Department of Transportation parking signage originally placed to handle school bus traffic at the now shuttered St. Dominic School is being replaced, months after the school closed in June.
The signs that used to prevent cars from parking along the perimeter of the school while it was in session remained up through November, even though the school closed in June, said Van Nest community activist Joe Bombace.
The signage contributed to a lack of parking throughout the course of the day, with residents getting tickets even though there was no school in session, and buses that were unrelated to the school occupying the spots, Bombace stated.
After reaching out to Community Board 11, the DOT removed the sign on Van Nest Avenue between Hunt Avenue and White Plains Road that prohibited parking except for faculty vehicles and buses from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on school days on Monday, November 14, Bombace said.
“It is a good thing because it is going to free up parking,” said CB 11 district manager Jeremy Warneke. “There is no school. The board contacted the DOT and they officially said that they were going to remove them within 90 days in August.”
Two additional signs near the rear of the St. Dominic School property on Hunt Avenue were not removed, Bombace said. However, the two signs on Hunt Avenue between Van Nest Avenue and the Con Edison property would be replaced soon, according to a DOT source.
“The Department of Transportation has acted in the time frame that they said they would,” Warneke said.
Removal of the signs frees up between 12 and 14 parking spaces, Bombace said.
Alternate side parking regulations signs have replaced put the old signage, Bombace said.
Patrick Rocchio can be reach via e-mail at procchio@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 742-3393
