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April - May 2002 Edition
Make Fair Lawn Streets Safer by Amy Sutnick In February, Nina Gall a 78-year-old High Street resident was hit by a car and killed while trying to cross Sunnyside Drive at the Fair Lawn Avenue intersection. No criminal charges have been filed against the driver, who was making a left turn from Fair Lawn Avenue onto Sunnyside Drive. The driver will likely receive only a fine and two points against his license -- for failing to yield to a pedestrian and for having an overdue inspection sticker. Phil Plotch, former Chairperson of Fair Lawn's Pedestrian Safety Task Force was upset by the news. "This tragedy is exactly what our Task Force hoped to prevent," said Plotch. Motivated by recent accidents, Plotch is trying to revive the Task Force's recommendations. He plans to address the Council at the April 23rd meeting. It will be the first time he has spoken before the Council since the pedestrian improvements were presented to the Council two years ago. Plotch urges all residents who believe Fair Lawn streets can and should be safer, to share their views with the Council on Tuesday April 23rd, 7:30 PM at the Municipal Building. Two years ago, the Task Force recommended a series of measures to make streets safer for pedestrians. The Task Force recommended better crosswalks and "yield to pedestrians signs" among other measures. Task Force members worked closely with local, county and state planning officials to develop a comprehensive program to make Fair Lawn Avenue and other streets safer and more attractive. (See Task Force Recommendations). According to several Task Force members, their recommendations have been largely ignored. Most measures have not been implemented. Because Fair Lawn Avenue is a county road, some measures require the support of both the county and the town. For more
information, send an e- mail to Phil Plotch at njplotch@yahoo.com |