Two MMS students hit by a car

Two Maplewood Middle School students were struck by a car on Prospect Street near Oakland Road in Maplewood shortly before 8 a.m. on Monday, October 7. One student was transported to the hospital by ambulance, and the driver was issued summonses for failure to yield to pedestrians and careless driving.

That’s the first paragraph of the Village Green article today. I know it’s behind a paywall.

https://villagegreennj.com/police-and-fire/mms-students-struck-by-car-on-prospect-monday-morning/

One student ended up at the hospital needing surgery for a broken ankle, according to the article.  The other student refused medical transport.

 I was wondering what happened. The morning drop off at CHS was more chaotic than usual and Prospect was crazy backed up as well as a lot of the side streets around there. 

I feel really badly for the two young kids who got hit. The ankle fracture sucks. There’s a growth plate in the ankle, and if it’s damaged you can sometimes get some unevenness in leg development. That can have some long-term ramifications for the person. 

It’s unclear from the article if the driver was making a right- or left-hand turn, it only says the car was driving south. 

if you walk along Prospect Street as frequently as I do, you would know that serious traffic issues have existed there for years.  Motorists exceed the speed limit.  Motorists do not always stop for pedestrians already in the crosswalk.  Motorists will pass a vehicle stopped at the crosswalk running the risk of hitting the pedestrian the stopped vehicle had stopped for.  There is a clear need for increased traffic enforcement at the location where the accident took place.  There is also a need to educate our children to look both ways before crossing the street and to be aware of traffic once they have entered the intersection.  One outcome of this accident is that our officials are now listening.  This is the opportunity to speak up, organize, and get some improvement to make crossing  Prospect Street safer for everyone. 

Prospect has been a problem for years, and it seems to be getting worse. I have been passed on several occasions by impatient drivers. There is very little enforcement by MPD. The pedestrian walkways and signage have not helped. Many drivers ignore pedestrians and, as Joan mentioned, they will drive around others who have stopped to let pedestrians cross. 

It’s time to stop blaming pedestrians and crack down on reckless and distracted drivers.

There’s not a lot of detail about how the accident happened, just that the driver was southbound. No mention if the kids were in a crosswalk or anything like that.

Just to add to joan_crystal's note: kids and other pedestrians must look left and right, but at an intersection it's important also to look *behind* them, and *across* the street, for drivers about to make a turn.  This is not in any way to blame pedestrians, just self-preservation. 

Hope these kids are doing well, and hope something can be done about the traffic.  On a wide, straight through street it's easy to go too fast (guilty here long ago), seems as though a campaign of enforcement could help.

PS Near Nassau Bahamas, they had containers on the curb at intersections, with orange caution flags for pedestrians to carry across the street and leave on the other side.  Seemed like a great idea, but i've never seen it in the US.

mjc said:

Just to add to joan_crystal's note: kids and other pedestrians must look left and right, but at an intersection it's important also to look *behind* them, and *across* the street, for drivers about to make a turn.  This is not in any way to blame pedestrians, just self-preservation. 

Hope these kids are doing well, and hope something can be done about the traffic.  On a wide, straight through street it's easy to go too fast (guilty here long ago), seems as though a campaign of enforcement could help.

PS Near Nassau Bahamas, they had containers on the curb at intersections, with orange caution flags for pedestrians to carry across the street and leave on the other side.  Seemed like a great idea, but i've never seen it in the US.

we have those in South Orange.  I don't know how useful they are

mjc said:

Just to add to joan_crystal's note: kids and other pedestrians must look left and right, but at an intersection it's important also to look *behind* them, and *across* the street, for drivers about to make a turn.  This is not in any way to blame pedestrians, just self-preservation. 

Hope these kids are doing well, and hope something can be done about the traffic.  On a wide, straight through street it's easy to go too fast (guilty here long ago), seems as though a campaign of enforcement could help.

PS Near Nassau Bahamas, they had containers on the curb at intersections, with orange caution flags for pedestrians to carry across the street and leave on the other side.  Seemed like a great idea, but i've never seen it in the US.

I thought they had those flags when the bump outs were first built near the Crescent and Prospect Church. I could be misremembering.

mjc said:

PS Near Nassau Bahamas, they had containers on the curb at intersections, with orange caution flags for pedestrians to carry across the street and leave on the other side.  Seemed like a great idea, but i've never seen it in the US.

