Born and raised in New Jersey, Daria Volpe grew up riding a bike everywhere she could around her neighborhood. When she became a student at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, she continued to ride and used her bike to transport her to and from classes. Since she’s always viewed cycling as a convenient form of transportation, an excellent recreational activity and a great way to stay active, she’s attempted to teach her children how to safely ride, but has become increasingly dismayed by the lack of opportunities to do so in Washington Township in Gloucester County, where her family currently resides.

Daria has been working with Tri-State, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Cross County Connection Transportation Management Association and Action Wheels Bike Shop in Wenonah, NJ to explore opportunities for safe walking and biking in Washington Township.

Although Washington Township has great parks and schools, and is in close proximity to a number of multi-use paths and trails, to say that getting around town on a bike is difficult would be an understatement. Volpe has summed it up by saying, “My goal when I ride a bike in Washington Township is to get out of town–because you just can’t ride a bike here without taking your life into your hands.”  Unfortunately, pedestrians in the area don’t fare much better far as safety is concerned–between 2007 and 2009, 13 pedestrians were killed in Gloucester County, including a 71 year-old on Hurffville-Cross Keys Road in Washington Township, in 2007.

When pedestrians and cyclists aren’t accommodated in roadway design, there are frequently tragic consequences. In 2001, Jason Beiner, a senior at Washington Township High School was killed while riding his bike on Hurffville-Cross Keys Road near the entrance to Washington Lake Park. In response to the death of her friend, then high school junior Alyson Boyer convinced the mayor and other township officials to improve pedestrian safety in the vicinity of area schools. As a result, Washington Township applied for and received funding under the Safe Routes to School program, and built sidewalks in front of three area schools, all less than a mile from the entrance to Washington Lake Park.

Although the addition of these sidewalks was an extremely positive development, progress on safe routes for walking and biking has been slower or less successful elsewhere. For example, at another local school, the township received a grant and built a sidewalk along Pitman-Downer Road, near Bunker Hill Middle School; however, parents were concerned that it was built too closely to the road, without an adequate buffer from fast moving traffic. As a result, the school board is installing a new sidewalk next to the old one and will have the original sidewalk removed.

Additionally, although some pedestrian infrastructure has been installed at the entrance to Washington Lake Park, the  section of Hurffville-Cross Keys Road shown in the photos below still lacks adequate sidewalks, bike lanes or continuous shoulders that can be used for biking.

More pictures after the jump:

Further southeast on Hurffville-Cross Keys Road, towards three local schools, pedestrians and bicyclists don’t fare any better, even though signage indicates that school-aged children may be walking in the area.

Together, Daria and advocates are working with area officials to advocate for safer transportation options in Washington Township and the surrounding area. Washington Township in Gloucester County is already a great place to live, but by providing opportunities for residents to travel on foot or by bike, the quality of life for local residents of all ages can be even further improved.