The following data report contains the listing of accidents that Mayor Skibitsky claims occurred at the intersection of Central Ave. & Clover St. and at the intersection of Central Ave. & Cambridge Rd.
Four of the accidents listed on the data report did not happen at either intersection and are posted below with the date, time, and case number listed. All reports were obtained through the Open Public Records Act and are considered public documents.
The first data report listed was referenced by Mayor Skibitsky at a December town council meeting where the Mayor attempted to bolster his non-expert opinion that the HAWK Pedestrian Signal on Central Ave., is safer mid-block than at the corner of Clover St.
The report contains four accidents that did not occur at either intersection. In fact, two of the reported accidents happened no where near either intersection. One took place at Mountain Ave. & Orchard St. and another took place at Central Ave. & Clifton St.
Why did the Mayor include them in his data released at a meeting? Didn't the Mayor think to fact check his sources? Was this report supplied by Westfield Police Chief John M. Parizeau whom Mayor Skibitsky relied so heavily on to provide him with a report illustrating the effectiveness of the HAWK pedestrian crossing? That report was nothing more than a "copy and paste" job that a fifth grader doing a research project could have compiled. It still never answered whether or not the current location mid-block is safer than an intersection crossing. A 2009 report authored by the HAWK light inventor, Dr. Richard Nasi, states that an intersection crossing is safer than a mid-block crossing.
Did Mayor Skibitsky provide this inaccurate data to the Union County Freeholders and members of his own Town Council in an attempt to manipulate their decision into supporting the Mayor's decision to construct a mid-block crossing instead of following the direction of the experts that had recommended the intersection of Central & Clover for the pedestrian crossing.
DATA REPORT
2-9-2011 1553 hrs. Case #11-3157
Driveway 110 Cambridge Rd
8-13-2010 0818 hrs. Case #10-18952
Central Ave. & Clifton St.
11-21-2009 1757 hrs. Case #09-28807
Driveway 125 Cambridge Rd.
1-24-2003 1529 hrs. Case #03-1584
Mountain Ave. & Orchard St.
Do you have EVERY accident report for EVERY accident that occurred from the day light/crosswalk construction began at Cambridge till present? If so, would you mind posting those to your website as well? The "Accident Diagram" and "Accident Description" sections, presumably, would show Cambridge/Clover/Central. These are real, not imaginary, accident reports written by real Westfield Police Officers. I think such data / documentation would have to "compel" readers to realize just how much more dangerous that strip of roadway has become in the wake of Skibitsky's poor decision to ignore the experts. I understand there are some in our community who have expressed an interest in seeing compelling data/documentation. I thought those individuals (and maybe some Patch readers who could be directed to your site) might find it interesting to see those original accident reports as well... every single one of them.
ReplyDelete-NR9
Yes, they will all be posted. Unfortunately, due to the number of reports, TFoTM was unable to scan all of them at one time. Once they are all scanned, they will be posted.
DeleteWhy are reports of accidents that happened across town being represented by the mayor as taking place at this location. It seems like an act of desperation to me or his own failure to check the information he trusted. Either way it is unprofessional.
ReplyDeleteSkibitsky will say he got the report from an expert, his own disgraced police chief that fled town last week hoping to avoid the troubles he has created within our department.
ReplyDeleteDon't know which police chief was worse Tracy or Parizeau. The next one if it's Wayman will make the last two look like choir boys.
ReplyDelete