Nearly $2M in grants will help pedestrian safety in wake of recent North Jersey fatalities
RIDGEWOOD — Nearly $2 million in grants will go toward improving pedestrian safety after a series of fatalities in North Jersey, officials said Tuesday.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-Wyckoff, held a press conference in front of Travell Elementary School in Ridgewood, where he announced his new pedestrian safety strategy, which includes federal investments of $1.8 million across multiple New Jersey towns and new legislation.
The federal investment will go toward safer crosswalks, widening sidewalks, and pedestrian signals and bridges. The municipalities that will receive this new grant funding include Ridgewood, Closter, Midland Park, Hackensack and Englewood.
This announcements comes after North Jersey has seen a number of pedestrian fatalities over the last few months, including a 75-year-old woman who was hit by a vehicle at the exit of the Paramus Public Library parking lot and an Englewood elementary school teacher who died after being struck by a car in Dumont earlier this month.
Gottheimer said he recognizes this disturbing trend, calling it a "five-alarm pedestrian fire" as New Jersey ranks as the most dangerous state in the country for pedestrians, with about 30% of all traffic fatalities being pedestrians compared with the national figure of about 17%. This year, 47 pedestrians in New Jersey have died, putting the state on pace to surpass the 177 killed last year.
Ridgewood received a $178,000 federal grant from the Safe Routes to School program, which will improve crosswalks and sidewalks near eight schools in the village.
Letter: I was struck in a hit-and-run in Dumont, too. What can we learn?
Closter will receive a federal grant of $400,000 for an investment to build a new pedestrian bridge between Memorial Field and Remembrance Park, which is separated by a stream. Closter Mayor John Glidden said that residents currently need to walk down county roads with no sidewalks to travel between parks, making it a hazardous journey.
Midland Park and Hackensack were granted nearly $1 million to update railroad crossing signals and surfaces.
Englewood gets $200,000 to develop new road designs using the traffic safety action plan with the "gold standard Safe Systems Approach."
Gottheimer said these federal grants will not come with a municipal bond, so there will be no hit on the taxpayer.
The congressman also announced three pieces of legislation he is helping to lead:
The PHASE Act directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to come up with new solutions to address distracted driving and will implement pedestrian-friendly infrastructure for cities and towns with a new grant program.
The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act works toward giving state and local governments funds for bike and walking paths.
The Complete Streets Act focuses on more accessible transportation options for children, seniors and people with disabilities that directs states to find new approaches to pedestrian travel.
Midland Park Councilwoman Lorraine DeLuca said that "by prioritizing pedestrian safety, we not only prevent accidents but also promote a community where everyone can walk with confidence and peace of mind."
Gottheimer said he hopes to continue to bring more dollars from Washington into local communities to ensure the safety of everyone.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ pedestrian safety focus of nearly $2M in state grants
