Essex County to Reduce Speed Limit of Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange – TAPinto.net
WEST ORANGE, NJ – The speed limit on Pleasant Valley Way within the vicinity of West Orange High School (WOHS) and Kelly Elementary School will be reduced from 30 miles per hour (mph) to 25 mph in accordance with a resolution recently adopted unanimously by the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The resolution coincides with the Township of West Orange’s ordinance that was adopted in October.
“Road safety is one of the most important roles any township faces,” said West Orange Mayor Robert Parisi. “The decreased speed limit will give both motorists and pedestrians the opportunity to see each other and reduce accidents.”
Pleasant Valley Way, also known as County Route 636, is a high-traffic arterial roadway under Essex County jurisdiction. The street stretches from open areas with little-to-no foot traffic in the vicinity of Turtle Back Zoo and South Mountain Reservation, to a mixed residential, retail and concentrated pedestrian environment that ends at the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue in Verona.
With WOHS and Kelly Elementary school at the center of this corridor, the board ultimately agreed with the West Orange governing body that this would further protect county citizens from the dangers of high-speed traffic accidents, while also being in compliance with School Speed Zone limits.
According to the freeholders board, Freeholder President Brendan Gill has prioritized addressing issues regarding transportation and pedestrian safety. Recent tragedies in Montclair, Millburn and other areas throughout Essex County have garnered the entire board’s focus and attention.
“In light of the recent string of pedestrian accident fatalities throughout Essex County, the board of freeholders is prepared to enact any and all measures that can be taken to protect our citizens—especially children and young people—from the dangers of traffic accidents,” said Gill. “Working with Mayor Parisi was a great experience. We will continue to keep lines of communication open on improving safety in our communities.”
Traffic safety has always been a hallmark of Gill’s public service agenda. In 2013, he sponsored a resolution establishing and adopting an “Essex County Complete Streets Policy,” which provides a comprehensive multi-modal network of transportation options to provide safe access for all users.
According to the board, this policy ensures all improvements ruminate the recommendations of Complete Streets first and consider connections for Safe Routes to Schools, Safe Routes to Transit, Transit Villages, as well as trail crossings and areas or population groups with limited transportation options.
The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders said during this meeting that it would continue to treat the safety of Essex County citizens as a “priority of the highest order.”