a neighborhood blog for Ditmas Park, Windsor Terrace, and people who live near the Parade Ground and Prospect Park

I wrote this letter to Mayor Bloomberg on August 12th. As of this writing (October 19, 2009) there’s been no response.

August 12,  2009
Hon. Michael Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007

Dear Mayor Bloomberg,
A child living on my block, the block of Stratford Road, Brooklyn between Caton and Church Avenues – lost his leg earlier this year when a car hit the line of parked cars, which then hit the 9-year-old boy – and propelled him through two sets of locked doors into his own building lobby.

I think it’s important to note that the child was on the sidewalk when the incident occurred – not running out into traffic or otherwise contributing to the outcome.

What we need – if only as a stopgap measure until the greater systemic traffic problems can be addressed – are two speed bumps – at the beginning and end of the streets, and corresponding retroreflective signage warning drivers of upcoming speed barriers.

I’m optimistic that in the long run, your current traffic system modifications will reduce vehicle-pedestrian morbidity and mortality. In the short run, however, two speed bumps and accompanying signage may save lives – at relatively low cost.

I’m writing to you directly because it seemed the most expedient course. I’m an attorney; neighbors have asked me how to proceed; there’s a sense that this will be a long, drawn-out process from which we’re unlikely to receive a favorable outcome.

My hope is that – as a mayor who’s done more to streamline municipal management than, perhaps, any other (viz the 311 system), which ever of your staff is responsible for responding to this letter will, in that spirit, make things move quickly.

The loss of one child’s leg may have been preventable. Given that that loss has already occurred, there’s no question that further injuries are death are foreseeable absent a change in the local traffic system.

Please help us reduce or eliminate this risk as soon as is possible.

Yours truly,

Jonathan Soroko

I expected at least a nominal response, because Mayor Bloomberg’s virtues clearly include exceptional organization and concern about government responsiveness. Particularly in an election year. I was wrong.

It seems fair to say, then, that a single letter from a constituent isn’t likely to be sufficient to warrant a response, and almost certainly not enough to generate action.

If you agree that vehicle-child accidents are unacceptable – even if rare – please write to the Mayor, and e-mail me a copy. I’ll publish all of them, assuming that I can. I’m hoping that there will be too many for me to publish each as a separate post. Please make sure to indicate whether you want your name or address deleted for publication purposes.

Perhaps letters to the Mayor won’t be enough; but in a city with a notoriously sprawling bureaucracy, the Mayor is the only person of whom we can be certain that a single order will result in action measured in hours, rather than months or years.

Speed bumps may not be the ideal solution. But they’re inexpensive,  can be installed in a matter of hours, are long-lasting – and they work immediately. And require little maintenance.

I don’t see this as a matter of controversy; if there are counter-arguments, I’m happy to hear them, and publish them. But if you agree that this is an important issue, please write a letter, send me a copy, and pass this post on to your neighbors.

If, as a community, we want this done, it should happen. If we don’t have the political will, that says something about us. If we have the political will, and we can’t make it happen, it says something very disturbing about politics and values in New YorkCity.

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