Question 5: Speeding is a quality of life problem on many Verona streets. How would you appeal to your fellow Verona residents to get them to slow down?
Christopher Piccuirro: We as a community can come together to spread the word against speeding. One idea I have would be to coordinate a township-wide “Speeding Awareness” campaign that could not only bring our community together to address the speeding problem but could potentially raise funds for the Verona Public Schools. The campaign would consist of every Verona resident concerned with the speeding issue to purchase a lawn sign. We can encourage residents to place the signs on their property to voice their support against aggressive driving and to remind drivers to slow down. This brings awareness to all vehicles travelling past all the neighborhoods in Verona and as a bonus all proceeds of sign sales will raise funding for the public schools. I personally would enjoy seeing hundreds of signs on the lawns all over Verona showing how we as a community can come together as one and address an issue, which I believe, is a concern for all residents of this town.
Furthermore, from the position of the town council perspective, the best way to address the speeding issue is to have open communication between concerned residents, the town council and the Verona Police Department. When this question was proposed, I briefly researched the dangers of speeding. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding endangers everyone on the road; it killed 9,262 people in 2014. This statistic alone should be enough to get people to slow down. I also contacted the Verona Police Department and spoke with an officer on the matter. I was pleased to hear that the Verona Police department understands the community’s concern with the dangers of speeding and deals with traffic safety very seriously. The department uses enforcement, through warnings and summonses, to promote a positive change in driving behavior. The VPD utilizes traffic monitoring equipment to locate problem areas and then focus enforcement in the necessary areas of town. The department also conducts traffic studies with traffic engineers to find alternative solutions to speeding. At the moment the VPD is conducting a distracted driving campaign.
On a personal note, I live on a cut-through street, have two young children and walk my dog daily so traffic safety is important to me. My campaign slogan “walk with me” derives from my love of being outdoors and interacting with the community. I truly appreciate living in a walkable neighborhood and want to keep it that way. Residents should not have to feel hesitant or fearful to walk around town. Many of the best things Verona has to offer are within walking distance and residents should take advantage of this whenever they can. Individually we need to be accountable for our own actions and be responsible when driving around town. I implore Verona Residents to give yourself some extra time to reach your destination or if you do not have to drive, walk. Take advantage of the health, cost and environmental benefits of walking over driving. Even better, walk with me!
https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding
