More photos/details of ACCIDENT #7 (in just 11 months):
http://www.07090.blogspot.com/2012/03/accident-7-at-central-clovervehicle.html

Haas and Kimmins got it right....impeach the rest

To First Ward Councilman Frank Arena- There's your "compelling content" that the traffic safety experts (Gordon Meth / Pennoni) and 94% of Patch readers participating in the Patch poll ARE right and that you, Mayor Skibitsky and the other council members are WRONG (EXCEPT Council members Haas and Kimmins who should be applauded for speaking up for SAFETY). Perhaps there are other council members who might now start to speak up, rather than just standing by the mayor and his ego. We all make mistakes - but the best of us are willing to own up to our mistakes and take corrective action. Why were the traffic safety expert's recommendations IGNORED? The equipment should be moved now- UNION COUNTY WILL DO IT FOR FREE- at NO COST to Westfield.

Yeah the mid-block hawk light is really working well Skibitsky. It's definitely the safest location in town. What a joke you are. You are really embarrassing yourself. This will be your legacy.

Wish there were more details - like a statement from the driver. I am willing to bet that its the same thing that happened to me (although this appears to have happened in daylight). I bet he/she was driving down Central, doing a reasonable speed and paying attention, and seemingly out of nowhere - a light starts flashing and you instinctively react by slamming on the brakes. Cue the chain reaction behind you. Location of the light notwithstanding... I think the TYPE of light, the one that is off most of the time and only begins flashing when someone presses it - THAT IS THE PROBLEM. If it was a regular traffic light that everyone is used to - GREEN-YELLOW-RED - you would not have these over-reactions by drivers. It happened to me and in creates a sort of instinctive drivers' panic to jam on the brakes. If someone is following close behind you, you're getting rear-ended, or maybe they are veering off into someones' fence. The part that scares me is that if this was caused by someone presssing the button and trying to cross - NOW they are in the crosshairs of a gnarly about to be happening. This thing has to go - it's just a bad design, and possibly a bad location.

From 2002 to 2009, there were ELEVEN accidents at that location. That’s ELEVEN accidents in EIGHT YEARS. Then, Mayor Skibitsky IGNORED the traffic safety experts’ recommendations and installed a confusing type of light at a confusing location- CAMBRIDGE/someone's driveway. The result ELEVEN accidents at that location in just TWO YEARS (2010-2011). Instead of improving safety, the Mayor improved danger. UNION COUNTY will move the equipment from Cambridge to Clover for FREE. See more details at http://www.07090.blogspot.com/2012/03/accident-7-at-central-clovervehicle.html

If you watch the traffic on Central it is plain to see that drivers are above the speed limit, not paying attention and always in a hurry to get somewhere. I travel Central Ave. daily and make a left turn onto Clover. I always hug the center line and keep any eye in my mirror just to be safe. At least 2 or 3 times a month someone behind me isn't paying attention and at the last minute sees me wanting to turn and has to take evasive measures. I agree the light is in a stupid place, but how do you explain all of the other car 'accidents' across town?

For those who don't live in major cities, car travel is the only choice for transportation as opposed to being able use a bus, streetcar, subway, or train. The mistakes our fellow flawed human beings make while driving automobiles can result in deadly consequences no matter how well traffic safety engineers do their jobs. It's like requiring everyone to carry a gun to protect themselves instead of having a police department.

If you want safer roads, give more people the option to travel via mass transportation. The Caraccidents.com web site reports 115 people die every day in vehicle crashes in the United States -- one death every 13 minutes. Imagine how people would howl were terrorism killing one American every 13 minutes.

The Westfield Leader has a quote on the front page that is kind of ironic relative to last night’s accident #7. It was probably printed more or less around the time that the Mercedes was being loaded onto the tow truck and the yellow “POLICE LINE-DO NOT CROSS” tape was being placed on the recently driven into fence. This quote of the day comes from Union County Freeholder Al Mirabella: “… that [Cambridge] was the right place to put [the light]… I support the Westfield resolution they [Mayor/Council] passed [to keep the light where it is]. I am not in favor of moving the light to [Clover]. I think it is safe where it is.”

I think someone is drinking from the same Kool-Aid container as Mayor Skibitsky.

Jim LaRegina is obviously a LIBERAL and everyone should know that LIBERALISM IS A MENTAL DISORDER. Jim I hope you get the help that you need. Your comment is pathetic and anyone who chooses to be a liberal is gutless!

Enough about this traffic light. The people that are causing these accidents are terrible drivers and the people that are speeding behind them and have to swerve not to hit them deserve to cash because they were probably on a cell phone or at least were not paying enough attention, this has nothing to do with a light it has to so with terrible driving...

