ISSUES
Traffic Safety
Improving traffic safety is an essential component of building a safer, healthier community where our children, seniors, and community members are protected when they walk, bike, or drive. Traffic issues in East Trenton have long been overlooked, but the East Trenton Collaborative and East Trenton residents are dedicated to addressing these issues to improve everyone’s quality of life.
The Traffic Safety Community Organizing Committee (TSCOC) is a resident-led community organizing committee that was established in January 2020. Its mission is to work together with city, county, and state officials, and other like-minded organizations to improve conditions that result from poorly maintained roads, poor public transportation, poor street lighting, high car speeds, and illegal truck traffic. By addressing these issues the committee aims to reduce if not eradicate car accident fatalities in the neighborhood.
TSCOC meets regularly to work towards the following goals:
Address excessive speeding on residential streets.
Improve roads that are damaged from potholes.
Redirect truck traffic in the neighborhood appropriately.
Improve safety at intersections, including adding more crossing guards.
Improve driver awareness and education on local traffic laws.
Gain support for other traffic safety improvements by the City of Trenton.
Create more press coverage for traffic accidents to increase traffic safety awareness.
TSCOC collaborates with several local transportation organizations active here in Trenton to achieve these goals. These organizations include the Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association (GMTMA), Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Trenton Cycling Revolution, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, and members of the Trenton Health Team’s Complete Streets Committee.
TSCOC is composed of ten East Trenton residents and is looking to grow! If you are interested in joining, contact Shereyl.
4.4 M
AMERICANS ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS EACH YEAR
54%
of road traffic deaths are pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists
$871
BILLION Dollars is THE COST TO US CITIZENS OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIETAL IMPACT OF ROAD CRASHES
Over 30
fatal car accidents in Trenton since 2016
Our Progress So Far
The Traffic Safety Community Organizing Committee has been hard at work addressing traffic safety issues in the East Trenton community.
Listening Session with NJDOT Commissioner
East Trenton residents asking questions about traffic safety at the DOT Listening Session
On March 5th, 2020, TSCOC held a listening session with NJ Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, Mayor of Trenton Reed Gusciora, County Engineer George Fallat, and over fifty East Trenton residents to address traffic issues in the community. The three main topics discussed were conditions on North Olden Avenue, truck traffic, and pedestrian and bike safety in the neighborhood. This historic event brought three levels of government together, and was the first time NJ DOT Commissioner Gutierrez-Scacceti attended a community listening session.
East Trenton Walking Tour
East Trenton residents and Mayor Gusciora surveying East Trenton streets during the walking tour
On Saturday, June 6th, TSCOC, along with the Civic Engagement Committee, the Environmental Safety Committee, and other East Trenton residents, hosted Mayor Reed Gusciora, Trenton Public Works Director Wally Onitiri, Sergeant Lamin from Community Affairs at the Trenton Police Department, and other city officials on a walking tour of the neighborhood. Organized in response to issues discussed at ETC’s virtual Meet the Mayor forum on May 22nd, the walking tour aimed to create a direct dialogue between the residents and the Mayor about some specific issues in the community that the city can take action to address. During the walking tour, city officials were able to see road conditions in the neighborhood first hand, which lead to several road improvements letter in the summer of 2020.
East trenton Open Streets
Lawrence Street being repaved in preparation for Open Streets events
During the summer of 2020, TSCOC worked with the Parks Conditions Committee, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Trenton Health Team, and the City of Trenton to organize a series of Open Streets Events to give East Trenton residents more options to spend time outside safely with their families. The project saw the temporary closure of Lawrence Street to car traffic, along with games and activities to allow residents to have more space to be outside while maintaining proper social distancing policies. ETC held Open Streets events on six Saturday afternoons in August and September, which included a mobile bike repair station with Trenton Cycling Revolution, a pop-up skate park with Freedom Skate Park, the installation of a decorative crosswalk in collaboration with Project MOVE, two clothing drives, and other activities. The events had a lasting impact on the area, as the City of Trenton repaved Lawrence Street and added multiple traffic calming measures including 2 speed bumps and 3 new crosswalks. These traffic calming measures will help children and families safely cross Lawrence Street to access neighboring George Page Park.
Project M.O.V.E.’s decorative crosswalk installation on freshly paved Lawrence Street
East Trenton kids learning to skate on the resident-opened streets at our George Page Park 2021 Open Streets Event
ETC hosted a second series of Open streets during the Summer of 2021, this time with varying events being held at George Page Park, Sonny Vereen Park, and Breunig Ave Park. This series was created as a way to once again activate our city parks and draw attention to traffic safety concerns in the community, but also as a way to engage with residents and one another safely during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Road improvements in east trenton
Crosswalks being installed at the intersection of North Olden and North Clinton
TSCOC has also been working with the City of Trenton to identify priority areas for road improvements to benefit traffic and pedestrian safety. Following the Listening Session with TSCOC in March, the City of Trenton completed the much-needed repainting of the crosswalks at the intersection of North Clinton Ave and North Olden Ave, right in front of the East Trenton Center.
Taylor Street in East Trenton being repaved
During the summer of 2020, the City of Trenton repaved 11 streets in the East Trenton neighborhood. Many of these streets were riddled with large potholes, which were the most commonly identified concern that residents experienced while driving in the neighborhood as reported in our 2019 East Trenton Neighborhood Survey. Some of the streets that were repaved include: Taylor St, Hart Ave, and Sherman Ave.
East Trenton Traffic safety Audit
TSCOC along with ETC staff walked our streets during the summer of 2022 to identify dangerous areas for cars, bikes, and pedestrians, and compiled these findings, into a newly created Traffic Safety Audit. This audit details the areas of East Trenton that present a danger to the community and prescribe ways to improve these problem areas. This report has been shared with City of Trenton officials and has been mentioned by Mayor of Trenton Reed Gusciora as a template for future city improvements.
How You Can Help
Join the Traffic Safety Community Organizing Committee
The Traffic Safety Community Organizing Committee meets once per month to discuss the next steps in what needs to get done regarding traffic safety in the East Trenton neighborhood. To get involved, contact Shereyl.
Call your City, County, or State Elected on this issue
East Trenton residents can contact the Mayor of Trenton Reed Gusciora, Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, County Executive Brian Hughes, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, or State Senator Shirley K. Turner about traffic safety issues you’re concerned about.
Learn more about Traffic Calming Measures
Traffic calming measures use physical features and design to improve traffic safety. These include narrowed streets, speed bumps, and bump-outs.