We regretfully note yet another incident involving a pedestrian on Bloomfield Ave in Verona this morning. Despite numerous appeals from Verona's council members and the police department over the years, the Essex County Executives have yet to address and prioritize the dire need for improved traffic safety in this area.

For the past two years, I have consistently communicated with the following Essex County executives: Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr, Sanjeev Varghese, Anthony Puglisi, and Daniel Salvante specifically highlighting the dangers of the intersection where today's unfortunate event took place. However, Verona has yet to witness any actions from the county in addressing these concerns.

A particularly hazardous area is the entrance to Verona Park from Bloomfield Ave. Despite its high foot traffic, there is a noticeable absence of a traffic light or dedicated pedestrian crossing. Furthermore, the downhill stretch of Bloomfield Ave between Park Ave and Lakeside, although designated a 25 mph zone, often witnesses vehicles including busses and tractor trailers exceeding 40 mph.

We urgently appeal to Essex County to:

1) Introduce a traffic light at the entrance to Verona Park.
2) Establish a designated pedestrian crossing at the entrance to Verona Park.
3) Install speed limit signage, supplemented with road markings, to caution drivers about the posted speed limit and impending areas with heightened pedestrian activity.

The entrance to Verona Park serves as a natural crossing point. It is disheartening to note that residents and park visitors are forced to endanger their lives by crossing here, instead of opting for a lengthy detour to the nearest official crosswalk.

While our town council and police department have been proactively advocating for these changes at the county level, it's imperative that we, the residents of Essex County who cherish Verona Park and the safety of our community members, amplify these calls for change.

Lend your support to this critical cause. Sign and share this petition to champion the safety of our community.