Residents and safety advocates urged the Bergen County Board of Commissioners to move faster on implementing the Local Safety Action Plan and on low-cost pedestrian safety measures at priority intersections.

Chris Nowell, a Fort Lee resident, described observing drivers failing to yield at a hazardous Oakland intersection where a pedestrian, Jalen Gomez, was killed. Nowell said the intersection was among “about 200 priority intersections” identified in the LSAP and argued low-cost measures such as leading pedestrian intervals could be installed quickly. He said the county’s pace — roughly “20 tiny projects per year” according to his remarks — would take more than a decade to address all priorities and called for a focused, systematic county initiative and accountable timeline.

Nowell urged county commissioners, who set policy and oversight, to press engineering and planning departments to accelerate work and suggested reallocating discretionary funds to speed implementation.

Pat Diorama, a commenter earlier in the meeting, also asked about the LSAP timeline and whether the county would provide more opportunities for virtual public comment on hearings. County officials replied that the directors of planning and engineering are actively working on the LSAP and that the plan is a work in progress; the county noted upcoming on-the-road public meetings and invited stakeholders to email administration for follow-up. The county did not announce a new implementation schedule or a dedicated funding line at the meeting.

Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the LSAP and encouraged continued civic engagement; no formal vote or new funding commitment was made at the meeting.