On Staten Island some of you may have heard, Borough President James Molinaro has looked into the idea at the intersection of Victory Bl, and Clove Rd of building a park and ride to alievate traffic, but however the site of the property has a landmark house called the Valentine-Smith house which is 100 years old. The community board has approved a family style restaurant.

As some of you may know I have been very vocal about this situation, I believe building something to co-exist with the Valentine-Smith house. However building something such as a Duane Reade which I was heavily involved in stopping such as writing numerous letters, and filing several complaints. If anyone lives near the community or intersection of Victory Bl, and Clove Rd such as I do, they know traffic is heavy at all times. With buses going on Clove rd, and going along Victory Bl in both directions, traffic is insane. The lane added on Clove Rd and Victory Bl has not eased traffic, or accidents. There is constant accidents, my brother even was hit from a turning vehicle. With car's making left turns on to Victory Bl, and Clove Rd in both directions drivers even when cautious still hit people walking on both sides of the streets. It does not help also that on the Staten Island Expressway nearby a senior living center is being built, and already has been clogging up traffic at all times of the day.

A park and ride is not the answer, granted the amount of traffic is increasing daily on this side of Staten Island, but I think we need to work and make the property useful for some of our youth. With the crown jewel of the Island across the street Clove Lakes Park. We should make the property either into an extension of the park, or a library. Their are many youths in the community who do not have a place to go to read , with the nearest library not within 2 miles, the use of a public library would be greatly apperciated. With the recent building of the Mariners Harbor library built, this definitely should be a signal to all of us that we can get the funding for this, not a band aid on the traffic problems on the North Shore of Staten Island.

What can be done well first all of email, and write to these elected officals who are involved in this project , and tell them your thoughts, and help get something built not just for the community, but the environment.

Borough President James Molinaro (718) 816-2000

http://www.statenislandusa.com/ (Website where you can email a complaint with any local issue, and his address is on the site as well.)

Councilman Michael Mcmahon 130 Stuyvesant Pl 6th Floor, Staten Island, NY 10301

Congressman Vito Fossella District Office:
4434 Amboy Rd., 2nd Fl.
Staten Island, NY 10312
Phone: (718) 356-8400
Fax: (718) 356-1928

Community Board 1 Phone (718) 876-8500  Very important they are the ones who have a vote in the process.

Email Sicb1@si.rr.com Fax number is (718) 720-1342.

http://searchwarp.com/swa54128.htm (Article with my thoughts,and key solutions on how to slove the problem)

An article on my cause of saving some of the Staten Island Catholic Schools

http://searchwarp.com/swa53461.htm

Check out today's Advance with my article on the Park and Ride. Here is a link as well for it

http://www.silive.com/letters/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1145539826200950.xml&coll=1

Look for the Staten Island Register with my thoughts on the situation, which will be released soon.

Please view my brand new opinion piece on why Staten Island does not need a Walgreens at the dangerous intersection of Hylan and Clove.

http://www.silive.com/letters/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/115150142635000.xml&coll=1