Resolution #2013-050 02-25-2013

TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH ORANGE VILLAGE

RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SCOTLAND ROAD TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PLAN

WHEREAS, Residents and other interested parties, including community groups and

neighborhood associations have identified speeding and pedestrian safety as issues along

the corridor of Scotland Road, a county two-lane roadway; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees does concur with the need to address the above

mentioned concerns; and

WHEREAS, Essex County does also concur with the need to address these concerns

and has made their willingness to install a traffic signal to help alleviate pedestrian

crossing issues known to the Village; and

WHEREAS, the South Orange Transportation Advisory Committee does also concur

with the need to address these concerns and has reviewed the Scotland Road Traffic and

Pedestrian Safety Plan, attached and made a part of this resolution, and believes a multi-

pronged approach to reducing speeding and improving pedestrian safety is warranted;

and

WHEREAS, traffic and pedestrian safety is a critical priority for the Board of

Trustees and the Village; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Trustees in concurrence with

recommendations made by the Village President on behalf of the Village Administration,

to adopt the following Scotland Road Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Plan, attached and

made a part of this resolution.

# # #

[Scotland Road Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Plan attached]

CERTIFICATION

I, Robin R. Kline, Village Clerk of the Township of South Orange Village, County of Essex, State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of the Resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees at their Meeting held on February 25, 2013.

Robin R. Kline _____________________________

Robin R. Kline, MAS, RMC, CMR Village Clerk

Trustee Member Motion Second Ayes Nays Abstain Absent

Bauer x

Davis Ford X X

Goldberg X

Gould X

Levison X

Rosner X X

Scotland Road Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Plan Purpose: To enhance traffic and pedestrian safety along Scotland Road, reduce speeding on Scotland Road and increase pedestrian crossing capability and safety at the intersection of Raymond and Scotland. This plan incorporates both engineering and enforcement tactics, as well as short, medium and long-term deliverables, attempting to maximize the enhancement of safety with minimal budget impact. This plan proposes both medium term solutions that may require the allocation of budgetary items and consultation between multiple government agencies, as well as short term solutions that can immediately begin to provide improvements. Short-term Actionables 1. This plan creates 'primary' and 'secondary' crosswalks and assigns each intersection in the target improvement to one of the two categories as follows:

Ralston/Scotland: Secondary Raymond/Scotland: Primary Turrell/Scotland: Secondary Irving/Scotland: Secondary Stewart/Scotland: Secondary Montrose/Scotland: Primary Thacher/Scotland: Secondary Randolph/Scotland: Seconday

2. Each category of intersection shall have a different level of enhancements made for safety based their utilization and concerns around the ease of pedestrian crossings:

Primary Crosswalk needs: 1. Re-painted lines, possible use of thermoplastic 2. Early yield line painting and in-street signage 3. Potential brick crosswalk construction, subject to State Historic Preservation Office

(SHPO) approval (medium-term) 4. Red-light signal traffic device (medium-term) 5. Focus of police enforcement of failure to yields 6. Potential presence of a TCO or crossing guard to help cross traffic Secondary Crosswalk needs: 1. Painted crosswalk lines, possible use of thermoplastic 2. Early yield line painting and signage 3. Potential brick crosswalk construction, subject to SHPO approval(Medium-term

deliverable) 3. Targeted police enforcement plan, to focus on commuter hours and the hours of highest violations. 4. No tolerance policy immediately going into effect for non-personal (i.e. Commercial, trucks, buses) vehicle speeding and traffic violations. 5. Whether a legal status of 'safe-driving corridor' is gained or not, signage placed on the North and South ends of Scotland with 'Safe Driving Zone - Speed limit strictly enforced' with attached vehicle speed measurement sign. Medium-term Actionables 6. Taking larger streetscape improvements into account in the Village’s capital budgeting, i.e. the installation of gaslights, improved vegetation and improved curb/sidewalk construction meant to improve safety and convey a more residential feel to the street.

7. The Village will explore with the County and state DOT the possibility of creating a 'safe-driving corridor' on Scotland, where fines and points assigned for violations are doubled (or increased). 8. The Village will explore the possibility of installing a 'traffic safety' camera at the intersection of Scotland and Raymond, with signage to denote the intersection as such, for both deterrent and follow-up/investigations, especially in regards to violations of pedestrian yielding. 9. Work with the SO Transportation Advisory Committee to research and recommend the appropriate type of red light signal traffic device. 10. Implement this plan and measure results via police traffic data as well as feedback from residents and other interested parties three months from the completion of the short-term actionables.

1. Primary and secondary crosswalk designations

Designating crosswalks with a primary purpose and secondary will help the Village and County allocate the most resources to the biggest problem spots. Scotland and Raymond is the intersection that has the most pedestrian traffic (which is why there is a crossing guard there), and such needs to receive the most attention. However, towards the end of creating a safer streetscape on Scotland, reminding drivers that this is a residential area where pedestrians are likely to be, engineering solutions to aid in crosswalk visibility need to be applied to as many locations as possible, not just the one that receives the most attention.

2. Primary and secondary crosswalk improvements

Crosswalk (re)painting

Currently the crosswalks on Scotland are either non-existent or faded (above). These need to be painted with reflective paint so that drivers can actually see the crosswalks. This is something that could be done in conjunction with Essex County in weeks time, with little expense, and could use reflective materials such as thermoplastic. Below is an example of creative painting made to make the surface look brick, while reminding pedestrians to look both ways before crossing.

