METUCHEN — Surrounded by Edison, the fifth-largest township in the state, borough officials have made traffic and pedestrian safety one of their top priorities.
The Metuchen Traffic and Transportation Committee, established in 1970, investigates and advises the mayor and Borough Council on easing traffic congestion and improving traffic safety in town. The members — Jim Wallace, council liaison; Kenneth Bauer, police liaison; Dan Lebar, committee chairman; and Carol Klein, James Galeota, Tom Hansen, David Gaier, Tom Hansen, Tyreen Reuter and alternate Robert James — meet the second Wednesday of each month at Borough Hall.
The group is currently working on several pedestrian safety initiatives, which include providing flags in a canister attached to the poles at non-lighted crosswalks. A pedestrian would take a bright orange flag and hold or wave it while crossing the street. The pedestrian would then place the flag it in a canister attached to a pole on the other side.
Crosswalks considered for this program include those at Oak Avenue and Route 27, near Metuchen High School on Grove Avenue, and near Congregation Neve Shalom, also on GroveAvenue. The crosswalks there do not light up like those at Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue; Main Street and Hillside Avenue; and Center Street and Middlesex Avenue.
Committee member Reuter said the committee has done some research, looking at towns such as South Plainfield and cities such as Charleston, S.C., which have implemented the flags. The flags were also used in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the 2002 Olympics.
Some concerns discussed were the potential for the flags being stolen and how they would be maintained.
Reuter said local businesses could sponsor and maintain flag canisters by “adopting” them. She said the committee is looking into partnering with Keep Middlesex Moving (KMM), Middlesex County’s nonprofit transportation management association, in this free-of-charge endeavor.
The committee recommended the program to borough officials, and Mayor Thomas Vahalla is expected to discuss it with KMM in the near future. Before moving forward, representatives of KMM would be expected to meet with the Borough Council to discuss the initiative.
The Traffic and Transportation Committee has also distributed educational flyers and pamphlets. On June 9, information on pedestrian safety was displayed for people who attended Metuchen Family Fun Day at the Old Franklin Schoolhouse.