Proposal to Co-Name Delancey for Dashane Santana

Four months ago, twelve-year-old Dashane Santana crossed Delancey for the last time. Walking home from school that afternoon, a minivan fatally collided with her in the intersection of Clinton Street. Now her grandmother, Teresa Pedroza, is on a two-pronged mission of both recognition and safety.

Last night, her case to co-name the north side of Delancey was brought before the transportation committee of Community Board 3. What seemed like a no-brainer move met some opposition and red tape, as certain guidelines are not met. Such co-namings require the remembered to have served the community in some capacity for at least 15 years. Obviously, Dashane Santana is an exception (an unforeseen event) to these rules.

Photo Credit: Daily News

One board member suggested naming the forthcoming pedestrian plaza on Delancey as an alternative to street signage. That was met with some tepid response. Indeed, others acknowledged that Santana’s death was a watershed moment to prompt swift action on Delancey safety.

Regardless, the issue was tabled since Pedroza didn’t gather enough signatures in the immediate vicinity to support the measure. CB3 requires 75% of residents in the area to sign.

It’s also worth mentioning that Pedroza is fighting for a school crossing guard at Clinton, especially since there are four learning facilities nearby. Her efforts to gather neighborhood support on this front will certainly help the current push already underway.