initially fighting to get the pilot program launched in 50 to 100 schools across the Bronx.

“We’ve been after them for a while, so for them to only choose five schools is a slap in the face,” said Teresa Anderson, a parent leader from the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, which is a member of CCB.

“Five schools will not make them want to make changes in the future,” said Jordan. “We’re not going to stop until 224 schools have these limits and speed calming devices.”

(As the Norwood News went to press Tuesday, CCB had plans to protest at Mayor Bloomberg’s campaign headquarters on Wednesday.)

 Over 25,000 parents, teachers, community members, local elected officials, the American Heart Association, and the Bronx Health Initiative have signed a petition to add traffic calming elements like school crossing guards, working traffic lights, and speed bumps around all 224 Bronx public school buildings.

According to CCB, which started four years ago and is made up of six community-based organizations, traffic accidents are the number one cause of death and injury for children ages 5 to 9 in New York City.

 “We have to put a stop to the senseless killing of our children,” said Edward Valentine, a CCB member. “They are educating our 5-year-olds on how to cross the street, but who’s going to educate those drivers?”

“What’s more important: the flow of traffic or the safety of children?” asked Christopher Moncrief, a 12-year-old speaker from the Bronx Repertory Charter School in District 9.

A survey of 143 principals in the Bronx, done by CCB, found that 80 percent of principals reported problems with speeding cars, 65 percent reported problems with crossing the street to the school, and 52 percent reported a need for 15-mph speed zones. 

Ana Fernandez attended the rally because she is concerned about her child, who goes to school in District 10. “My 9-year-old is in school and he comes home by himself and it scares me,” she said. “The cars act like it’s Nascar.”