Astoria, NY — September 17, 2025 — In a press conference held this morning in front of St. Demetrios Greek American School of Astoria, school administrators, FDNY officials, and local parents voiced strong opposition to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) proposed installation of protected bike lanes along 31st Street. Raising urgent concerns about student safety and emergency response capacity.

Joined by members of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA) and the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA), speakers urged city officials to put a stop to the project.

“This is not a common sense place for a bike lane,” said St. Demetrios parent
Chris Vanterpool. “It shouldn’t take a child being injured or worse for someone to
listen to what we’re saying. DOT should have the foresight to know that
someone’s going to get hurt when there are mopeds and electric scooters zooming
down a lane next to our school. There are plenty of places for people to bike. We
need a place for our children to be safe.”

The planned DOT bike lane runs directly through St. Demetrios Greek American School’s only drop-off/pick-up zone, used daily by nearly 400 students—including pre-K children as young as three. Parents say the plan poses a serious risk of collisions between children and cyclists (especially those on motorized bikes) compromises emergency and was designed without consulting the school community.

Others point to the impact on community infrastructure for elderly people and people with disabilities.

“They moved the bus [off 31st Street] to make way for the bicyclists,” said Gloria
Moloney, a member of the Dutch Kills Civic Association. “It’s insane. The city
does not care about us. They say they’re going to work with you, but they
don’t work with you.”

UFOA and UFA representatives meanwhile raised concerns about the plan’s impact on
firefighters’ ability to respond to emergencies.

“We’re not going to be able to get our ladders above the third floor,” said Mike
Schreiber, Health and Safety Officer for the Uniformed Firefighters Association.
“Pushing the rigs further into the street is going to prevent them from
reaching the upper floors in an emergency. That’s unacceptable. This is not
the place for bike lanes.”

UFOA Vice President Michael Tracey agreed, calling the plan an “Ill-conceived, looming
public safety disaster.”

The Principal of St. Demetrious Greek-American School, Vasilios Skordas, voiced his
opposition to the plan and said that he hoped “we can come to a resolution that is going to be in the best interests of our school community, our staff, and our students.”

Parent Tom Golanis echoed this hope, asking “Why do a few people who want to ride
their bicycles take precedence over an entire community?”

Parish Council member and parent Gabriella Labouriau pointed to the grave danger the
bike lanes pose to children because of the way bike lanes are actually used throughout the city. “We are very concerned about how this is going to work, with the lanes being right here in front of the school where parents are doing drop off and pick up. If you look at the bike lane on Crescent, you see motorcycles and electric scooters.”

In a seperate release from St. Demetrios Greek-American School, Kostas Soukeras, chair of the St. Demetrios School Board and a parent of students who attend the school stated: “The DOT has decided to pursue an experiment that puts young children in harm’s way".

Both sides are due back in court on September 22nd.

For all inquiries, please reach out to: press.31streetba@gmail.com