Enough Is Enough: Accident #7....Skibitsky States Accidents Happen All The Time

Accidents do happen all the time, but not at the alarming rate they are occurring on Central Ave. within the 113 feet stretch of roadway between the cul-de-sac'd Cambridge Rd. and Clover St.  Westfield Councilman Frank Arena has stated that there wasn't enough compelling evidence in the engineering report released by Union County recommending moving the Central Ave. pedestrian crossing to the intersection of Central Ave. and Clover Street.  If seven accidents in 11 months, since the mid-block pedestrian crossing was constructed at Central & Cambridge isn't enough, what is.....a pedestrian or motorist fatality?

     Wednesday evening at approximately 6:15 pm. another accident occurred on Central Ave.within the 113 feet between the HAWK crosswalk at cul-de-sac'd Cambridge Rd., and Clover St.

     The intersection of Central & Clover was identified as a "hot-spot" by Westfield's own consulting traffic safety engineer Gordon Meth in a July 26, 2005 report to town officials.  The report was issued after consultation with the town council's Citizens Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, the Westfield Police Department, and residents living in the vicinity of this "hot-spot" intersection.

     The accident Wednesday evening involved two vehicles, one of which was attempting to avoid colliding with a vehicle that allegedly tried to make a left turn from Central Ave. onto Clover St.  It is unknown if confusion on the part of the driver making a left turn contributed to the accident. 

     Motorists have confused resident Adina Enculescu's driveway as a street ever since Mayor Skibitsky and town council members allowed her driveway to be turned into an unsuspecting intersection.  By installing a pedestrian activated traffic light at the base of her driveway, instead of at the intersection of Central & Clover where the Town's own traffic safety expert had originally recommended it be located, motorists are playing a game of stop and go once they realize the light is at a driveway and the left turn intersection is 113 feet further north.

     TFoTM has obtained every accident report listed on Mayor Skibitsky's accident data sheet he presented at a December 2011 town council meeting listing the accidents that have occurred in the area of Central Ave. from Cambridge Rd. to Clover St. 

     TFoTM referenced only those accidents that occurred on Central Ave., within the 113 feet between Cambridge Rd and Clover St., to come up with the following statistics.

Year        Number of Accidents

2002                  2

2003                  1 

2004                  1

2005                  2

2006                  2

2007                  3

2008                  0

2009                  0

2010                  5

2011                  6

Note:  Construction of the cul-de-sac at Cambridge Rd. as well as the installation of the HAWK light along with all the blinking lights, signs, painted lines, and excessive roadway markings, started in the spring of 2010.  

     TFoTM asks Councilman Arena, if the spike in accidents since "Times Square" on Central Ave. was constructed isn't compelling evidence to move the light, what is...........a fatality.  

     TFoTM is sure the Cambridge Rd resident who witnessed a vehicle in their back yard is convinced there is a problem at this location ever since it was identified by Westfield's traffic safety expert as a problem "hot-spot."

     At Tuesday night's town council meeting Mayor Skibitsky was asked, "What have you done to address the traffic safety issue at Central & Clover ever since the town council, the Citizens Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, police, and your own traffic safety expert identified it as a "hot-spot?"   Mayor Skibitsky's answer................ahhhhhhhh  (We are still waiting for the answer.) 

     The Mayor has done nothing except to create a confusing traffic configuration, that has repeatedly confused motorists causing more accidents as evidenced by the increase in accidents along this short stretch of roadway since the mid-block crossing was constructed.  Left turns off of Central onto Clover have become treacherous for motorists travelling northbound on Central Ave. 

     There is a reason why the inventor of the HAWK pedestrian activated light (Dr. Richard Nasi)recommends intersection crossings over mid-block crossings; a three year study of over 60 crossings in Tucson, Arizona, were the light was invented and first utilized, has proven that intersection crossings are SAFER.  But Mayor Skibitsky will tell you Dr. Nasi got it all wrong. 

     Mayor Skibitsky, let us know when the next career day at Merck has members of the Freeholder Board attending; maybe we can engage in a little political patronizing over lunch. 
     A politicians opinion has no place in the decisions made concerning public safety.  Politics should never jeopardize public safety and only expert opinions and recommendations should be followed.