Demanding Answers: What's Being Done About Dangerous Crosswalk In Edgewater?
EDGEWATER, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A crosswalk in Edgewater, New Jersey has pedestrians running for their lives.
Residents cross the busy intersection at River Road and Garden Place to get to New Jersey TRANSIT and local schools.
The speed limit is 35 miles per hour, but many cars whiz by at much higher speeds. There is a yellow sign telling drivers to yield to pedestrians, which is a state law, but clearly that isn't the case.
CBS2's Lisa Rozner demanded answers Thursday, asking borough and county officials why safety measures are not being put into place.
"Why not just a put a traffic light in there?" she asked Borough Administrator Gregory Franz. "That request was made by the mayor to the county. River Road is a county roadway."
More: Edgewater Residents Exasperated With Crosswalk They Say Is Dangerous
Rozner also tried speaking to Bergen County engineer Joe Femia, but a spokesperson said he was not available and answered her questions on his behalf.
"A traffic study was done, and according to this traffic study, there's not enough pedestrians crossing the street there for there to warrant a light," spokesperson Michael Pagan said.
Bergen County worked with Edgewater to do the traffic study. But the spokesperson could not tell Rozner the county's estimates on how many people do cross and the threshold for getting a light.
However, CBS2 did find an alternative plan was just approved this week to install what's called an enhanced intersection with lights. It will have an island in the middle of the road, and pedestrians can press a button to activate yellow lights, which run on solar panels.
"So that when the lights to blink, traffic does have to stop for pedestrians, so that they can cross safely," said Pagan.
But it isn't a stop light and won't be installed until summer.
"I don't understand why this is becoming such a challenge with the town. We pay taxes. This is a very a crowded town, they collect a high amount of taxes," Edgewater resident Hande Mullin said.
Rozner tried speaking to Edgewater Police about whether they would temporarily put an officer at the intersection and ticket drivers who don't stop for pedestrians, but the police chief and mayor did not get back to her.
CBS2 has learned a 12-year-old was struck by a passing car in the crosswalk a few weeks ago. So until there are changes, pedestrians must cross at their own risk.
