We, the citizens and residents of New Providence, NJ demand the Mayor and Borough Council* restore public safety, quality of life, and tranquility to Fairview Avenue and Central Avenue by the following actions:  

1.       Designing and installing a Partial Closure and Forced Turn island (right turn only at Central with No entry onto Fairview from Central Avenue)

2.       Using the same island to reconstruct, narrow, and channelize the excessive width and dangerously curved intersection at Central Avenue.

3.       Using the partial closure island to reduce the pedestrian crossing distance across Fairview.

4.       Implementing a uniform speed reduction to 30 mph on Central Ave.

See attached concept drawing.

We contend that this area continues its exposure as an imminent threat of danger to human life.   We take this action proactively as concerned citizens that have witnessed an increase in neighborhood accidents and seek to avoid further damages and life-changing consequences.

Fairview’s local neighborhood safety and tranquility has been severely eroded by progressive developments in the Borough, namely the installation of traffic signals on Springfield/Union and Springfield/Central Avenue intersections. These installations have systematically directed excessive and speeding traffic (via every GPS and intuitive local knowledge of motorists) as the shortest travel time path through the area (a textbook cut-through street). This has created a most dangerous higher speed and high-volume cut-through corridors through a short and densely populated minor road. The excessive speed limit and dangerous curve on Central has steadily increased vehicular incidents resulting in residential property damages, personal injuries, and near miss impacts to pedestrians on sidewalks. Overweight truck traffic also continues to be a major concern.

 According to the Traffic Study conducted by the New Providence Police Department during the height of the pandemic COVID shutdown in the summer of 2020, Fairview Ave experienced the following:

• 565 vehicles per day volume on an 800-foot street with 24 residents (during Covid shutdown)
• 75 vehicles per day speeding greater than 31 mph on a 25 mph street despite periodic law enforcement (during Covid shutdown)

Update for 5/25/21 non-rush hour count for just 60 mins:

• 139 Total Vehicles
• 27 High Speed Vehicles (greater than 35 mph)
• 6 Overweight Trucks at 80,000 lbs each (on a 8000 lbs road)

Additional support for safety:

• Non-motorists have a 90% chance of survival when struck by a vehicle moving at 19 mph compared to a 15% survival rate when struck by a vehicle moving at 31 mph
• Daily volumes of Overweight Commercial Trucks on Fairview which exceed 4 tons (8,000 lbs) have greatly increased despite periodic law enforcement and signage.
• The physical width of the curved road at the Central and Fairview Ave intersection is excessive which is conductive to speeding and increased danger of vehicular collisions as well as when making a cross-traffic left turn off Fairview. This unmitigated risk continues to exist as well.
• Partial street closure (no Entry from Central) island has a guaranteed initial 50% reduction in Speeding, Overweight Trucks, and Overall Volume on Fairview while maintaining two-way local traffic on the street with one entry for normal traffic and two-way entry for emergency services, remain plowable for snow removal and eliminate 7-8 large, orange chevron signs in front of two residential properties on Central Ave that are ineffective and an eye sore.
• 17 of 24 Fairview residents on the Town’s October 2020 survey voted for a One-Way (12 voted as their #1, 2, or 3rd Choice).

As the borough has been given a financial grant for road safety and plans to reconstruct this area, we expect our local government to exhibit bold leadership with this installation of a partial closure island at Central and Fairview which will:

·         eliminate 50% of Fairview’s safety risk,

·         restore peace, tranquility, and evenly distribute traffic fairly to major roads,  

·         channelize and reduce the dangerous physical width of this intersection at Central Ave,

·         prohibit a more hazardous left hand cross-traffic turn off from Fairview Ave onto Central Ave,

·         reduce the pedestrian crossing distance of Fairview Ave by 50%, and

·         beautify the area with island plantings / greener and reduce the town’s stormwater runoff and C02 footprint.

Thank you for your support of these inequities.

 

*Mayor – Allen Morgan

* Borough Council Members:

                - Robert  Muñoz, Borough Council President

                - Matthew Cumiskey

                - Peter DeSarno

                - Nadine Geoffroy

                - Michele Matsikoudis

                - Lisa McKnight