To the Editor:

The tragic death of Pinghua Xu at the intersection of Rosedale Road and General Johnson Drive last August should have been the catalyst for significant safety improvements. And yet six months after the accident and almost six years after the intersection was flagged as an area of concern in the New Jersey Safe Routes to School report, pedestrians remain at risk.

Making this intersection safe without impacting the flow of traffic should not be beyond the wit of the local, county, and state authorities. A reduction in the speed limit, better road markings, and improved lighting around the crossing would be a start, but getting drivers to take more care on this stretch of road may be the greater challenge.

I am fortunate to be able to walk my three children to Johnson Park without crossing Rosedale Road, and I believe more families would choose to walk or cycle if a safer crossing was installed. Let’s hope no more lives are lost before this happens. 

Rob Sloan
Fairway Drive