The Alternative Press

My response to Jim Gildea's admission that residents didn't want a traffic light at the intersection and therefore was moved to a mid-block location was in a form of a question. I asked, "Residents are experts?"  When I responded a second time to Gildea's statements, I stated, "Residents aren't experts."

 

Mayor Skibitsky has gone on the record stating that he and his town council relied on "the experts" with regards to the current location of the HAWK pedestrian light. This statement is misleading because his experts initial recommendation was to locate the pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Central Ave. & Clover St. After the public outreach meetings with residents (non-experts in traffic safety engineering), Westfield moved the pedestrian crossing away from the intersection. Town administrator Jim Gildea contradicts what Mayor Skibitsky has been insisting was a decision influenced by experts by suggesting residents influenced the current location of the pedestrian crossing.

 

Sincerely,