Rolling out of the East Side: the ‘Mori Place Marauders’ want to make biking and walking to school in Red Bank safer.
On a typical morning during the school year, commuters in downtown Red Bank might encounter an unusual sight: a cluster of dozen or so children, accompanied by a parent or two, crossing town from east to west on bicycles.
Led usually by Mori Place resident Marc Dostie, the rolling parade of pedal-powered ducklings crosses heavily traveled Broad Street and Maple Avenue before arriving at its destination, the Red Bank Charter School on Oakland Street.
It’s a healthy, social and environmentally hospitable alternative to automobile travel. It’s also often faster than travel by car. But it’s also somewhat fraught, says Dostie.
“A lot of times I feel I have to choose between a safer ride and a legal ride,” he says, referring to a need sometimes to direct his charges up onto sidewalks to avoid close encounters with parked cars or moving vehicles that hug the right curb.
“We encounter a lot of motorists who don’t seem to understand the rights of way of pedestrians and bicyclists in crosswalks,” he says.
On Wednesday night, a newly formed organization of which Dostie is a member hopes to begin addressing ways not only to improve safety for riders and walkers, but to make Red Bank more conducive to car-free commuting for kids.
Known as Red Bank Safe Routes, the group has arranged a town hall meeting of sorts to start a public dialogue on issues of concern to walkers and bikers, how to address them, and how to pay for those that require outlays.
Some of those fixes might include better signage and bike lanes, proponents say. But the biggest component of the effort, says group spearhead (and redbankgreen tech guru) Jim Willis, is education — of both motorists and bikers — about the rights and responsibilities of walkers and bikers.
“Not every solution is going to involve separate infrastructure,” says Willis, of Harrison Avenue. “That may not be the best solution, and we want to know what the best solutions are.”
And it’s not just about biking, either. Group co-founder Jenny Rossano of Worthley Street notes that the borough board of education earlier this year eliminated busing to the primary school for students who live on the West Side, saving the district some $60,000.
That’s an inducement for a concept known as “walking buses,” whereby parents of children who live farthest from the school accompany groups of kids on foot to the next-farthest group, handing them off to one or more other adults, until the group has reached the school.
The Safe Routes event starts at 7p. Members of the borough council have indicated they’ll attend, and borough engineer Christine Ballard will be there on her own time, at no charge to the borough, according to Willis.
A representative of the borough police department will also be present, as will someone from the state Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program, he says.
There’s more info available at Red Bank Safe Route’s Google Group.
AWESOME!
BRAVO!!
Town officials to coming out to talk about something residents want? must be election season.
These guys got announced at mass this weekend (yes, pension man is holier than thou), and I’ve seen their flyers in town. Mr Willis and co are very well organized.
*These* guys should be running the town. Their web site is better, too, and it was probably free.
Pension man vows to get off his butt and ride his bike today! Pension man rides again!
Agreed! In general, we need dedicated bike lanes, its dangerous around here! Motorists fail to realize that they have to share the road. Between that and drivers failing to yield to crosswalks, its like playing real life frogger or paper boy around town!
“We encounter a lot of motorists who don’t seem to understand the rights of way of pedestrians and bicyclists in crosswalks,”
OK, I’ll bite: I must be one of those motorists who doesn’t understand the rights of bicyclists in a crosswalk. From my reading of NJSA 39:4-14.1,they have none:
39:4-14.1
Rights and Duties of Persons on Bicycles.
“Every person riding a bicycle on a roadway is granted all the rights and subject to all of the duties of the motor vehicle driver.”
One duty of a motor vehicle driver: stay in a traffic lane and off/out of the crosswalks.
Of course I am, like most adults, also a bicycle rider. So are my school-age kids, for whose safety I am very concerned.
But why does every good cause nowadays have to be pursued with a victim-with-a-chip-on their shoulder attitude?
Hi Tom,
Happy to meet a fellow cyclist. Let me address your last point first. I certainly have no ‘chip’ on my shoulder, I hope the article didn’t come off that way. Mr. Ward has the unenviable job of distilling tons of input into it’s essence, perhaps the abbreviation of all that input came across as attitude. Judging by the other feedback, it seems it was received as intended in the large.
