Queens School Crossing Denied Stoplight Again
Families near PS 29Q in College Point should know the city has rejected a third request for a stoplight at the 125th Street and 23rd Avenue intersection.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Primary Education
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New York City's Department of Transportation has again declined a request from PS 29Q, an elementary school in College Point, Queens, for a stoplight at a busy intersection. The school had also asked for a four-way stop or speed bumps after a car struck a crossing guard there.
Why it matters
Families in New York City who rely on crosswalks near schools are watching how the city decides when a corner needs more protection. The Department of Transportation said its decisions are guided by safety data and unique local conditions, which means a crowded school corner does not automatically qualify for a signal. Parents and school communities should understand that persistent advocacy has not yet changed the outcome.
The Department of Transportation has rejected the request for a stoplight at the 125th Street and 23rd Avenue intersection three times, while earlier installing all-way stop signs nearby at 25th Avenue and 126th Street and one block south in 2021. A 47-year-old crossing guard was hospitalized with neck, forehead and knee injuries after being struck at 8 a.m. in March 2025.
The players
New York City Department of Transportation
The city agency that manages traffic signals, stop signs and street safety measures for New York City's streets, and which made the decision on the College Point request.
PS 29Q
An elementary school in College Point, Queens, whose students and staff have pressed the city for safer crossings near their building.
The details
PS 29Q asked the city for a stoplight, a four-way stop sign or speed bumps, and students organized a "Call to Action" with a series of letters to the agency. The campaign also involved phone calls and 311 reports. The Department of Transportation reviewed traffic and pedestrian volumes around the school before ruling that the intersection did not need additional safety measures.
Timeline
March 2025: A car struck the 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 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.
November 1, 2026: Coverage of the third rejection of the stoplight request was published.
The Home Front
For New York households near schools, the decision shows how a city street-safety review weighs traffic and pedestrian data against community requests. Neighborhoods that already have nearby all-way stops may still face gaps where a stoplight is not granted.
If your child walks to a school near a busy intersection, ask the school whether it has filed a traffic request with the city and how to submit a 311 report. Keep a record of crossing-guard staffing and any near-miss incidents you observe, since these details help support future requests.
The takeaway
A school crossing can be unprotected even after repeated requests, so families benefit from documenting concerns and filing 311 reports. Ask your school or local parent group to track any city response so the community can follow up.
Further reading
Explore more Primary Education coverage to see how school districts and cities handle student safety.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
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