NYC Denies Third Stoplight Request Near Queens School
The Department of Transportation rejected a College Point elementary school's request for a stoplight for a third time after a crossing guard was struck nearby.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Primary Education
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The New York City Department of Transportation has again denied a request from PS 29Q in College Point, Queens, for a stoplight at an intersection where a car struck a 47-year-old crossing guard at 8 a.m. in March 2025. The school had also asked for a four-way stop sign or speed bumps.
Why it matters
The decision leaves a school community's safety concerns unresolved after repeated requests and a reported injury at a busy crossing. It also highlights how city agencies weigh safety data and local conditions when deciding on traffic-control measures for New York City schools.
The crossing guard was struck at the 125th Street and 23rd Avenue intersection in College Point, and the city's response has been a single all-way stop sign installed one block east of it. The Department of Transportation has not disclosed the specific traffic counts behind its third denial.
The players
New York City Department of Transportation
The city agency responsible for traffic safety decisions, which said its rulings are guided by safety data and unique local conditions.
PS 29Q
An elementary school in College Point, Queens, whose students and staff have repeatedly pressed the city for a stoplight at a nearby intersection.
The details
Students at PS 29Q led a "Call to Action" and sent a series of letters to the Department of Transportation, supported by phone calls and 311 reports. The agency reviewed traffic and pedestrian volumes around the school before ruling that the intersection did not need extra safety measures.
Timeline
March 2025: A car struck a crossing guard at the 125th Street and 23rd Avenue intersection at 8 a.m.
2021: An all-way stop sign was installed one block south of the 25th Avenue and 126th Street intersection.
Last year (2025): An all-way stop sign was installed at 25th Avenue and 126th Street.
Late October 2026: A councilmember criticized the latest rejection on social media.
Local Context
The city has already installed all-way stop signs on this same College Point corridor in 2021 and again last year, and the third stoplight denial continues that pattern of stop-sign rather than signal solutions. The school's requests for a stoplight, four-way stop or speed bumps remain unfilled despite those earlier installations.
Families who drop off children near busy New York City intersections may still face the same crossing conditions, since the city has not added a signal or speed bumps at this location. Parents and guardians should continue to use the existing crossing guards and stop signs when walking students to school.
The takeaway
Repeated community requests have not changed the city's decision at this intersection, which shows that persistence alone may not alter a Department of Transportation ruling. Residents seeking change may need to present new safety data or push for a formal review.
Further reading
Explore more on Primary Education in New York City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
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