We have them at a few intersections.  I don't like them because the flags always seem to be on the opposite side of the street from where I am trying to cross.  This would especially be a problem during hours when children are walking to/from school or when commuters are walking to/from the train.  i usually skip the flag and just wave my outstretched arm.  That works pretty well.

joan_crystal said:

  This is the opportunity to speak up, organize, and get some improvement to make crossing  Prospect Street safer for everyone. 

This. Hopefully this improves the status quo. I'm on Prospect a lot and I'm often amazed at how many vehicles don't stop for pedestrians at marked crosswalks, even when it's clear as day that someone's trying to cross, AND when the vehicle has plenty of time to stop, AND even when the pedestrians are school-age kids by themselves. 

It's like a 50/50 proposition, at best. Sometimes the first car that should stop, stops. But other times it might not be until the 4th or 5th car.   

Remember when someone hit the crossing guard at Harvard and prospect? Maybe more police presence on prospect, Parker and valley is needed. This has been going on for years, and I don’t see people getting pulled over for speeding like before. 

DanDietrich says: "we have those in South Orange. I don't know how useful they are"

Good news and bad news in 2 short sentences. (sorry to be out of date, i've been away for a long time)

Random thoughts.

Conspicuosity It was a word that appeared on the U.S. D.O.T. website. It referred to the ability to be seen. One of the problems with pedestrians and bike riders is the dark clothing they wear, especially in twilight hours. 

Speeding.  There are random appearances of police cars on Parker. Sometimes on Prospect. But ya wanna see speeding? Visit Irvington Avenue. You could pay for two months of donuts with the fines you could accumulate by parking on Essex or Union and clocking cars.

Stop signs. In the Clinton area. Blowing through stop signs is now a local phenomenon.

I was just driving on Valley and drove past someone waiting to cross. He was head to toe in black. I only saw him as I was passing him. 

mrincredible said:

I was just driving on Valley and drove past someone waiting to cross. He was head to toe in black. I only saw him as I was passing him. 

We need better lighting at intersections.  A study of Wyoming, Ridgewood, Prospect, and Burnett Avenue showed that street lighting was inadequate at most intersections on all four roadways.  Some attempt was made to raise the street lights at key intersections but some lights could not be installed/improved due to pre-existing structures (trees, power lines, signs, etc.) where the street lighting should go.  As for midblock illumination at night, including some T intersections, the town has relied for years on asking residents to keep their porch lights on at night to help with street lighting. We need to find a safer way of providing illumination at night if we are to encourage having a walkable town.

mjc said:

Just to add to joan_crystal's note: kids and other pedestrians must look left and right, but at an intersection it's important also to look *behind* them, and *across* the street, for drivers about to make a turn.  This is not in any way to blame pedestrians, just self-preservation. 

Hope these kids are doing well, and hope something can be done about the traffic.  On a wide, straight through street it's easy to go too fast (guilty here long ago), seems as though a campaign of enforcement could help.

PS Near Nassau Bahamas, they had containers on the curb at intersections, with orange caution flags for pedestrians to carry across the street and leave on the other side.  Seemed like a great idea, but i've never seen it in the US.

New Providence has them. And maybe also Chatham. 

Heynj said:

mjc said:

Just to add to joan_crystal's note: kids and other pedestrians must look left and right, but at an intersection it's important also to look *behind* them, and *across* the street, for drivers about to make a turn.  This is not in any way to blame pedestrians, just self-preservation. 

Hope these kids are doing well, and hope something can be done about the traffic.  On a wide, straight through street it's easy to go too fast (guilty here long ago), seems as though a campaign of enforcement could help.

PS Near Nassau Bahamas, they had containers on the curb at intersections, with orange caution flags for pedestrians to carry across the street and leave on the other side.  Seemed like a great idea, but i've never seen it in the US.

New Providence has them. And maybe also Chatham. 

They have them at a few intersections in South Orange along Valley Street/Scotland Road/South Orange Ave.

