Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Councilman James Collander said almost half the accidents in Chatham Borough are caused by distracted drivers.
Drivers distracted by cell phones, grooming, eating or other activities while driving caused about half of all car accidents in Chatham Borough over the last three years, according to a report by Councilman James Collander at the Chatham Borough Council meeting Monday. Collander, the chair of the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Planning Committee, said of the 952 car crashes investigated in 2010, 2011 and 2012, 438, or 46.01 percent of those, were caused by distracted drivers, and most of those are distracted by their mobile phones. "There might be a few that are eating and grooming," Collander said, "but most people are on their phones." Texting while driving in particular hinders driving behavior, Collander said, as much as consuming four …
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Chatham Borough Council will vote on an ordinance that could require certain employees and volunteers to file financial disclosure statements.
The Chatham Borough Council will vote on an ordinance requiring a financial disclosure statement for certain appointed positions in the borough. If the ordinance passes, a disclosure statement will be required "for those appointed positions deemed 'local government officers,'" as defined under New Jersey state law. This includes the mayor, council members, anyone with the power to vote on ordinances or grant zoning variances—meaning members of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment—and executives or confidential employees of the borough A full copy of the ordinance, the first to be introduced in 2013, may be found in the Photos & Documents section of this article. The council will also vote on an amendment to a lease agreement …
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Police warned students against jaywalking, several months before boy was hit, report says.
As the Safe Routes to School Committee lobbies to create additional crosswalks and add sidewalks to streets near Chatham schools, one incident brings home the need for increased safety—and increased education. On Wednesday, Oct. 10, a 13-year-old boy was struck by a car while crossing Lafayette Avenue near Main Street outside the crosswalk. Multiple witnesses confirmed the boy was not using the crosswalk, according to a statement from Chatham Borough Police. Traffic Safety Officer Robert Sweetin spoke at several Chatham schools during April's Walk and Bike to School Week, including at Chatham Middle School. According to two articles which appeared in the Independent Press, Sweetin specifically walked students about the dangers of …
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Main Street operation targets crosswalk laws and cell phone use.
Chatham Borough Police set up their first special enforcement detail along Main Street Wednesday morning. "We're hoping to do this at least monthly," Lt. Brian Gibbons said, "more often when we're getting complaints." The special enforcement began at about 7:30 a.m. and will last until about noon. Police will target drivers who disobey state crosswalk laws in the morning commute hours, especially at Main Street and Coleman Avenue, and cell phone use in the later morning hours. Police Sgt. Jayson Cittrich organized the enforcement detail and put the unit together for the Wednesday morning hours. "He recognized that it's good timing, before school starts and right before the holiday," Gibbons said. Gibbons, dressed in jeans and a hooded pull…
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Traffic, pedestrian safety and Safe Routes to School remain on the agenda for Monday's Chatham Borough Council meeting.
Further discussion of the possible sale of vacant lots within Chatham Borough has been postponed to the Sept. 10 Chatham Borough Council meeting. Borough Engineer Vincent J. DeNave said of the lots, "More work was required to determine if they could be auctioned as building lots or just auctioned as non-buildable lots to adjoining owners." DeNave said residents near the vacant lots proposed for sale have contacted him with comments and concerns. By postponing the discussion, he hopes to have a more detailed proposal based on a "[finalized] wetland review and public feedback." Neighbors said their concerns include whether the lots are or should be buildable, due to lot size, wetland status, the impact on traffic and on quality of life if …
Friday, July 27, 2012
From crosswalk violations to cell phone use, Chatham Borough Police are using summons data and complaints from residents to triage the worst violations in town.
Chatham Borough Police are redoubling their traffic enforcement efforts to target traffic safety in town. Police Lt. Brian Gibbons told the borough council that the police and Traffic Safety Committee "had been approached regarding" several traffic issues, including residents walking in roadways, crosswalk violations and cellular phone use by motorists. "We're working on a more targeted control to get the most out of our time and the officers' billing time," Police Chief Philip J. Crosson said. "We're working on a more focused, redirected inforcement campaign which includes essentially any issues presented in the community," Gibbons said, whether the complaints originate from the council level or from residents. Each traffic complaint is …
As pedestrian safety becomes an increasingly important issue in town, one mother brings her concerns to the Board of Education.
As Chatham Borough, Chatham Township and the School District of the Chathams turn their attention to pedestrian and traffic safety, one township mother faces an issue shared by many. Peter Daquila, the business administrator for the school district, said he received a letter, addressed to the school board, from a parent who lives on Avon Court with a child who will attend Chatham High School in the fall. According to Daquila, the woman wrote in her letter that her son has to walk along River Road to Southern Boulevard to reach Chatham High School each day. The route is known locally as "Snake Hill" because of the sharp turns and steep incline. It has no sidewalks. The district provides free buses for high school students who live more than…
Monday, April 23, 2012
The borough received less grant money than originally anticipated.
The Chatham Borough Council decided Monday to "scale back" the original plan for improvements along Kings Road due to financial constraints. The borough received a grant of $65,000 from the state Department of Transportation, but Engineer Vincent J. DeNave said it "is not enough to do the entire project." Two other grant applications, which would have included milling and paving and pedestrian safety improvements such as mid-block crosswalks and a flashing radar sign for motorists, were denied. DeNave said with the $300,000 the borough already bonded for the project and the grant money, "I want to plan for doing some improvements on Kings Road without additional money." DeNave said he believes the project can be done for about $90,000, …
justanobservation
9:02 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Yep. I see those chat-in-the-middle-of-the-street moms too, expecting everyone else to inch around them as they discuss god knows what. Oblivious or narcissistic, I can't tell. And god forbid you tap the horn on them... you'd think someone just spray-painted their Escalade. Again, can't tell whether it's being stupid or self-absorbed. Probably equal parts of both. more ›