'Tragedy is Waiting to Happen' on Central Ave., Resident Says

The following is a letter to the editor from Adina Toescu-Enculescu of Central Avenue in Westfield.

Mr. Skibitsky and Council Members,  

On September 12, 2013, at 3.15 PM I was about to cross the street in the presence of the cross guard on the famous crosswalk in the mid-block on Central Avenue. If I did not know how dangerous it is, and I put my foot on the pavement, I would be dead now.  FOUR cars flashed by, they did not stop on the red light.  I asked the cross guard to report it.  Her answer was “Why should I report?  They know it”.  I agree with her, you know it. 

At 3.40 PM.  I crossed the road again in her presence.  This time only two cars flashed in front of me and the third stopped ON the crosswalk.  This happens many times a day regardless the light is activated or not. 

As I said in the last meeting, on Saturday June 29, at 10.20 AM, I heard a screech in the street. A lady with a toddler in a stroller and a 6-8 years boy riding a bike were crossing Central on the famous crosswalk in front of my house, and an SUV stopped 2-3 feet from them.  What about it couldn’t stop?   

It is dangerous, it is very dangerous!  I know you don’t care of my safety, you wrote it to me.  It is not about me, Adina Enculescu, it is about safety of all the pedestrians crossing on this crosswalk.  The place is so confusing for the motorists! 17 accidents happened in the last less than 3 years, and only 9 accidents in the 8 previous years, meaning a 5.8 times (580%) increase of the yearly accident rate. These numbers are real, and as far as I heard, they already put even your supporters to think of it.  I bet there is no other place in Westfield and even in Union County with so many accidents per year.   

Mr. Skibitsky, I read your letter to the editor, today, in the Westfield Leader.  Your thanks to people who contacted you, are welcomed.  Unfortunately, your thanks are not heartfelt.  You wrote in your letter that “you believe that input from residents is invaluable” and the residents “have great ideas for the betterment of the community”.  This is not true: 122 people, 53 of them from immediate vicinity of the crosswalk presented a petition and approximately 25 residents asked you numerous times in the Council Meetings to correct the problem on Central Avenue, to move the crosswalk and the light in the intersection where the experts advised!  You refuse to do it and how you disrespectfully you have treated all of us! Why? Don’t you care of the people’s safety at all?  Do you think that your ego is more important that the people’s safety, the people’s life? I am sure that if you corrected that, the number of accidents would be 5 times less and you would gain 5 times more the respect of many, many people.   

This is not an issue between the Westfield Mayor and the home owner and tax payer Adina Enculescu, a retiree.  We are not in competition. This is the issue of Ward 3 people’s safety, of all the people who cross and drive on Central Avenue. 

Not correcting the situation is absolutely irresponsible.  As I said in the last Council meeting, a tragedy is waiting to happen. God forbid, somebody will be injured or killed, what are you going to say?  You will be responsible for not listening to your constituents’ “great ideas” and even for suppressing the Council members to be blind, deaf and mute to this problem.

Are you going to solve this problem for “the betterment of our community”?  I am waiting for your answer and for the Westfield Council Members’ answer. 

Adina Toescu-Enculescu

1310 Central Avenue, Westfield