Thursday, November 6, 2008

Fw: concerned



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: @gmail.com>
To: edgewaterparkreporter@yahoo.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 1:54:56 PM
Subject: concerned in Edgewater Park

I am a lifelong Edgewater Park resident and for the most part am happy to admit that. A few years ago, tragedy struck myself and family when my brother was killed on Delanco Road by a speeding motorist. For several years after the accident, due to several incorrect police reports, we had to fight to say that his death was caused by speeding. Once this was accepted by all, myself and a few family members approached our township about placing a blinking light (originally we requested a 4 way stop) at the Delanco Rd/Perkins Ln intersection. We also petitioned the county to lower the speed on Delanco Rd and make the several hundred feet before the intersection non-passing along with leveling the grade of the road. We had many people on our side luckily, and we did receive resolution to the issue of the intersection dangers as best we could.
My concern now is that with all the effort myself and family put forward for people to slow down and be more cautious seems to have been in vain. I am now a resident on Perkins Lane where the speed limit is 25 mph. On average, cars do between 40 and 50 mph down my road (including municipal vehicles) let alone, the 50-60 mph cars travel down Delanco Rd. And where might our police officers be? My children are now of school age and are waiting for the bus in the morning and playing outside in the afternoon while these motorists blindly speed and endanger my children. I feel as though I need to stand roadside to make sure passing cars recognize there are children present. I am sure that this is a concern to parents throughout the township along with myself, however I fear that tragedy may strike again if someone does not put the fear of God, or at least a heavy fine, into these people. Thanks for letting me bend your ear.
Name withheld

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The reason that the Police don't write tickets on Perkins Lane is because the 25 MPH speed limit posted is not legal.

Anonymous said...

Why is the 25 MPH speed limit not legal? It says in the Motor Vehicle handbook that in a residential area the speed limit is 25 MPH's unless otherwise noted.
Well, it's a residential area, and it's posted that it's a 25 MPH zone, so how is it not legal?

John Boyle said...

It's time to push for traffic calming in the Township. For starters we have a radar at office office that can be used to do a speed study. We can then bring the results to the County.

You can email me at john@bicyclecoalition.org

John Boyle
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Anonymous said...

to nov 7. at 10:20
If an area meets the requirements for 25MPH, it doesn't have to be posted as such.
Perkins Lane has residential properties but doesn't meet the building to area criteria for 25 MPH. A traffic study under State guidelines must be done for a speed limit to be set and from experience of doing these studies I'd say it would result in a speed limit of between 35 and 40 MPH.
John is on the right path but Perkins Lane is a munipal road and the State must be involved.

Unknown said...

so basically, I need to contact the state in order for my township to enforce the 25 mph signs posted on the road? It is curious you say that since 2 years ago, Perkins was 35 mph and without notice, one day 25 mph signs were posted. For the first month, there were "bear traps" all down the road, now if I see a cop, he is usually flying down the road with no lights or sirens heading towards rt 130.

Anonymous said...

Kate
This is how the process worked in the past, I don't know if it has changed.
The Township tells the State that they want to do a survey to establish a speed limit on a street.
The State gives the Twp. instructions as to what areas of the street the survey is to be conducted on, the number of vehicles to check and the times for the survey(usually on weekdays between 9-12 and 1-3 to avoid rush hours).
The survey must be done as inconspicuously as possible so drivers will travel the road in their normal fashion.
The Twp. conducts the survey, recording the speed and type of vehicle as each passes.
The results are sent to the State and a realistic speed limit is established based primarily on the average speed of the vehicles which were checked.
The underlying logic is that the average driver will travel at a speed which he/she considers safe, regardless of the speed limit.
Hope this helps

Unknown said...

Anonymous, I dont ever recall this test being done, at least not since spring of 98. As I looked further into this, I find that the EP codebook states Perkins is a 35 mph zone. Is this something I need to present at the next twp. committee meeting? Or do I need to contact county or state? Is there any public record that I can view to show a test that indicates the 25 mph change to? Thanks for any info...

Anonymous said...

The 25MPH signs were put up as an attempt to slow people down and to apease the residents. As I said before, 25MPH is not a legal speed limit on Perkins Lane at this time. The 35MPH speed limit you saw in the ordinances is the current speed limit.
If you want it changed, go to a twp meeting and request it. Until the State OKS a lower speed limit, the Police can't issue summons.

John Boyle said...

The NJ State Legislature Has Passed a law that would provide municipalities and counties with the authority to make traffic engineering decisions without obtaining prior approval of the NJ Department of Transportation.

It sounds like it makes the process to change a speed limit easier.

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/A3000/2731_S3.HTM