Bergen County Unveils 'Action Plan' To Curtail Deaths On Local Roads

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Bergen County is working with several agencies to create a Local Safety Action Plan to cut down on traffic fatalities on local roads.

Bergen County has seen several horrific pedestrian deaths and two-car crashes this year.

A Wyckoff man with special needs was struck by a car and killed while crossing the street in January.

In March, a teacher in Englewood was struck and killed by a 94-year-old driver.

County Executive Jim Tedesco and the County’s Department of Planning and Engineering, in partnership with the North Jersey Transportation
Planning Authority, said they're creating Local Safety Action Plan (LSAP), which will "identify and prioritize transportation safety improvements to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes on our county and municipal roadways."

“Transportation is important to all Bergen County residents, and we want to reinforce a culture of safety,” said James Tedesco III, Bergen County Executive. “Formulating a Local Safety Action Plan will improve road safety for Bergen County residents as they travel and help us secure funding for future safety enhancements.”

More than 60 percent of all fatal and serious injury crashes in New Jersey happen on local roads, the county said.

The Federal Highway Administration has identified LSAPs as an effective strategy to reduce these crashes.

Creating LSAPs can help counties and municipalities access new funding opportunities to implement safety plans, including the $5 billion federal Safe Streets and Roads for All Program.

The LSAP process relies on input from Bergen County residents and technical experts to match local needs with solutions to reduce serious injuries and fatalities.

The county said, "There will be several opportunities for Bergen County residents to provide feedback to help guide the creation of this plan, including an online survey and in-person events. The project team attended the Bergen County Fair on Wednesday, August 14th to connect with residents and learn about their transportation safety concerns."

To learn more about the LSAPs and stay up to date about ways to contribute to the plan, visit the project website at Bergen.SafetyPlansNJ.com.