On to technicalities - the crosswalk issue that the quote above is alluding to is captured in 39:4-36, “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a marked crosswalk …”. In the context of the quote in the article, I am effectively a pedestrian walking my bike across the street at the crosswalk. I can sit waiting at the crosswalk on either Broad St. or Maple Ave. indefinitely, if there is no crossing guard present. I am aware of the laws regarding bicycle traffic, but the crux of the issue here is, as Mr. Ward effectively captured, I feel that it’s unsafe to have the kids on the streets in certain areas of town.
I’m hopeful that the efforts of everyone involved here will allow us to address the few problem spots we have in town, so your kids, my kids, and everyone else can ride with traffic in the manner intended in 39:4-14.1. FWIW, I appreciate your rigor. See you Wednesday!
-Marc
This is a great initiative! Looking forward to a good discussion on Wednesday. I hope everyone comes with an open mind.
Thanks Marc,
right indeed on both points.
There was another section in the title that talks about the use of helmets when using an unmarked crosswalk. Completely confusing. The whole section needs a thorough overhaul. You would think bicycles are new to the legislature.
Until then, we can’t expect people to be anything but confused.
To your larger point, we should look to Fair Haven as a model. Drive along County Road 10 before school days and see all the kids on their bikes. I’d guess mmaybe even a majority.
why on earth would you ride your bike down peters place at ten to eight in the morning when you know that a school is opening with nineteen different sending districts??
Thanks for all the comments concerning this issue. I am addressing the last poster, rber: The reason we are riding down Peters Pl. is that we have decided it’s the safest route currently. There are crossing guards at each end to help us cross Broad and Maple and all the traffic is facing us so if we ride on the southernmost sidewalk we don’t worry about parked car’s doors. We hope you come to the meeting and help us come up with constructive plans.
Jenny Rossano
One of the changes in public perception I have noticed in my lifetime is the notion that having the legal right to do something means it should be done. Judging the ages of the children from the attached clip, I wouldn’t allow them to ride bikes on a busy thoroughfare no matter how much education I felt they had, the motorists had, anyone had. Accidents are so named because they happen without intent, no matter how aware or educated the people involved may be.
Wow it makes you wonder what is in some peoples heads. They think they are doing good, but they are putting childrens lives in danger. They should see what Red Bank traffic is like that time of day. I counted over 30 school buses on Peters today. It will be dangerous for the kids for sure and I hope they knock this down before a child is killed by a crazy morning or afternoon motorist. If the police want to do something with bikers then make the adult bikers stay off the sidewalks.
Pardrone, the crux of the problem seems to be that, over say the last twenty years, pedestrians and cyclists have inadvertently ceded these rights to motorists – and motorists have taken over – probably completely with out knowing it really. Compounding the problems are the driver distractions – texting, make-up, shaving, etc. that make a bad situation much worse. Put all of that into a geographic area where there virtually NO police enforcement of traffic violations, and yes, accidents DO happen. But smart people (and their insurance companies) do what they can to mitigate the risk of those accidents (its call risk management)…..if they didn’t, I wouldn’t be working in a building with fire sprinklers, or illuminated exit signs, or non-slip coatings on the floors. This effort is ALL about risk management in encouraging (our generally overweight) kids to ride to school….a very worthwhile effort. Red Bank residents are loosing its quality of life – we need to take it back – so please people – get off your Snackwells asses and come support this effort.
If you want to bike to school move to the country. Red Bank is a busy city in the morning.
(sorry for all the grammar errors in that ^^ it was written in haste)
Thanks, nemo, you’re spot on.
But for all those that DON’T support this effort, I’m starting a group called Dangerous Inner City Dead Bank Couch Potatoes. We believe in:
- Over development and auto traffic choking our roads and lungs
- No physical activity whatsoever.
- Free bon-bons at every meeting
- Actually, we don’t have any meetings, we don’t do much other than sit behind computer keyboards and poke holes in quality of life initiatives
Really, people, these guys are doing something good for residents. And ALL the counter arguments are just proving their point, that this needs attention.
“What’s in their heads? …putting lives in danger”? That’s their point.
“Move to the city?” Do you hear yourself? We want better quality of life HERE. That’s their point.
