Tell Governor Murphy: Allow Slow Streets for Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety
During the COVID-19 pandemic, New Jersey residents are increasingly accessing the streets as a means to safely get out of the house and exercise to maintain their physical and mental health. In urban neighborhoods bicycling and walking have been seen as viable alternatives to short transit trips.
But our roads are not safe for vulnerable road users -- this year, while overall traffic fatalities are down slightly in New Jersey, bicycle and pedestrian fatalities are up and now represent 40% of all traffic deaths. In our urban areas sidewalks are too crowded for safe social distancing.
That’s why we are calling upon the Governor issue an executive order to allow communities to designate slow streets. Slow streets are designated to alert motorists that they are sharing the road space with cyclists, pedestrians, and children.
Princeton prepared a Slow Streets plan for the Municipality early July. But NJDOT intervened and informed them that Slow Streets are illegal in NJ. DOT based this on a 1955 directive from the State Attorney General.
The directive basically stated that municipalities have no right to regulate the flow of traffic on its own streets. NJDOT has also stated that they will be going after municipalities that already have slow streets program like Jersey City and Hoboken.
Tell Governor Murphy: Authorize Slow Streets by Executive Order for Safety NOW!
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