NYC crushes kid-led effort pushing for stop light outside their school

They’re not giving the green light.The city shot down a Queens elementary school’s request for a stoplight for a third time — crushing a campaign led by the students who watched a car smash into their crossing guard last year.Drivers treat the streets outside PS 29Q in College Point like a racetrack at all hours of the day, putting students’ lives at risk every day, fumed City Councilmember Vickie Paladino (R-Queens).“There were cars constantly going by with no regard to the fact that it’s by a school, no regard for anything,” Paladino told The Post.The politician railed against the latest rejection on social media last week, saying the city failed to “give this school what it needs” — especially in the wake of the crash.The crossing guard was escorting children through the 125th Street and 23rd Avenue intersection at 8 a.m.in March 2025 when a car smashed into her, according to a police report.The 47-year-old was rushed to the hospital with neck, forehead and knee injuries — and continues to suffer from the trauma today, police and the councilwoman said.

The elementary school had asked numerous times for a stoplight, a four-way stop sign or speed bumps in the wake of the crash, but the city Department of Transportation ruled that the intersection didn’t need extra safety measures.Instead, officials installed a four-way stop sign one block east of the intersection, which Paladino said “did nothing” to curb the incessant speeding.Students led their own “Call to Action” and sent a series of letters to the DOT pleading for some form of speed reduction infrastructure at the dangerous cross street.“We have a problem in our community,” one student wrote in a letter, saying they “noticed cars have been speeding a lot lately.“To me, this puts many lives in danger … If we don’t take action now, then it is possible for another accident like the one last year to happen again … Please we need your help!”The campaign involved le...