“Wouldn’t allow my kids to ride bikes…”? That’s their point.
You can be damn sure I’ll be there tomorrow night.
Mr. Nemo . . .
not being an idiot, I will always cede my “rights” to an oncoming 3 ton vehicle, a maniac with an AK47 and an onrushing bull elephant. Unlike you, my friend, I don’t believe educating an 8 year old and then putting him/her in harm’s way is the sensible thing to do (whether they’re overweight or not).
Why the anger, Cara? Why do you feel the need to sling insults at people whose only apparent sin is disagreeing with you . . . insults which are not even reality based. You know nothing of the people who have responded to this idea . . . yet your response is insulting and vile. Interesting reaction from “quality of life” advocate.
Guess I’ll be saying it till I’m red (tomato) in the face - THAT’S THEIR POINT!
Please excuse my ire, Padrone. It gets my unit in a knot when I see presumptuous statements about putting kids into harms way, when these guys are trying to remedy the situation. Of course nobody wants to put their kids in harms way. But few of us are willing to do anything about it. Maybe these folks actually have the guts to stand up for the type of town they want. We can cynically debate the points here, but we’re using their supporting arguments against the cause the was spawned to address them. Non sequitur.
It’s not a question of being a pedestrian or not. It’s not a question of riding my bike into town or not. This is my town, and I want to do these things. End of story. There are tons of kids (mostly St James) on these same streets, same exact areas, same crosswalks. Should they all just stay home? The question is how do we make it safer to be a non-automobile.
So in the interest of not being angry, I renounce the incendiary statements in my last post, and hereby disband the DICDBCP anti-group (unless there were paying members!).
please DO NOT blame these traffic woes on St. James. That school has been in red bank for one hundred and thirty-three years. long before any of us, and long before the charter school.
Hi rber, agreed, St James has been there forever, and I’m certainly not blaming them. To their credit, this group is including all kids from all schools in their initiative. I’m saying that this initiative is for the St James kids as well, who happen to be geographically right in the middle of everything.
It seems like the traffic in Red bank is getting so backed up at peak times that people are using residential neighborhood roads as their alternatives. I am frustrated at how fast people drive down my street. I’ve had a pretty large tree knocked down in my yard because a motorist took the intersection turn too fast. Anything to help enforce speed limits and common sense in our neighborhoods would certainly be appreciated.
Its probably the number one reason why we would leave Red Bank and choose to live in a calmer neighborhood.
Good luck srts
Can someone explain to me why my kid can’t take a bus to public school. Are budget cuts that bad? Our taxes are high - i want a bus for my kid! I’m tired of walking in the rain!
Just amazing - a cluster of children that all happen to go to the Charter School (a School? that doesn’t have any streets signs - WTF) they all got in on the “OPEN” lottery - sure they did - Bunch of White Anglo wannabe CRAP!
Hmm… their web site is very clear that this is for all children, regardless of school. They’ve got a map that details a route to every school in town. They don’t limit this to kids and schools, either. They mention all manner of diverse demographic that will be helped through this initiative.
I may be angry, but at least I read before spewing. Thanks, AxMan, for making me look a bit more scholarly.
RBC83 - this out-of-control traffic is the very real threat in living here. Over development will only make it worse. No police enforcement certainly adds to the problem. This cause is very worth while and I encourage you to attend the meeting.
I moved here because it is a city Cara let them walk.
In fact, why don’t we all look at this issue in an even more progressive manner and forbid vehicular traffic in all of downtown Red Bank - create a strictly pedestrian city center, like many towns in Europe. It took me 40 minutes yesterday to drive from the west side of town to the east due to the maddening late afternoon traffic. Just another reason we need some real change here in town - in addition to the ridiculous taxes and brown - and fairly unsettling - tap water.
That would be too BOLD for our town father’s Teach - great idea…awesome idea really, but the myopia around here (it might come from the brown water) would simply never allow something so simply refreshing to happen.
This is NJ, not Europe. If folks were forced to walk a block to get to Broad St., it would become a desert. Look at the constant complaining we have about parking, and there is ample parking within one block of Broad.
Only kids would walk so far. It might be fun for the kids to have their own space, but then I recall _Lord of the Flies_….
