North Plainfield is the most densely populated municipality in Somerset County, and the first in the county to have a Street Smart campaign in 2016. North Plainfield held a second and third Street Smart campaign in 2021 and 2022.
The 2016 campaign focused on Somerset Street and Jackson Avenue, and resulted in a 13 percent increase in the rate of compliance with traffic laws in terms of how many pedestrians waited for the “walk” signal before crossing the intersection. In 2021, the campaign included pre- and post-campaign surveys, providing a deeper look into how the public viewed pedestrian safety issues in North Plainfield. A speed study was also conducted along Greenbrook Road. This campaign resulted in a 26 percent decrease in pedestrians crossing mid-block at target location 1 (Somerset Street and Race Street) and an 8 percent increase in pedestrians using the crosswalk at target location 2 (Somerset Street and Chatham Street). The 2022 campaign focused on West End Elementary School and educating families on how to safely cross the street in front of the school. Overall, some observed driver behavior improved after this campaign.
Click on the images below to read the full 2016 report, 2021 report or 2022 report.
