The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
the staff of The Ridgewood Blog
Ridgewood NJ, NJ Administrative Code Section 16:47 – 3.8 establishes a minimum width of 24 feet for residential streets.
MAY 11, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015, 9:50 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The issue of sidewalks, and lack thereof, on Clinton Avenue returned to the Ridgewood Council on May 6 as residents came forward to voice their opinion on that issue, as well as the safety concerns held by parents whose children walk to Ridge School.
In February, the council approved a resolution for Clinton Avenue improvements, which included paving, but not installation of sidewalks as recommended by the Citizen Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC).
Councilwoman Susan Knudsen said the topic was put on for discussion at last Wednesday’s work session for residents who believed they were not a part of the process because they were not aware of when CSAC was discussing Clinton Avenue.
Many of those who did come forward last week noted that the lack of sidewalks on Clinton, as well as other nearby streets, is part of a larger safety issue surrounding Ridge School.
Anastasia Bamberg, who lives on Melrose Place, said the village is missing an opportunity to install sidewalks, but believes the street should remain closed to traffic during the day.
“I think Clinton Avenue is a great example of closing the street and I’d like to close more streets in Ridgewood to get kids to school and not have as much traffic,” she said. “I understand that the residents object to sidewalks, but I think they’re objecting because they think it will be opened to traffic.”
https://www.northjersey.com/news/safety-concerns-near-ridge-school-prompt-new-talks-1.1331339
Ridgewood street should have sidewalks
February 6, 2015 Last updated: Friday, February 6, 2015, 12:31 AM
The Ridgewood News
Print
Clinton Ave. should have sidewalks
To the Editor:
Clinton Avenue, which connects Godwin and West Ridgewood avenues, does not currently have any sidewalks. The street is closed to through vehicular traffic from 8 a.m. through 3:45 p.m. on school days. Nevertheless, some vehicles are permitted to travel on the block even during those hours, alongside children and their parents who are in the street walking to and from school. At all other times, the street is open, with people having to share the road with traffic. Clinton Avenue is a not a quiet, dead-end street on which the possibility of a car passing a pedestrian is unlikely.
The subject of whether to install sidewalks on Clinton Avenue in conjunction with a planned repaving project was discussed by Village Council members during their work session of Jan. 28 and in November 2014. Councilman Michael Sedon reported that the Citizens’ Safety Advisory Committee supports repaving Clinton Avenue without installing sidewalks, as does the Ridge Home and School Association. However, Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld stated that Police Chief John Ward, Sgt. Brian Pullman and Village Engineer Chris Rutishauser all deem that sidewalks on Clinton Avenue would be safer than not having sidewalks.
During the Jan. 28 Village Council work session, numerous residents of Clinton Avenue offered their unequivocal opinions that the street is safe for pedestrians in spite of the fact that there are no sidewalks. They justified their stance by stating there is no history of pedestrian-involved traffic accidents on the block; this argument is flawed. As Councilwoman Susan Knudsen stated, lack of any accident is not a reasonable defense for continuing to allow residents (at times, “a parade of children,” as one resident characterized it) to walk in the street alongside vehicles, including trucks.
We can all be immensely grateful that no accident has occurred, but everyone knows that accidents happen without notice. A collision between a vehicle and a human being (especially a child) can reasonably be expected to be injurious, if not fatal. While we all encounter hazards each day as we move through our lives, many of which are unpredictable and unavoidable, we must do the best we can to protect one another from harm. It cannot be emphasized enough that everything possible should be done to prevent vehicle vs. pedestrian accidents, of which there have been too many in Ridgewood within the last few years. We need to do whatever is practical and reasonable to prevent any more from occurring.
Clinton Avenue residents also expressed concerns about how the installation of sidewalks would change their properties, plantings, and driveways. Front lawns on streets without sidewalks have the same right-of-way easement as those with sidewalks. In other words, the few feet encompassed by the width of a sidewalk do not belong to the homeowner, even though property owners are expected to maintain this strip.
It is my hope that the Village Council will decide for the safety of our residents by heeding the advice of the aforementioned experts and approving a sidewalk for Clinton Avenue.
Anne LaGrange Loving
Ridgewood
file photo Boyd Loving
Reader Says Incomplete streets put people at risk
Streets without safe places to walk, cross, catch a bus, or bicycle put people at risk. Over 5,000 pedestrians and bicyclists died on U.S. roads in 2008, and more than 120,000 were injured. Pedestrian crashes are more than twice as likely to occur in places without sidewalks; streets with sidewalks on both sides have the fewest crashes. While the absolute numbers of bicyclists and pedestrians killed has been in decline for the decade, experts attribute this in part to a decline in the total number of people bicycling and walking.
Annually, around 4,500 pedestrians are killed in traffic crashes with motor vehicles in the United States.1 Pedestrians killed while “walking along the roadway” account for almost 8 percent of these deaths.2 Many of these tragedies are preventable. Providing walkways separated from the travel lanes could help to prevent up to 88 percent of these “walking along roadway crashes.”
