Amid growing concern over pedestrian fatalities, five towns in Bergen County have received $1.8 million in federal grants to make their streets, crosswalks, and railroad crossings safer.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., visited Travell Elementary School in Ridgewood on Tuesday to deliver federal aid to Ridgewood, Hackensack, Englewood, Closter and Midland Park for infrastructure projects meant to address an alarming rise in pedestrian deaths.
Gottheimer cited a recent a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that revealed 30% of the 212 people killed in road accidents in New Jersey in 2021 were pedestrians. That percentage was nearly double the national average of 17%, he said.
“We have a five alarm pedestrian fire in Jersey – and we all need to join efforts to design safer streets and claw back even more federal investments for Jersey towns,” Gottheimer said.