Crosswalk Safety Is Goal Of New Blinking Signs In Hazlet

HAZLET, NJ — Three new crosswalk signal signs along Laurel and South Laurel Avenues are the first of several to be installed to improve pedestrian safety here, the township has announced.

The new “blinkersign” systems are designed to alert drivers to pedestrians trying to cross the road. A pedestrian can push a large button to alert drivers they wish to cross.

Approaching drivers will immediately see flashing lights studded into the sign border. These lights, powered by solar, are designed to be seen from a distance, even in bright sunshine, the township said in a new release.

“In 2016, we had a fatal accident in Hazlet at Sixth Street,” said Township Committeeman Skip McKay, recalling an incident that took the life of 39-year-old Yuwen Wang of Hazlet.

“I noticed these signs in use in Florida and thought this would be a good use of our ARPA funds.”

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 encourages municipalities to invest in public safety.
Hazlet Township has used $62,213 of its ARPA funds to purchase 26 new pedestrian signs for 13 crosswalks.

So far, the Dept. of Public Works has installed them at Laurel Avenue and Sixth Street, and also on South Laurel at Lillian Drive and Adam Place.
Other proposed locations include:

• Union Avenue and Hazlet Middle School Ball Field
• Union Avenue and Angela Circle
• Middle Road and Raritan High School/Concord
• Middle Road and Green Acres Drive/California
• Middle Road and Lynn Blvd
• Middle Road and Bromley
• Middle Road and Coach Drive East/ Coach Drive
• Poole Avenue and Ned Drive
• Beers Street and Dogwood Lane
• Beers Street and Linda Place /Rutgers Street

Hazlet Police Chief Ted Wittke and Patrolman Patrick Wood of the Traffic Safety Bureau invite the public to give input on problem crossings they don’t see on this list.

The crosswalk systems complement a pedestrian safety initiative by the police to make crossing the street safer in Hazlet.

Hazlet Police received $13,460 for a 2022 NJ Pedestrian Safety Enforcement and Education Grant. Two officers have been trained through AAA North America to set up and run Pedestrian Decoy Education and Enforcement details.

Recently, the police ran a decoy event at Sixth Street, resulting in the issuing of warnings to 33 drivers. The drivers received a printed flyer to educate them on the law pertaining to pedestrians in crosswalks, the news release said.

Under state law, motorists must stop for a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk. Failure to do can result in 2 points and a $200 fine, plus court costs, 15 days of community service and insurance surcharges. Wood said the drivers must wait until the pedestrian exits the crosswalk on the other side.

Pedestrians also share a responsibility to cross safely. They must obey pedestrian signals and use crosswalks at signalized intersections or face a $54 fine, the news release said.