Kudos to Princeton and Mercer County for implementing a new roundabout on Rosedale (CR604) at Johnson Park Elementary!
A pedestrian was killed by a driver at this location in August 2021, see: https://planetprinceton.com/2021/08/26/pedestrian-struck-by-car-on-rosedal-road-hospitalized/
Earlier in 2021, Princeton Council created a Vision Zero Task Force to identify ways to reduce pedestrian, bicyclist and motorist fatalities, see: https://www.towntopics.com/wordpress/2021/03/10/vision-zero-initiative-focuses-on-pedestrian-and-cyclist-safety/
Implementing roundabouts are a sure-fire way to reduce fatal and injury crashes, according to the Federal Highway Administration’s so-called “Proven Safety Countermeasures”, techspeak for designs proven to improve safety, see: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/roundabouts.cfm
Another proven safety measure (or countermeasure) is to give pedestrians a 3-second head start (by the pedestrian signal with the white walking figure) into an intersection before the cars get a green light, see: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/lead_ped_int.cfm This design would be especially appropriate at Washington and Prosepect, where a pedestrian was killed in 2019, in the crosswalk, with the light, by a driver turning left, see: https://planetprinceton.com/2019/08/05/princeton-doctor-who-was-struck-by-vehicle-while-crossing-washington-road-dies-from-injuries/
Walkways or multi-use paths are yet another proven safety measure, see: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/walkways.cfm Princeton has many such walkways, but not yet extending along Mercer Rd further south than Gallup, where another pedestrian was killed by a hit-and-run driver in 2016, see: https://planetprinceton.com/2017/03/06/princeton-police-driver-who-struck-and-killed-pedestrian-in-september-thought-he-hit-a-deer/
Let’s hope Princeton continues to improve safety for all road users!
Tags: pedestrian safety, Proven Safety Countermeasure, Vision Zero, Walkways