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Resident and former councilman Sam Cerciello asks about road projects at the Madison Council July 23 meeting. Credits: Liz Keill
Borough Council Takes Safety Precautions for Madison Junior School
Tuesday, July 24, 2012 • 7:13am
MADISON, NJ – Because Madison Junior School is located on the heavily traveled Main Street (Route 124), the borough council unanimously adopted a resolution to carry out measures ensuring safety for students and other pedestrians.
“Traffic has increased,” Councilwoman Jeannie Tsukamoto said. She urged the council to support recommendations made by the Madison Police Department. Among them:
- Install a portable ‘Stop for Pedestrians’ sign
- Develop roadway markings indicating ‘Caution Crosswalk Ahead’
- Install stop lines for both directions of traffic 10 feet from the crosswalk
- Curtail pickup and drop-off times
- Extend time for crossing guards, especially in the afternoons
- Install a no stopping or standing sign
- Trim trees to increase visibility
- Discourage drivers from stopping or standing on shoulder
- Lower speed limit from 35 miles per hour to 25 mph while school is in session
- Install flashing ‘School Zone Ahead’ signs
The councilwoman noted that a student had been injured at the site about two years ago. She said Madison Police and the Public Safety Committee have been working with the Board of Education and students to develop viable solutions.
Tsukamoto added that copies of the resolution would be sent to the legislature and that the request would be sent to the state Department of Transportation in August. “We sent a request to the DOT last year,” she said, “but there was no response.”
Councilman Robert Landrigan said, “I support this 100 percent.” He said similar precautions were taken on Franklin Street in Morristown, which runs behind Morristown Medical Center. Several accidents had happened there to hospital staff who live in the adjacent housing complex.
In other matters, the council passed an ordinance for mandatory testing of water meters larger than two inches. Jim Burnet, Assistant City Administrator, said, “A lot of the meters are older and stop reading accurately after a number of years.”
Mayor Robert Conley reminded those present that the council will have just one meeting in August, on Monday, Aug. 13. A town meeting on Aug. 6 will be held to discuss utilities. He said Morris County is proceeding with an application for design and engineering, of a bicycle path, but not construction, and that funding would be the determining factor.
The borough has granted permission to the Towns Teal Campaign for ribbons to be placed trees on Main Street from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 as a reminder to fight ovarian cancer.
The council approved appointments to the Madison Advisory Garden Committee and adopted a resolution to support National Night Out.
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