Fix This Deadly Stretch Of Road In The Oranges, Assemblywoman Says

EAST ORANGE, NJ — Karl Smith’s tragic death on Freeway Drive in the Oranges wasn’t the first fatal accident to take place on the busy stretch of roadway. And unless something changes, it won’t be the last, according to New Jersey Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake.

On Thursday, Timberlake – who represents the state’s 34th District – was one of several local officials to attend a news conference in East Orange (watch the video below).

The gathering was held to highlight the “hazardous and often fatal conditions” on Freeway Drive in East Orange and Orange, Timberlake said.

According to the assemblywoman, “poor traffic light synchronization and limited crosswalk hardware” have been behind “too many” crashes and accidents on the busy stretch of roadway in recent years.

The most recent fatal accident claimed the life of Smith, a resident who was hit by a car while crossing Freeway Drive, she said.

“Unfortunately, Karl's death on Freeway Drive is not the first,” Timberlake said. “Unless proper measures are taken, injuries and fatalities will still likely occur.”

“In collaboration with the municipalities of Orange and East Orange, county and state, we must do everything we can from a public safety perspective to ensure that we protect our residents to the best of our ability,” she added.

“We need common sense solutions such as delayed traffic lights, interactive ADA crosswalk signage, identifying blind spots for pedestrians and drivers, banning skateboards and bikes, and fixing crumbling sidewalks for our residents,” Timberlake said.

Several people concurred with the assemblywoman on social media. Seen online:

• “I was just in a horrible accident on Dec. 30 due to an illegally parked Pepsi truck and totaled my vehicle! Right outside of 7-Eleven on freeway drive! That intersection is crazy … Something definitely has to be done!”
• “Those lights need a delay. I watched a SUV speed through and run the light at S. Clinton and Freeway this morning as I was staring at the green on my end to go. I’ve thankfully lived in this city long enough to know, to wait a few seconds before going.”
• “Some drivers are using Freeway Drive as a speed strip. Quite unsafe for pedestrians and other law-abiding drivers!”
• “I've lost a few tires traveling that route just to get to work. So the sooner fixed, the better.”

Representing the City of Orange alongside Councilwoman Adrienne Wooten were Captain Brian Mooney and Lieutenant Greg Johnson of the Orange Police Department and Private Michael Dawson from the Orange Fire department.

Representing the City of East Orange alongside Mayor Ted Green were East Orange Public Safety Director Maurice Boyd and Police Chief Phyllis Bindi, who spoke directly about what has been done in recent years to address this issue at the local level.

“As the assemblywoman mentioned earlier, there have been 994 accidents on Freeway Drive in the past four years alone,” Boyd said. “Our public safety division has increased vehicle enforcement as well as signage to encourage vehicular traffic to slow down.”

“In collaboration with our neighbors in the City of Orange, we have been working very hard here in the great city of East Orange to make sure our residents can safely travel across Freeway Drive and make it back home to their families,” Green said. “Our outreach today is to broadcast the sense of urgency and ensure that action is taken from a public safety perspective here on Freeway Drive east and west.”

Essex County Public Works Director and County Engineer Sanjeev Varghese said the county has also been working on the issue.

“The county has created recommendations to mitigate accidents on Freeway Drive,” Varghese said. “We are asking the state to fund these efforts and put this issue at the top of their priority list for short- and long-term solutions.”

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