I do not buy the “raise the speed limit” argument. The same people who ignore 25 mph limits will ignore higher limits. Perhaps more stringent enforcement, along with public awareness campaigns on speeding and safe crossings would help. When officers forgive speeds of 10 mph over the limit, 35 mph becomes the real speed limit. Speeding on Linwood and Glen Avenues is normal behavior in Ridgewood, but it is very rare to see police out checking. I walk (and drive) past the electronic speed sign in my neighborhood, and regularly see numbers in the high 30’s and even low 40’s, and still some of the drivers do not slow down. All too many of those drivers can be seen with cell phones in hand, including Ridgewood police officers, which is particularly inexcusable behavior. Yes. I have seen this myself on several occasions.
As a pedestrian, I wait until it is safe to cross, but even in areas with signs advising drivers to yield to pedestrians in cross walks, few drivers in Ridgewood do so. Indeed, some speed up when pedestrians enter the crosswalk. I have had a dozen consecutive cars drive past me as I waited to cross before one driver politely (and legally) stopped, only to have drivers traveling in the opposite direction continue.
How do we change the attitudes of the large percentage of drivers in Ridgewood who ignore pedestrian crossing signs and laws? How do we get more of those people to recognize that they would be protecting the lives of their friends, neighbors, and family members by demonstrating respect for the law as well as common courtesy?
It is a very serious issue in our town on just a few streets that are habitual and can be targeted for enforcement. Everyone knows we don’t have sufficient funding to put extra enforcement to monitor. Everyone knows the police car is empty. As an owner on glen ave, I don’t think I have ever, ever seen anyone pulled over on glen ave.
This week however, we attended the village safety board meeting. Where Lt Pullman Tom this as an action item … And we asked for records of the amount of warning our summons issued on the street.
The board took away an action item to help raise awareness and so we look forward to their suggestions
Captain Ward had a good start with undercover patrols. However, he was presuming the drivers were the only guilty ones. Our force (lately) is babysitting PSEG and traffic enforcement focuses on meter violations. The culprits are: speeders, distracted drivers, jaywalkers, u-turns into slanted spaces, and so on. Foot patrols in the CBD would see all of the above several times per hour during a normal day. Issue summonses for them on a consistent basis and watch the infractions drop.
The speed limit in the central business section should not be over 15 miles an hour. 25 miles an hour is way too fast. This war is not working. The business section is way too congested, maybe more lighting would help. I know on Broad Street Hudson St., Hudson Street parking lot is extremely dark at night. We always park in that lot and do shopping and go out to dinner and I say to my wife why is it so dark in this area
The only thing that would make a difference is the installation of traffic light-controlled crosswalks, where pedestrians and drivers have their allotted set times to move. However, this comes at a considerable cost, not just financially, but in congestion as the flow of traffic is significantly hindered.
you are thinking with emotions, not facts. that is why you do not “buy” the argument…
The CBD is way too congested, and they want to and more parking on the street’s are here. A parking garage needs to be built with a shuttle in better lighting on some of the side streets intersection In parking lots. The Hudson Street lot is extremely dark at night check it out for yourself very dangerous, thank you