I still remember crossing Parker at the CVS, in a crosswalk, and some assh*le in a SUV swerving around me into the opposite lane to go through the crosswalk without slowing down.  I suppose I should be grateful they changed lane.  Other times I've had cars honk or even drivers yell at me for walking in the crosswalk.  Seems like some people are really letting their freak fly in the last few years.

That intersection at Oakland and Prospect is a mess, pedestrians routinely have to play chicken in the crosswalk to get across.  Asking kids to walk a few blocks down because drivers are assh*les is putting the responsibility in the wrong place.  Put a traffic light there, let the assh*les fume at lights every few blocks.

Public Update Regarding Prospect Street Pedestrian Crash

This past Monday, a vehicle struck two Maplewood Middle School students who were crossing Prospect Street at the intersection of Oakland Road. The personal impact this crash had on the two students, their families, and friends is immeasurable. It is our duty to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all pedestrians.

The Township has since engaged with our Police Department, Engineering Department, and the public to understand and respond to traffic and pedestrian concerns in the Prospect Street corridor.

As of today, we have implemented the improvements below:

• Added in-street pedestrian crossing signs on Prospect Street between Parker Avenue and Tuscan Street
• Added traffic cones on Prospect Street at the intersection of Oakland Road and Elmwood Avenue to visually restrict the roadway and reduce vehicle speed, pending permanent improvements
• Increased traffic enforcement on Prospect Street
• Began discussing permanent infrastructure improvements at the October 9^th Engineering, Public Works, and Planning subcommittee meeting
• Began discussing permanent public safety improvements at the October 9^th Public Safety subcommittee meeting

Additionally, for the past three weeks, we have deployed a vehicle speed sign trailer on Prospect Street. This trailer will remain on Prospect Street for at least the next three weeks.

The Township Committee and relevant subcommittees will continue to explore improvements/action, such as:

• Addition of crossing guard(s) on Prospect Street
• Installation of permanent curb bump-outs at Prospect Street intersections with Oakland Road and Elmwood Avenue
• Enhanced traffic enforcement measures
• Continued driver education

Pedestrians are encouraged to cross at intersections where crossing guards are present. A full list of crossing guard locations can be found at https://maplewoodpd.org/school-crossing-guard-1. Crossing Guards are currently assigned on Prospect Street at Crescent, Tuscan Avenue, Harvard Avenue, and Springfield Avenue.

Drivers are reminded that they MUST stop for pedestrians in a marked crosswalk and that they may never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk, it’s the law. The speed limit on all Maplewood roadways is 25 MPH, unless otherwise posted. Please always give yourself extra time to arrive at your destination.

We welcome residents to continue to engage with the Township Committee as we discuss temporary and permanent improvements to traffic safety in all of Maplewood.

When prospect is finished paving the Andretti brothers and sisters will come flying through. The only way to stop this madness is to have police presence handing out tickets like Halloween candy. 

I am seeing an increasing number of motorists and pedestrians using Summit as an alternative to Prospect because it has become so difficult for motorists to turn onto Prospect from the intersecting streets and increasingly dangerous for pedestrians to cross intersecting streets such as Elmwood and Oakland because motorists trying to turn onto Prospect are so focused on the Prospect Street traffic that they do not see pedestrians crossing directly in front of their stopped vehicle.  Summit has stop signs at every corner and no sidewalk on either side of the street for several blocks.   As more motorists turn to Summit as an alternative to Prospect, stop signs become ignored and pedestrians have no place to dodge speeding vehicles.  The daily volume of vehicular traffic being quoted for Prospect street is far greater than what Prospect Street was designed to handle.  We need to look reducing the amount of vehicular traffic on Prospect.  Traffic enforcement?  Bump outs? Stop signs?  Traffic lights?  Walking culture? Public transportation?  

joan_crystal said:

I am seeing an increasing number of motorists and pedestrians using Summit as an alternative to Prospect because it has become so difficult for motorists to turn onto Prospect from the intersecting streets and increasingly dangerous for pedestrians to cross intersecting streets such as Elmwood and Oakland because motorists trying to turn onto Prospect are so focused on the Prospect Street traffic that they do not see pedestrians crossing directly in front of their stopped vehicle.  Summit has stop signs at every corner and no sidewalk on either side of the street for several blocks.   As more motorists turn to Summit as an alternative to Prospect, stop signs become ignored and pedestrians have no place to dodge speeding vehicles.  The daily volume of vehicular traffic being quoted for Prospect street is far greater than what Prospect Street was designed to handle.  We need to look reducing the amount of vehicular traffic on Prospect.  Traffic enforcement?  Bump outs? Stop signs?  Traffic lights?  Walking culture? Public transportation?  