…Dan you dolt, that huge newly built jersey outlet mall is built entirely around the concept of walking outside. I realize there are differences, but geographic nationalities have little to do with it – the hurdles are have everything to do with myopic thinking – which you just personified with your out-of-character dismissal out of hand.
Nemo,
Every year or so, the idea of a parking garage raises its head. Why? Because the parking currently available is 1 block from Broad Street.
I’m all for closing Broad to traffic between Front and Harding, and closing Monmouth and White from Broad to Maple, and closing Canal, Linden, Wallace and Mechanic between Broad and Hudson/Globe/the parking lots. I’d also like to close Front from English Plaza to Globe Court, but I’m guessing Riverview would take a dim view of that.
I think maybe we’d end up with some stores where I would buy things. And I only visit the downtown on foot, so it would be ideal for me.
I don’t think my myopia would be the greatest hurdle in closing streets to traffic.
why not just make Broad Street a ONE WAY NORTH and Maple Ave a ONE WAY SOUTH. Then close off the extra lane, move the one way lane to the middle of the road, get rid of the parallel parking and put in head in parking (effectively doubling the parking spaces)…kind of like Milburn.
oh, there is a new parking garage on Front St…
Dan - your posts befuddle me. Your first reply states (condescendingly?) that this is NJ, not Europe (I’ve lived in RB for about 20 years now, thanks) and that people won’t walk into town. I beg to differ. On the contrary, I believe it will create a lively town center (i.e. Church Street in Burlington, VT). Then, in your next post you detail how you actually agree with me. Huh? Am I missing something? And the Lord of the Flies reference totally eludes me. I teach here in Red Bank and I am very familiar with the student population. They are amazing kids. Doubtful they would cause Red Bank to descend into tribal warfare if given extended use of a pedestrian downtown. Bizarre.
OK, the Lord of the Flies reference was just a joke.
I think closing off all the streets would be lovely for me. However, I think it would be a disaster for the landlords. In my crystal ball, I see most of the stores on Broad closing, since they are dependent on people driving in from other towns, and we’d have Dead Bank for a few years, until landlords finally gave up and lowered rents. At that point, stores catering to people who walk would pop up, and maybe some of them would be useful to me.
It wouldn’t be Church St., since we don’t have a major university in town, nor are we an urban center, but it might evolve into something funky and fun.
And my walks to the library would be much nicer.
witchWAYverly,
*LOVE* the one way/parking idea. But I’d:
- leave Maple as is (it’s a state road anyway, we can’t do squat with it)
- shut down Broad
- use your one way/nose-in parking idea to open up bike/ped lanes without losing parking along the routes proposed here.
I’m getting a little excited here, great ideas…
Is it a possibility that we might expect our very hard working,having to make a living, just granted raies, and probably just recieved their retro active pay check police department to help with some of these very issues.
If you look at this post you can see that this blog is attended by not just the regulars and the issue at hand is a important one.
With that said, I would think that the town leaders should learn something from what is being said here, and start using my hard earned tax dollars to help the cause that this group is so right to bring to the table.
Please Mayor and Council, make the police work for us on this issue…..
Some towns have bicycle safety clinics for adult and children.
Its not just a one shot deal, they actually do several through out the year ( as pedestrian and bicycling conditions change through out the year).
This I would think could be a very good public relations and “PUBLIC SERVICE” project for the Police Department.
Witch is on to a really COOL idea here w/ the one way broad street thing… seriously cool idea. Dan, take a look at who hangs out in the RB bars and stuff, then put that with the NEW UO place on the corner, and well, the new demographic is clearly upper middle class, with some disposable income – have to say, that demographic doesn’t mind walking a few blocks. Landlords don’t care about parking, so long as they don’t have to pay for it, landlords care about FOOT TRAFFIC. Making RB a FOOT TRAFIC mecca would help them maintain their silly rents.
If this one-way conjecture proves possible, could there be an application in the manner Carl posited above? Who is expert enough and has the jurisdiction to answer this? T&M? RBPD?
A possible win-win for business, parking issues, and bike/ped. The admin would certainly be praised for their forward thinking. Some streets are too narrow for consideration, but in the aggregate quite a clever solution. Thanks for the effort, waiting for a proof.