I LOVE how patch is using its own articles to make other news. 94% of the people are against it? Patch, please post the IP addresses (or at least the counts) of the number of different people "voted". I watched the vote. 650 "people" voted no in the first day, then <10 the next couple of days, and then another 650 about 6 days later. Guess people against it all have the same schedule and vote in packs.

Lucagee1 wrote: "The people that are causing these accidents are terrible drivers and the people that are speeding behind them… were probably on a cell phone or… not paying enough attention, this has nothing to do with a light it has to do with terrible driving..."

Response: If you can provide data for a few DOZEN or so other locations in Westfield where there have been somewhere in the ballpark of ELEVEN accidents over a recent two year period, then you could have a good point. But, I don’t think such data exists. The traffic safety experts hired by the town said the equipment would be best at Clover. The mayor IGNORED the experts and instead, had the equipment installed 120 feet to the south at Cambridge. The equipment he selected and location he selected, MANY people have stated, are CONFUSING DRIVERS into having accidents and near-accidents.

Sally McBride wrote: “650 "people" voted no in the first day, then <10 the next couple of days, and then another 650 about 6 days later. Guess people against it all have the same schedule and vote in packs.”

Response: Or, maybe all the dialogue (including yours) on Patch’s website attracted other readers to join in and vote. I also think Culligan makes a great point. While I think Culligan’s situation where 10 different people used the same computer to vote is probably not the norm, one cannot outrule the possibility that such situations may have taken place – for BOTH sides – “for” or “against” the mayor's actions. A more likely scenario could be husband and wife (or other members of the same household) voting from the same computer. That’s not only possible, but it’s also highly likely. I would not find it unusual to see two (or even three) votes from one IP address- that would NOT be an indicator of massive “fraud” in voting. If, however, dozens or more votes come from one IP address then, yes, you could have a good point, and even then, just to the extent of those particular votes. But, only Patch could tell us that. We’d have to see if the people at Patch respond to your comment.

Poll or no poll, the accident data speaks for itself. I am a little ashamed, as a resident of Westfield, to say that I don't follow the town politics that closely. I brush up at election time, and pretty much slack off in the interim. However, this issue has really brough to light for me that our current mayor is stubborn, hard headed and willing to risk public safety rather than admit he is wrong on an issue. The impact of the light on property values, the Patch poll, the expert reports are all SECONDARY to the safety of those walking, biking and driving on the roads. This change has resulted in an enormous increase in accident frequency - no one can deny that. Yes, there are some pretty bad drivers out there, and we all have to be on our game defensively when we are driving, but the bad drivers were out there before the pedestrian light was installed and only resulted in a couple of accidents a year at this location. The bad drivers aren't going away -- matter of fact, one could make an argument that there will be more as the texting generation continues to get their drivers licenses. Why would we want to keep an obstacle like this one when we have the chance to correct it? I feel very bad for the people who live in the stretch of Central near Clover -- I expect they will be hearing a lot of screech/crash/sirens in the future until this is corrected. I hope it doesn't take someone getting killed for this to be addressed.

Imagine a child playing on the other side of that fence. Incredible. At the very least...if the town feels the need to "win", keep the light there and put up a much needed light on the interesection of Central and Clover. Has it gotten this silly?

I'm a Frances Terr resident and I used to walk on Central Ave to cross over to the Cambridge side to walk with my 2 yr old daughter. I won't anymore in fear that someone is going to come up onto the sidewalk, just like the other day, and hit us.
The light is ridiculous and needs to be removed and a regular traffic light needs to be installed at the corner. The accident the other day had nothing to do with the pedestrian light, it was a car trying to avoid a kid running and then trying to avoid the car making a left onto Clover. His only resort was going up the curb. I'm sure speed played a factor in it. He should've been able to stop in time to avoid the other car.
Had there been a regular light there, it probably woudn't have happened. I live close enough to Central that I have heard all the screeching and crashing over the last 2 years of this insane light being there. Swallow your pride Mayor and move the light already.

Pride comes before the fall and the Mayor is extremely pride filled. On a side note pride is man's greatest sin.

The Westfield Police Department’s official records now provide sufficient data to determine whether or not the Mayor’s changes have made the 113 foot stretch of roadway between Cambridge and Clover safer. Here is what the accident reports show... There have been FIFTEEN ACCIDENTS on this 113 foot stretch of roadway since the workers broke ground installing the equipment in the Summer of 2010 (about 20 ½ months ago).

During the PREVIOUS 8 ½ YEARS, from Jan 1, 2002 through approximately June 30, 2010 (pre-construction), according to Westfield Police Department records, there were 11 accidents on this same 113 foot stretch of roadway. That’s 11 accidents in 8 ½ years or about 3,100 days which works out to an average of about one accident every 282 days or a little more than 1 accident per year. Let’s round that to the nearest whole number - ONE ACCIDENT PER YEAR. Apparently, the Mayor was so alarmed by accidents taking place at such a rate that he hired a traffic safety expert to provide safety recommendations. He should be applauded for making that determination and hiring a traffic safety expert to investigate and provide recommendations to improve safety.