Early yield and other road paintings

Early yield paintings and road markings are shown to reduce pedestrian/vehicle conflicts, and are an inexpensive way to help improve vehicle yield rates and give some safety to pedestrians crossing the street being able to tell with more time/distance when a vehicle is planning to yield.

Additional road paintings can also reinforce this message, where currently there are no reminders for drivers in the road, that can be improved, for example below:

Brick crosswalks

Brick crosswalks not only improve the aesthetic value of the streetscape but provides a better visual breakup for the driver to be able to see the crosswalk as they approach it.

Additionally, the different surface, without breaking DOT regulations, does provide a slight change to road surface, potentially slowing motorists down even more, while changing the streetscape of Scotland to a more pedestrian focus.

We already employ these on other various county roads in South Orange currently, and the Village will explore the feasibility of brick crosswalks, and the cost/benefit in comparison to other means of painting and physical visibility improvements:

3. Targeted police enforcement

Immediately create a targeted police enforcement plan, to focus on commuter hours and the hours of highest violations, based on community and police feedback.

The schedule will be a short and medium term implementation, beginning immediately, and coordinated with physical improvements to the streetscape.

The dual effect of enforcement and engineering changes will help show drivers that driving habits they may be used to are not tolerated. It isn’t easy to change drivers behavior, especially on such a micro level, and the physical improvements and enforcement needs to coordinated to maximize their effect on Scotland drivers.

4. Crackdown on commercial speeding

A no tolerance policy immediately going into effect for commercial vehicle speeding and traffic violations, based on feedback from residents/community groups and police to identify frequent commercial violators.

The Village will send letters individually to each company or organization identified as frequent problems, informing them of the increased enforcement going into effect, and the zero-tolerance approach that police will take with their drivers. State licensing agencies and the Department of Transportation will be contacted as well for frequent violators.

5. Safe driving zone signage

Increase signage entering Scotland Road from both the North and South, warning drivers of extra enforcement (and increased fines, if we are able to employ a safe driving corridor that has increased statutory penalties of fines and points), while showing drivers their current speed.

Data can also be collected from certain devices that show “your speed,” which will be used to measure the effectiveness of of the several different improvements as they are made, allowing performance benchmarking at each step.

6. Streetscape Improvements Improving the feel of Scotland Road to convey a more residential feel will help convey to drivers that this a residential area and that pedestrians and other hazards might be present. Motorists driving habits are heavily influenced by the physical environment, and

what the road seems to say is an appropriate speed, i.e. people drive faster when they have wider lanes, etc.

By improving street lighting, vegetation and exploring the possibility of more significant bump-out or other curb/sidewalk improvements, to convey a residential feel, drivers will have natural signals as to what speed is appropriate for this road.

7. Safe Driving Corridor

The Village will explore, along with the input of the SOTAC, with the County and NJ DOT the possibility of creating a 'safe-driving corridor' on Scotland, where fines and points assigned for violations are doubled (or increased), allowing officers to issue increase statutory penalties for traffic violations.

8. Traffic safety camera

The Village will explore the possibility of installing a 'traffic safety' camera at the intersection of Scotland and Raymond. This could be with or without signage to denote the intersection as such, for both deterrent and follow-up/investigations, especially in regards to violations related to pedestrians, that for example, the assigned crossing guard notices.

9. Red light signal

The Village will work with the SO Transportation Advisory Committee and Essex County to find the right type of red light device for our local needs. This is not a short-term solution, but rather could provide long-term relief on top of other improvements made before its installation, and isn’t as simple as suggesting a ‘traffic light.’

There are a number of studies and applications of crosswalks, that instead of using flashing yellow lights, instead turn the signal a solid red, allowing pedestrians to cross before going back to unactivated allowing vehicle traffic (including a four-way traffic stop). However, the SOTAC has recommended the use of a semi-actuated traffic signal device. However, there are number of variables that need to be worked out before selecting the appropriate device, for example:

• Semi or fully actuated signal. (Timing must be done in a way to account for safety problems of drivers on Raymond crossing Scotland, which has yet to be addressed)

• Possibly coordination of the light with other lights on Scotland • Timing or actuation of walk signals (every cycle, only when depressed, four-

way walk signals, based on time of day, etc)

• Whether the light operates in free or coordinated modes, or what level of actuation the light utilizes at different times of day, etc

Although this report is recommending the installation of a red light device to allow for safer pedestrian crossing, the selection of the intended device and the variables (only some of which are listed above) have not been fully addressed, and must be worked out immediately following the passage of this adoption of this plan with the SOTAC, Essex County and the Village.

By adopting this plan by resolution the Board and the Village is endorsing the County’s intention of the installation of a signal at Raymond/Scotland and providing the County with the Village’s support to properly move forward now, understanding that all of the questions regarding timing, etc. are to be worked out within 30 days of the adoption of this plan. This device will serve the purpose of quickly and efficiently stopping traffic on Scotland Road and allowing pedestrians to cross without having to necessarily rely on drivers’ voluntary yielding. The traffic signal, in whatever form it is created, is not expected to

have any positive impact on speeding, and is specifically for the intention of allowing pedestrians to easily cross Scotland Road.

10. Implementation and follow up

This plan contains a specific set of actionables that the Board, by adopting this plan by resolution, is agreeing will be the direction of the efforts at reducing speeding and improving pedestrian safety for the Village to carry out.

For at least 18 months after the adoption of this plan, every three months, the Board will receive a report from the administration in conjunction with the SOTAC, regarding the status of improvements and impacts on the safety of the road, reduction of speeding and increase in pedestrian safety. This plan is built to allow performance benchmarking of each improvement and ensure that the most effective improvements are made with as little unintended consequences or cost drivers.