ASSEMBLY, No. 2123
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED JUNE 3, 1996
By Assemblyman AUGUSTINE
An Act concerning in-street pedestrian right-of-way signs and amending R.S.39:4-8.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.39:4-8 is amended to read as follows:
39:4-8. a. Except as otherwise provided in this section, no ordinance or resolution concerning, regulating or governing traffic or traffic conditions, adopted or enacted by any board or body having jurisdiction over highways, shall be of any force or effect unless the same is approved by the Commissioner of Transportation, according to law. The commissioner shall not be required to approve any such ordinance, resolution or regulation, unless, after investigation by him, the same shall appear to be in the interest of safety and the expedition of traffic on the public highways.
b. In the case of totally self-contained streets under municipal jurisdiction which have no direct connection with any street in any other municipality, or in the case of totally self-contained streets under county jurisdiction which have no direct connection with any street in any other county, the municipality or county may, by ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, without the approval of the Commissioner of Transportation, designate reasonable and safe speed limits and erect appropriate signs, designate any intersection as a stop or yield intersection and erect appropriate signs and place longitudinal pavement markings delineating the separation of traffic flows and the edge of the pavement, provided that the municipal or county engineer shall, under his seal as a licensed professional engineer, certify to the municipal or county governing body, as appropriate, that any designation or erection of signs or placement of markings: (1) has been approved by him after investigation by him of the circumstances, (2) appears to him to be in the interest of safety and the expedition of traffic on the public highways and (3) conforms to the current standards prescribed by the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, as adopted by the Commissioner of Transportation.
A certified copy of the adopted ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, shall be transmitted by the clerk of the municipality or county, as appropriate, to the commissioner within 30 days of adoption, together with a copy of the engineer's certification; a statement of the reasons for the engineer's decision; detailed information as to the location of streets, intersections and signs affected by any designation or erection of signs or placement of markings; and traffic count, accident and speed sampling data, when appropriate.
Nothing in this subsection shall allow municipalities to designate any intersection with any highway under State or county jurisdiction as a stop or yield intersection or counties to designate any intersection with any highway under State or municipal jurisdiction as a stop or yield intersection.
c. Subject to the provisions of R.S.39:4-138, in the case of any street under municipal or county jurisdiction, a municipality or county may, without the approval of the Commissioner of Transportation, do the following:
By ordinance or resolution:
(1) prohibit general parking;
(2) designate restricted parking under section 1 of P.L.1977, c.309 (C.39:4-197.6);
(3) designate time limit parking; and
(4) install parking meters.
By ordinance, resolution or regulation:
(1) designate loading and unloading zones and taxi stands;
(2) approve street closings for periods up to 48 continuous hours; and
(3) designate restricted parking under section 1 of P.L.1977, c.202 (C.39:4-197.5).
Nothing in this subsection shall allow municipalities or counties to establish angle parking or to reinstate or add parking on any street, or approve the closure of streets for more than 48 continuous hours, without the approval of the Commissioner of Transportation.
d. A municipality may, by ordinance, in any street in a central business district under its jurisdiction, install or place an in-street pedestrian crossing right-of-way sign at a marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. The installation shall be subject to guidelines that shall be issued by the Commissioner of Transportation after consultation with the Director of the Office of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department of Law and Public Safety. The guidelines shall be aimed at ensuring safety to both pedestrians and motorists including, but not limited to, the proper method of sign installation, dimensions, composition of material, proper placement points and maintenance. A claim against a municipality for damage or injury under this subsection for a wrongful act or omission shall be dismissed if the municipality is deemed to have conformed to the guidelines required hereunder.
(cf: P.L.1995, c.412, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill is designed to improve the safety of pedestrians in central business districts who cross streets either at marked crosswalks or unmarked crosswalks at intersections. It authorizes municipalities to place pedestrian warning signs in the streets at locations under their jurisdiction. Crosswalk warning signs appear to cause drivers to be more conscious of pedestrians and concerned about their safety.
Municipalities could install such signs at their own discretion but must comply with safety-related guidelines to be issued by the Commissioner of Transportation after consulting with the Director of the Office of Highway Traffic Safety. These guidelines would clarify the conditions under which the signs could be used. They would cover subjects such as the proper method of installation, dimensions, material composition, proper placement points and maintenance of the signs. A municipality would be held harmless against any litigation involving wrongful acts or omissions if its use of the signs complied with the State's guidelines.
According to recent news reports, between 1992 and 1994, pedestrian accidents in the State accounted for about 25 to 30 percent of all traffic fatalities. The national average was 14 percent.
Permits municipalities to install in-street pedestrian right-of-way signs under State guidelines.