We used to live on Summit between Elmwood and Midland. I can attest that Summit was a frequent “workaround” for people who seemingly wanted to avoid Prospect. At the time there was no stop sign on Summit at Midland so it was pretty scary at times how fast people who zoom down to Parker. 

I have to imagine it’s only gotten worse in the last 10 years. 

Two cones were already run down this morning.

Cones are not safety infrastructure, paint is not safety infrastructure, crossing guards are not safety infrastructure. Concrete, asphalt and solid barriers are safety infrastructure.  If the town was serious about slowing folks down, they'd drop jersey barriers in that intersection where the cones are.  

Every day I see otherwise intelligent people jogging in the street with traffic with earbuds jammed in their ears, often making sudden turns without bothering to check surroundings.  It amazes me that people take the time to research and purchase running shoes, shorts etc. but never take the time to learn how to run safely.

It’s painfully simple.  Run against traffic not with. And never wear earbuds while running, period.

BarneyGumble said:

Every day I see otherwise intelligent people jogging in the street with traffic with earbuds jammed in their ears, often making sudden turns without bothering to check surroundings.  It amazes me that people take the time to research and purchase running shoes, shorts etc. but never take the time to learn how to run safely.

It’s painfully simple.  Run against traffic not with. And never wear earbuds while running, period.

Then --- nighttime.  On bikes or walking wearing dark and/or black clothing. Runners at night usually have reflective gear. Some bikers depend on little but the the small, red light on back of their bike.

Road walking. Small correction. Advice is to walk against the traffic. My club has hikes that involve being on roads for short spaces. We followed that advice until I pointed out that you better off walking WITH traffic on roads at the point of a curve with no visibility ahead or a hill, where the driver can't see you until he reaches the top of the hill. If you are just below the top of the hill, you are in danger.

We now cross over to walk with the traffic in such situations,

Do we worry that the intentional integration plan requires many kids to walk much farther than they otherwise would have to walk, crossing many more intersections and by definition increasing the risk that more accidents, injuries or worse will happen.  
Our middle schoolers and older have to walk as many as 2 miles each way.  That is a lot of incremental risk.  I don’t see any issue that trumps children’s safety.  

Construction has begun on Prospect to erect "traffic calming" cutouts. 

One one hand, I support making the roads safer for pedestrians. O.T.O.H., it takes an average of 15 to 20 minutes to drive about 4 miles from Clinton school area to 78. This, during morning rush hour. Add more obstacles and a 40 unit apartment complex ....W.T.F.? 

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Construction has begun on Prospect to erect "traffic calming" cutouts. 

One one hand, I support making the roads safer for pedestrians. O.T.O.H., it takes an average of 15 to 20 minutes to drive about 4 miles from Clinton school area to 78. This, during morning rush hour. Add more obstacles and a 40 unit apartment complex ....W.T.F.? 

why don’t you take Essex off of elmwood and go around to Springfield ave? 

Jaytee said:

why don’t you take Essex off of elmwood and go around to Springfield ave? 

Answer: street after street of stop signs,

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Construction has begun on Prospect to erect "traffic calming" cutouts. 

One one hand, I support making the roads safer for pedestrians. O.T.O.H., it takes an average of 15 to 20 minutes to drive about 4 miles from Clinton school area to 78. This, during morning rush hour. Add more obstacles and a 40 unit apartment complex ....W.T.F.? 

It takes 20 minutes during rush hour to drive from your house to 78 via Prospect Street because there are an average of 12,000 vehicles traveling on Prospect Street each day, with traffic being especially heavy during am rush hour due to proximity to multiple schools.  This is an awful lot of traffic for a residential street of single family homes.  The bump outs by Elmwood and Oakland are needed to prevent motorists from passing vehicles on the right that are stopped to allow pedestrians in the marked crosswalks there to cross safely.  Slowing down the speeding traffic is exactly the point.