Madison Residents Sign Petition for Pedestrian Safety

A Central Avenue neighborhood group presented Mayor Robert H. Conley County Freeholder Director Thomas J. Mastrangelo and County Administrator John Bonanni with a safety petition signed by 208 local residents.

“Traffic speed is an issue in many streets in Madison,” says Jessica Van Tassell, one of the petition’s organizers, “but nowhere is it as worrisome as in upper Central, where nothing shields the pedestrians from the cars.”

The signatories say that pedestrian safety on those streets is compromised.

The petition explains that traffic on the street has increased in recent years, and that vehicles often travel at high speeds next to the many pedestrians using the sidewalk.

“The fact that cars are barreling down when children or other pedestrians are present on the roadway is simply hair-raising,” observes Ray Lauletti, a long time resident of Central Avenue.

The area of concern is situated next to the Central Avenue School, the Madison High School, the Cheshire Home and The London Day School, a daycare center. Central Avenue’s speed limit is set at 35 mph, and students of both the elementary school and the high school cross Central at Fairview Avenue. The petition asks that the speed limit to be lowered to 25 mph.

The group says that the Fairview crosswalk itself not visible by cars ascending the hill on Central, and there is no signage announcing its presence, nor is there a crossing guard. They’re also asking for pedestrian signs, crosswalks, and a crossing guard on the corner of Central Ave. and Fairview Ave.