The Union County Board of County Commissioners is announcing a Street Smart NJ pedestrian safety education campaign in the Borough of Roselle. This education campaign is aimed at changing unsafe behavior and reducing pedestrian-motor vehicle crashes at the intersections of W. Second Ave. & Chestnut St. and W. Second Ave. & Locust St in Roselle.
“Ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents remains a top concern for Union County,” said Commissioner Chairwoman Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded. “The Street Smart NJ campaign will help educate drivers and pedestrians about the safe use of our roadways and is part of a broader set of initiatives to make our community safer.”
The campaign will kick off on Wednesday, April 10th, at 5:00pm in front of Roselle Borough Hall near West Second & Chestnut Street. Speakers will include Bette Jane Kowalski, Union County Commissioner and NJTPA Trustee; Mayor Donald A. Shaw; Cindy Thomas, Council President; Councilwoman Isabel Sousa; Helder Freire, Acting Chief of Police; Dr. Nathan Fisher, Superintendent of Roselle Public Schools, Michael Rizol, Director, NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety, and Lisa Lee, Director, EZ Ride.
Street Smart NJ, initiated in 2013 and managed by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), is a statewide collaborative effort between public, private, and non-profit organizations. The campaign reminds people that everyone has a role in making our streets safer. Drivers must obey speed limits and stop for people crossing; people walking or biking must use crosswalks (marked and unmarked) and cross with the signals; and everyone must avoid distractions. Street Smart NJ is one of many initiatives working to reach zero pedestrian fatalities and more than 240 communities in NJ have successfully implemented the campaign.
EZ Ride, the Transportation Management Association serving Union County, will manage the local campaign and work with the municipality, county, schools, and community partners to educate and distribute safety information. Large educational signs will be displayed at the intersections, and local and County police will enforce traffic and pedestrian laws as part of the campaign.
Pedestrian safety is a concern nationwide, but it is particularly important in New Jersey. On average, one pedestrian is killed every two days in New Jersey, and 12 are injured daily. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, New Jersey ranked 18th in the US in pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 people, and pedestrians comprised 30 percent of the 699 traffic fatalities in New Jersey in 2021, far more than the national average of 17 percent. The two focus intersections for this campaign were selected due to recent pedestrian crashes and a fatality in December 2023.
“Through initiatives like Street Smart NJ, we’re developing a culture of safety so that every resident can navigate our streets with confidence,” said Commissioner Bette Jane Kowalski. “It will take statewide efforts to eliminate accidents and injuries, but we are dedicated to working toward that goal.”
Anyone interested in helping to promote the Street Smart NJ message in Union County should contact Lisa Lee at 201-939-4242 ext. 123 or LLee@ezride.org. Learn more at bestreetsmartnj.org. The campaign is also on Facebook and X (@njstreetsmart).