At this month’s New Jersey Department of Transportation complete streets workshop in Mercer County, South Brunswick High School (SBHS) Student Council President Ian Moritz and Recording Secretary Dan Gorzynski might have seemed a bit younger than the rest of the crowd, but they came for the same reason as everyone else: they were interested in making streets safe for pedestrians.

The Problem

Since the beginning of the current school year, Moritz and Gorzynski, along with the rest of the SBHS Student Council, have been working tirelessly to complete a .2 mile stretch of sidewalk on a dangerous section of Stouts Lane by their school. SBHS is located down the road from a busy Route 1 strip mall, where students work and socialize after school, says Moritz. But a winding stretch connecting the school and the mall on Stouts Lane is perilous for pedestrians. “Because of blind curves, this .2 mile distance is one of the most dangerous routes to walk in our entire town,” Moritz explained. “Walking from the school to the mall is an exercise that puts every student who makes the journey in serious jeopardy,” he continued. While no one has been seriously injured yet, Moritz thinks that it’s only a matter of time.

Fixing It

According to Moritz and his colleagues, the solution is simple. Fill in the gap in the sidewalk. Getting it done, however, has been a challenge.

Moritz and his pedestrian safety allies have gained support for action among the school’s administration, students, parents, and several local businesses. In November, Moritz and the student council presented the issue to the South Brunswick Town Council, and while local officials expressed concern about safety along Stouts Lane, no commitment to building the sidewalk was made. In fact, South Brunswick Mayor, Frank Gambatese, asserted that completing the sidewalk along this stretch could be complicated. “We need to cross [a] stream, so a design needs to be created and sent to the [Department of Environmental Protection],” he said. “Funding for this could be an expensive proposition.”

The township has informally estimated that the cost for the sidewalk would be roughly $500,000, though it might not have to foot the bill. The municipality’s first choice for funding the project could come from a Pennsylvania-based developer that is looking to build a Shop Rite market at Stouts Lane and Route 522. However, a lawsuit filed by Stop & Shop has held up the project. A ruling is expected in mid-June.

Moritz followed up with South Brunswick a few months after the students’ presentation, inquiring as to whether or not the council had identified grants that might cover some of the project’s costs. Unfortunately, none have yet been found, and the federally funded Safe Routes to School program only covers K-8 institutions, so SBHS cannot look to this program for help.

In the meantime, South Brunswick Township has placed two “students walking” signs on the dangerous portion of Stouts Lane. But according to Moritz, cars continue to drive quickly around the two blind curves.