Residents using the Roselle Park train station noticed yellow Pedestrian Crossing signs on Chestnut and Locust Streets at Lincoln Avenue recently. The welcomed change comes after years of residents’ complaints and concerns regarding safety due to cars not yielding to pedestrians who cross the street due to lights being absent from underneath the train trestles. The solar-powered lights flash on a consistent basis to draw attention to the crosswalk. The Roselle Park Police Department (RPPD) contacted the Union County Traffic Division over the past several months to have flashing pedestrian crossing signs installed on the county roads in the area of the train station.
“We had informed the County that the Roselle Park Police Department was concerned for pedestrian safety in these areas due to the large volume of pedestrians crossing the roadway to access the train station,” Police Chief Morrison commented, “After months of discussion with the County concerning this matter, the County agreed to install the signs at no cost to the Borough of Roselle Park.”
The Police Chief also reached out to Union County Freeholder Alex Mirabella, a former Roselle Park resident, concerning this issue. Once the Freeholder became involved with the project, he assured Police Chief Morrison that the County Traffic Division would install the signs. Freeholder Alex Mirabella stated, “Knowing the area and growing up in town and understanding the situation to try to make that area safer, I worked with Chief Morrison and Captain (Daniel) McCaffery to use county resources to address the issue. It was a pleasure to work with these guys. I think they keep safety at the top of their minds and whatever I could do from a county standpoint to partner with them I was happy to do. ”
“Freeholder Mirabella was extremely helpful in seeing that the signs were installed as we had requested. I believe that these flashing signs will increase motorists awareness of pedestrians crossing in these areas and will thereby also increase pedestrian safety,” Police Chief Morrison concluded.