Plans For Montclair Intersection Will Boost Pedestrian Safety: County

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A traffic “modernization” project is coming to the Watchung Plaza intersection in Montclair, county officials said Tuesday, adding that it will help to improve pedestrian safety in the area – an ongoing concern that has been building up steam in the past few months.

The improvements at Watchung Avenue and Park Street will also improve the flow of motor vehicle traffic through the commercial district, according to Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr.

According to DiVincenzo, the plan calls for the introduction of traffic signals and enhanced roadway striping to regulate the flow of motor vehicles traveling through the area and provide safe crossing for pedestrians. In addition, motor vehicle traffic exiting the Watchung Avenue Extension Lot will only be able to make a right turn onto Watchung Avenue.

Essex County has awarded a professional services contract with Klein Traffic Consulting from West Orange to design the intersection improvements. Once the engineering plans are complete, the project will be put out for a public bid, the county executive said.

“Updating our infrastructure and making sure our roads are safe for our pedestrians and motorists has been one of our ongoing priorities,” DiVincenzo said.

“Because of the unique configuration of the Watchung Plaza intersection and vibrancy of the Watchung commercial district, we wanted to make sure that we were providing the most up-to-date conditions to maximize safety,” he said.

“The improvements we are planning will address concerns shared with us by residents and Montclair officials,” DiVincenzo added.

The announcement got a round of applause from Montclair resident Brendan Gill, who serves as a county commissioner.

Earlier this month, Gill said he was “disturbed” after a car-pedestrian strike in the township, which took place at the intersection of Upper Mountain Avenue and Normal Avenue. He pushed for speed reduction and traffic calming in the town’s residential areas, and said he was “working closely” with the Township of Montclair and DiVincenzo on the issue.

• See related article: Official Calls For Change After Car Hits Pedestrian In Montclair

Montclair Town Council members Peter Yacobellis and Robin Schlager have been working with the county on the Watchung Plaza improvement plan. Yacobellis supported the county's announcement on Tuesday, saying that it "prioritizes and funds work at this crucial intersection, where we’ve seen too many accidents involving motorists, pedestrians and cyclists take place."

"This is yet one more step towards making our streets safer," Yacobellis said. "I look forward to reviewing the plans with our constituents in the area."

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