Pedestrians at Risk Crossing North Ave. by Train Station, Councilman Warns

WESTFIELD, NJ — Councilman Michael Armento raised a stark warning about safety risks to pedestrians who cross North Avenue in front of the New Jersey Transit train station during the most recent town council meeting on April 21.Armento drew particular attention to poor signage and traffic flow heading eastbound on North Avenue in front of Fire House #1. “It’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Armento emphasized, explaining that motorists can enter the wide space in front of the firehouse and be unaware that the light behind them has turned red, and pedestrians in front of them have been given a signal to walk. Armento then recounted a recent incident where he was traveling on the roadway and observed a woman crossing North Avenue with a stroller. “It could have been a disaster,” he said, explaining the risk of having a gap without a traffic signal to control the traffic. “You pass the firehouse and it’s like a void,” Armento said, noting that drivers would have no way of knowing if pedestrians had been given a signal to cross. Town Administrator Jim Gildea explained that the town does not have direct control over that particular stretch of road. "It's a state-controlled intersection. It’s a state-controlled light,” he said. Councilmen Todd Saunders and Michal Domogala both asked Gildea if anything could be done in the short term. Gildea noted that the Public Safety Committee had looked at the intersection, but that the town had limited options because of the age of the traffic light. “The traffic light there is very old,” he said, adding “We have to bring in a traffic consultant to design something temporary and see how much that costs.”TAPInto visited the intersection Friday to see how motorists were proceeding through the intersection. In several instances, cars trying to make the light would drive past the firehouse and the entrance to Elm Street quickly. In other cases, vehicles would proceed cautiously and sometimes come to a stop directly in front of the firehouse to let pedestrians cross. The pedestrian crossing at the corner of Elm Street can get particularly busy during the evening rush hour when commuters exiting New Jersey Transit buses cross over to the train station parking lot. Story continues after video voiced by reporter David Sexton.This reporter also reached out to town officials to ask what information motorists should keep in mind in the current traffic configuration. Public Information Officer Kim Forde responded that North Avenue is a state-controlled highway with signage and intersection markings overseen by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. “One of the key markings is a stop bar, located just before Fire House #1,” she said. “The Police Department advises that drivers should always stop for a red light at the stop bar, rather than past it, as obstructing the entrance/exit to the Fire House and the municipal parking lots is prohibited.”Armento told the council that he planned to keep focus on the issue and to highlight the potential risks until the situation was remedied.