This afternoon, a motor vehicle accident took place at the location Mayor Skibitsky has adamantly proclaimed to be the "safest" location for the new pedestrian activated traffic signal. The Fact of The Matter has covered this issue extensively and has yet to obtain any expert report that states the current location of this light is safer than the original proposed location at the intersection of Central Ave. and Clover St.
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| Vehicle struck from behind comes to rest in crosswalk |
What now Mayor? Will Councilman Ciarrocca continue the charade? Will you back him unconditionally?
The BMW in the video, struck a vehicle stopped at the crosswalk and pushed the other vehicle into the crosswalk seconds after the school children had crossed. In the video, the other vehicle involved in the crash is seen parked further up the road.
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Click on the "Play" arrow to watch the video
Well, if they hushed up a Fire Dept truck getting crashed into a tree, maybe they can hush this up too. Patch is scared of his shadow but the Leader might cover it.
ReplyDeleteThe Westfield Leader covers news. By the time Thursday comes around this won't be news anymore. Besides, the Leader would never print a story that would leave the Mayor with egg on his face.
ReplyDeleteThe residents in the immediate vicinity of this insane middle of the busiest road in Westfield crosswalk along with only a few other concerned residents from other Westfield neighborhoods have been diligently speaking out at every open council meeting in direct opposition to the placement of this now proven to be very dangerous crosswalk. The mayor and council have publicly humiliated each one of us and blatantly dismissed our concerns as nothing more than ridiculous. How dare we even question the decision making of the Skibitsky regime? Today our deepest fears became a reality when a car suddenly had to come to an unexpected stop in the middle of Central Ave. even though there is a flashing warning sign approximately 175 feet before the crossing and the flashing Hawk street light over head flashing orange and then solid red lights out of nowhere compounded with a crossing guard holding up a large red stop sign and yet amazingly a school aged child was nearly struck down in the crosswalk. Praise God no one was seriously injured by the accident today. The mayor has told us at the council meetings that he and his quote experts will be evaluating the effectiveness of the newly installed crosswalk and street lights in the middle of Central Ave. which by the way intersect with a private driveway. How's that evaluation going mayor and Mr. Ciarrocca and Mr. Arena and Mrs. Neylan and Mr. Dela Fera? Is the three month time frame for comprehensive studies on your ingenious plan been completed? Have you reevaluated your position Mrs. Neylan like you did when you decided to reinstate the crossing guards at Clifton and Sycamore? You know what? You all make me sick. We presented you with over 150 signatures in opposition to the placement of this cross walk. We collectively have spent countless hours researching this debacle and presenting our findings to the entire town council only to be dismissed as if we were some freak side show. I hope you heed the gracious warning you received today from the Almighty, and no, I'm not referring to you mayor. Move that outrageous middle of the busiest road in Westfield cross walk back to it's original location at the intersection of Central and Clover St. And recycle those ridiculous street lights to a location out in the desert somewhere where they might be effective. And if your paramount concern is the safety of our school children crossing Central you need either a very experienced guard or an officer at that location. Actually what Westfield really needs is a new town council. Everyone that has seen this cross walk and light has had the same reaction, what the heck is that? How can it be that everyone in the world is wrong but our mayor and council is right? Listen guys, you're wrong, end of story. Now move the light before I have to run out of my house one day and see a kid lying in the middle of Central in a pool of his or her blood. I said this last September 2010 at the very first of many council meetings that I have attended in opposition to this project, the blood will be on your hands if there is a tragedy at this cross walk. I hope you and your families can live with that reality.
ReplyDeleteMaria,
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to hear Mayor Skibitsky and Coucilman Ciarrocca rationalize this one. No doubt, they will continue to stand by their ill-fated manipulation of this light being moved from Central Ave. and Clover St. to it's current location which has now been proven to be dangerous. Their recent analysis of the light will now contain a "black-eye" rendering their anticipated "flawless" analysis irrelevant.
