Several residents urged the Bergen County Board of Commissioners to accelerate implementation of the county’s Local Safety Action Plan and to prioritize physical treatments and enforcement to reduce pedestrian and bicycle injuries.

Chris Snowe, a Bergen County resident who identified himself during public comment, told commissioners the Local Safety Action Plan “identifies the 13 worst corridors and intersections regarding fatalities and serious injuries,” but said the plan’s recommendations “don't match the urgency.” Snowe criticized relying on paint, signs and lights as insufficient to address aggressive driving and asked the board to adopt a Vision Zero action plan and a green street policy.

Philip Gabe Heafitz, a resident who spoke about a dangerous intersection at the entrance to Saddle River County Park, thanked the county for installing rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) at a nearby intersection but said the park entrance remains hazardous. Heafitz asked the county to consider installing an RRFB at the park entrance, to increase driver education and to boost enforcement of existing laws. Heafitz suggested using a variable message sign to display messages such as “stop for pedestrians” and referenced fines as a deterrent: “When was the last time a driver was fined for failing to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk?” he asked.

Speakers pressed the board to clarify who will implement LSAP recommendations and how those recommendations will interact with state grant cycles. Snowe asked whether the LSAP would be shelved if Bergen County did not receive state “Streets for All” grant funding and asked commissioners to attend local implementation committee meetings and to report back to the public.

Public commenters also requested the county pass a resolution supporting the Climate Superfund Act and urged quicker timelines for short‑term safety fixes; Snowe characterized three to five years for short‑term fixes as “too long.” No formal action on the LSAP or adoption of Vision Zero policy occurred at the meeting; the comments were received during the public comment period.

Board members did not take immediate formal votes on the safety plan during the session. Commissioners and county staff noted the county held a public workshop on the LSAP on May 28 and that state initiatives (described in the meeting as the governor’s Target 0 initiative) are also under discussion, but the meeting record did not specify next administrative steps, a schedule for committee attendance by commissioners, or an implementation timeline for the requested infrastructure changes.

The meeting record shows public safety advocates pressing for a multi‑pronged approach — engineering, enforcement and education — and asking commissioners to use their policy role to set priorities for engineers and planners.

The board moved on to its ordinance readings and votes after the public comment period.