Sidewalk Safety

Coolerista honcho Cary Africk was moved to political action after hearing about a hit-and-run accident that injured a son of Montclair resident Thom Kennon last week. Africk asks everybody in Montclair to cut out the attached letter, calling for sidewalk safety measures, and send it to their town council member. Fair warning, kids. Watch what you do with those scissors afterwards. Note: according to a later post, Kennon said his son is doing well.

Dear Councilor ________
Over the past several months over 950 community members members,
myself included, have been discussing the dangerous conditions that
exist for pedestrians in Montclair.
This situation has come to a head with the recent hit and run accident
involving Thom Kennon’s son on Valley Road this past week.
We are now asking you to immediately task the Engineering Department
to put together a plan for the implementation of additional marked
crosswalks throughout Montclair, where pedestrian traffic indicates.
We are also asking that you task the department with the immediate
design and subsequent installation of signs to be placed next to the
existing crosswalks, such signs to indicate in a print size readable
in a motor vehicle traveling at the legal speed limit that:
1. It is NJ State Law to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks
2. Failure to yield will result in a 2-point violation, plus a fine
3. Montclair cherishes it’s children and will enforce these laws.
We are also asking that:
The police traffic department to be directed to more vigorously
enforce the yield to pedestrian laws
The Township author a program involving education at the drivers ed
program at the High School, and that
The Town purchase advertising in the Montclair Times*** indicating the
above language.
We consider this task to be imperative and would like an official
action plan within the next two council meetings.
Yours truly,
(name)
(address)

***and why not have them purchase advertising on Baristanet as well?