Union County's consulting engineer, The Louis Berger Group, wrote a comprehensive report titled "Signal Warrant Analysis", that states in the report's Conclusion the following,
"Based on above analysis, "School Crossing Warrant 5.0 is satisfied at intersection of Central Ave. and Clover St. The INSTALLATION OF PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL will certainly improve the safety of elementary school-age pedestrians, within the vicinity of the neighborhood."
Those words were copied exactly as they appear in the report which was posted here at The Fact of The Matter in a previous story.
One does have to wonder how much influence a voter/resident from Francis Terr. and another from Cedar had, on Ciarrocca and Skibitsky, to get this light moved from where the experts had originally placed it before the meddling of these two influenced it's relocation.
Mayor Skibitsky has preached "transparency" in his administration. Mayor, produce the town's consulting engineer at a town council meeting to answer questions. No longer can you hide behind the "I don't want to waste any of the tax-payer's money" excuse. How much of the tax-payer's money was spent yesterday responding to this accident which included the fire department, 3 police officers, rescue squad.
The only thing missing at this tragic scene was the Mayor and Ciarrocca posing for a photo.
Pretty sure this is just the same 3 or 4 people posting on here in order to further their individual agendas. It'll be interesting to see if my comment is even allowed to stand.
ReplyDeleteWhen the residents of Frances Ter and Cedar St argued that they didn't want the light on the corner of Central Ave and Clover St the Mayor and council decided it was still necessary so they moved it in off the corner. However the law states that it has to be a certain distance away from a stop sign. Union County moved it to it's present location to abide by the laws of the state. It it NOT IN THE SAFEST PLACE as the mayor states, it is in the ONLY PLACE it could have been put. Does union county even realize they approved a light that straddles a private driveway or did they say go ahead without even checking.
ReplyDeleteThe Town nor the County could place a traffic light (red,green,amber) at the intersection because the Warrant Analysis did not approve one.
ReplyDeleteThe Warrant Analysis approved a Pedestrian signal similar to the one in front of Temple Emanuel on E. Broad St. Residents were pleading with town officials not to put a traffic light at the intersection because they didn't want "cut-through" traffic in the neighborhood that a traditional traffic light might cause.
Little did they know that a traffic light could NOT be installed. The School Crossing Warrant that was satisfied recommended the installion of a Pedestrian signal at the intersection.
The town moved it to a mid-block location after cul-de-sac's were constructed, one at Cambridge/Central. Instead of placing the pedestrian light at that location, the town could have avoided controversy by putting the Pedestrian light at the intersection.
It would have been located adjacent to the 6 foot stockade fence that borders side yards on Central Ave. between Cambridge and Cedar and not in the front yard of a homeowner as it stands today.
The Pedestrian light at the intersection would have negated the concerns of area residents that "cut-through" traffic would cause a danger. "Cut-through" traffic is eliminated because the waiting time at a Pedestrian light is far less than at a traditional traffic light, 7-8 seconds as opposed to 45-60 seconds. That is why over 60 of these "HAWK" Pedestrian lights have been installed at major intersections in Tucson Arizona instead of traditional traffic lights.
The Town could have also cul-de-sac'd Clover instead of Cambridge and put the light there as was recommended by the experts.
Ask the homeowner on the corner of Cedar & Central his opinion.....Councilman Ciarrocca and Mayor Skibitsky can fill you in on that resident's influence. The Fact of the Matter knows all about it. The wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the grease. A Francis Terr. wheel also got greased.
Perhaps this site will open the eyes of some Westfield voters. The only ones with the power to change things is the voters. Westfield has been a good ol boy network for many years, you either learn to live in the system, or you take your bat and ball and go home so no one can continue playing. I hate to say it, but if you want something done right............good luck fighting city hall. A former Westfield resident
ReplyDeleteI can't see much from the pictures. I just hope no one was seriously hurt from the accident.
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