Walkways can be created either by providing stabilized or paved surfaces separated from the roadway, or by widening paved shoulders. These treatments can not only improve the safety of pedestrians, but also make pedestrian trips more viable.
Benefits of Sidewalks
Sidewalks separated from the roadway are the preferred accommodation for pedestrians. Sidewalks provide many benefits including safety, mobility, and healthier communities.
In addition to reducing walking along roadway crashes, sidewalks reduce other pedestrian crashes. Roadways without sidewalks are more than twice as likely to have pedestrian crashes as sites with sidewalks on both sides of the street.
Reader asks How do I get my own private street? The next question is why is this street closed? Next these people will want gates put up on both ends.
“Citizens Safety Advisory Committee sided with a contingent of Clinton Avenue residents, who told officials that the sidewalks weren’t needed or wanted”
As a West-Side resident, I wanted sidewalks on this street. Paying over $500k for bike lanes that now produces traffic and blocked intersections, but they can not install sidewalks?
These residents pay for landscapers for snow removal, so they would not have to perform any manual labor.
Another example of the council using “safety” as an excuse for one project but not for the next.
The Citizens Safety Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the Village Council on issues concerning pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular safety on all roads, parks and open space in Ridgewood and promotes awareness of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular safety in order to improve the safe travel of all people in Ridgewood.
OK, so that is the official charge to this committee. How in the hell does letting children walk with cars on Clinton Avenue fit with these guidelines? Answer……..it fits if a member of the Committee is a Clinton Avenue resident. Mr. Fuhrman should be ashamed of himself, this is blatantly wrong.
§ 265-17
Closing of certain streets.
[Amended 6-12-2013 by Ord. No. 3383]
No person shall operate a vehicle on those streets or parts of streets as described in Schedule XIV (Village Code § 265-64), attached to and made a part of this chapter, during the times of the days indicated in said schedule unless he is a resident of the said street needing access to his home or can demonstrate or document a need to access a residence on the streets or parts of streets as described.
Translation – Anyone can drive on Clinton Avenue at any time so long as he/she has a business or personal reason to be at an address on the street. So even drivers who are not aware that groups of children walk down the middle of the street going to and from school are welcome to drive on the street.
“Police records show there have never been any traffic incidents along Clinton Avenue.”
Erroneous statement. Police records do indeed indicate that there have been reported traffic incidents (aka crashes) along Clinton Avenue, just not any involving pedestrians (thank goodness).
“Citizens Safety Advisory Committee sided with a contingent of Clinton Avenue residents” What credentials do they have on traffic or safety? They only thing the bitch about is speeding.
Yes the piece of the puzzle is votes and future donation to the campaign.
A resident of Clinton Avenue who is a member of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee (Robert Fuhrman) reportedly did NOT recuse himself from either the Committee’s discussion or vote regarding this matter.
Legal, yes.
Ethical, that’s entirely debatable.
file photo Boyd Loving
Street near Ridge school won’t get sidewalks
FEBRUARY 5, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015, 1:21 AM
THE RECORD
Print
RIDGEWOOD — The village will not install sidewalks along Clinton Avenue, a street traversed daily by hundreds of children who attend classes at the Ridge Elementary School.
The council largely agreed last week that taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be spent adding sidewalks to a road that is already among the village’s safest.
Police officials and Ridgewood’s engineer had endorsed the sidewalk work during an upcoming repaving of Clinton Avenue.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/street-near-ridgewood-school-won-t-get-sidewalks-1.1265120
Do it for the kids, please
No sidewalks for Clinton Ave despite recommendations by police & Village Engineer
November 6th 2014
Boyd A. Loving
10:20 PM
As a result of the Council’s decision, Clinton will remain closed to vehicular traffic before, during and after school hours every day school is in session, and dozens of children making their way to and from points south of Godwin Avenue to the Ridge Elementary school will continue walking to and from school in the middle of that street.
Several Clinton Avenue property owners were present at the Council Work Session, but none spoke. No representative of the police department was in attendance, nor was Village Engineer Christopher Rutishauser, who was present, afforded an opportunity to provide input (Rutishauser’s office authored and manages the Village’s “Complete Streets” policy).
Paradoxically, when many West Side residents expressed displeasure with the reconfiguration of Garber Square, Village Council members cited the “Complete Streets” policy as a primary reason why the changes were being made in conjunction with resurfacing of the area. I guess the likelihood of 32 potential happy voters trumps “Complete Streets” in the case of Clinton Avenue?
As evidenced by the tragic loss-of-life incident that occurred several months ago in nearby Hawthorne, a driver could disregard posted “Do Not Enter” signs and come barreling down Clinton Avenue at the wrong time, taking out several innocent school children in a heartbeat.
Hopefully Village Council members come to their senses quickly and reverse this potentially tragic decision.