The expert then recommended that a light should be placed at Clover. The Mayor decided, instead, to place a light at Cambridge (a very confusing type of light in a very confusing place). Let’s see what happened next…

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During the 2nd half of 2010, this 113 foot stretch of roadway experienced SIX ACCIDENTS (Jul 9, Jul 22, Aug 22, Aug 24, Sep 26, Oct 25). In 2011, there were SIX ACCIDENTS (Jan 7, Apr 25, Sep 12, Sep 21, Oct 27, Dec 14). So far in 2012, there were THREE ACCIDENTS (Jan 25, Feb 9, Mar 14). That’s 15 accidents in about 619 days which works out to an average of about one accident every 41 days or about NINE(!) ACCIDENTS PER YEAR(!!).

For this 113 foot stretch of roadway, AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 1 ACCIDENT PER YEAR HAS NOW INCREASED TO AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 9 ACCIDENTS PER YEAR!!

The data is COMPELLING!

Why was the mayor concerned to seek experts when that 113 foot stretch of roadway was experiencing about 1 accident per year? Why does he now seem UNCONCERNED now that this 113 foot stretch of roadway is experiencing about 9 accidents per year?

Answer – If he shows concern, then he’ll have to admit that IGNORING the experts was a mistake.

He’d rather jeopardize OUR safety than admit having made a mistake. Isn’t he supposed to represent us (the People)?

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Cost is not a concern since UNION COUNTY said they would move the equipment for FREE- at no cost to Westfield taxpayers. So why not move the equipment? Why not look at the accident data from The Westfield Police Dept., conclude that a misjudgment took place, and do what the safety experts recommended – a light at Clover, rather than Cambridge.

THE CURRENT SITUATION IS MUCH TOO DANGEROUS! SAFETY SHOULD BE THE MAYOR’S #1 CONCERN FOR THIS 113 FOOT STRETCH OF ROADWAY!

Raw data used in the above analysis was obtained from TFOTM/Westfield Police Dept. official records. See link: http://www.07090.blogspot.com/2012/03/video-mayor-is-not-traffic-safety.html

@Brendan Galligan

I don’t have a website. The website you’re referring to is TFOTM (http://www.07090.blogspot.com/) which is operated by retired Westfield Police Officer / Westfield resident and recent town council candidate Gregory Kasko. He obtained the raw data from Westfield Police Department official records (official accident reports). I’m sure he can post those reports on his website. Alternatively, they can be obtained in person at Westfield Police Dept. 425 E Broad St., Westfield, NJ 07090.

How do you deem this data to be “manipulated”? These are real accidents from real police reports and which have been reported in the real media when they’ve occurred (Patch/Westfield Leader). Even if you don’t like Greg Kasko, how can you not find it compelling that there have been FIFTEEN ACCIDENTS at that location since July 1, 2010 (approx date construction began). Meanwhile, that same location only experienced about ONE accident for each of the prior 8 years. That seems pretty compelling.

Why do you disagree with all of the traffic safety experts who recommended that a standard traffic light be installed at Clover? Why do you agree with the mayor who ignored the traffic safety experts and instead had a confusing light installed at a confusing location (113 feet south of Clover, at Cambridge) instead?

As for his selection from Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” album, that’s between him and the guys in the band. I’m not familiar with copyright law.

16th ACCIDENT (4/12/2012 at 3:45pm) since construction and (driver) confusion began.

2010: Jul 9, Jul 22, Aug 22, Aug 24, Sep 26, Oct 25
2011: Jan 7, Apr 25, Sep 12, Sep 21, Oct 27, Dec 14
2012: Jan 25, Feb 9, Mar 14, Apr 12 (today)

That’s 16 accidents in about 648 days which works out to an average of about one accident every 41 days or about NINE(!) ACCIDENTS PER YEAR(!!). During the PREVIOUS 8 ½ YEARS that location had about ONE ACCIDENT PER YEAR. This data seems pretty COMPELLING. The equipment should be moved from Cambridge to CLOVER (where originally recommended by the traffic safety experts). Union County will do this for FREE, at no cost to Westfield taxpayers. An increase from about 1 accident per year to about 9 accidents per year is compelling- the traffic safety experts' advice should be implemented.

More details at: http://www.07090.blogspot.com/

This morning while I was drving down Central Ave heading towards the Parkway, a car pulled out from Clover and onto Central in front of me without stopping. No light, HAWK or no HAWK would prevent careless people from having accidents. Coming home and heading back up Central, I have seen many people try to pass drivers attempting to turn onto Clover on the right. An accident waiting to happen there, too (HAWK or No HAWK). Drivers on Central are going 45-50mph and cannot slow down fast enough when someone ahead of them signals for a turn.