New Jersey’s Complete Streets Policy Addresses Safety Issues for Cyclists

By Greg Kohn
Partner

Since 2009, numerous cities and municipalities in New Jersey have enacted a policy that tacitly acknowledges a situation that cyclists and personal injury attorneys have known about for decades: traditionally designed urban roads in New Jersey are not safe for cyclists. When the Complete Streets policy was drafted, it addressed the fact that traditional New Jersey roadways:

  • Lack of bike lanes, paths and safety barriers
  • Often lack sidewalks (which cyclists are often forbidden to use anyway)
  • Are increasingly crowded with motor vehicles, leading to even higher bike/car and bike/truck accident rates
  • Are not designed with the optimal width needed to increase cyclist and pedestrian safety
  • Are not maintained with the safety of bikers in mind (i.e. potholes and other flaws potentially pose more danger to cyclists than motor vehicle drivers)
  • Continue to pose dangers for cyclists at intersections

The Complete Streets policy has resulted in the construction of some roads that are conceived, designed and built to accommodate the safety needs of all users, not just motor vehicle drivers. Until the policy is fully adopted and our roads made safer, though, it’s important to know your rights and to receive effective legal help when New Jersey bicycle accidents occur.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a bike accident in New Jersey, contact the Essex County law firm of Nagel Rice LLP. Our team of attorneys has collectively recovered more than $1 billion in damages for injured clients. And this figure doesn’t just reflect large-scale class action, medical malpractice or industrial accidents and injuries, our track record includes numerous high-value awards following bike accidents, including a $750,000 settlement award for head injuries sustained in a bike accident.

The Essex County, NJ Law Office of Nagel Rice has been helping Essex County residents understand their rights following bike accidents and other personal injury matters for more than 30 years. Numerous New Jersey cities and municipalities continue to pass Complete Streets policies following the policy adopted by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, but risks remain and accidents and fatalities continue. If you need bike accident legal assistance in northern New Jersey, contact Nagel Rice LLP at 973-618-0400.

About the Author
Greg Kohn is a partner at Nagel Rice and specializes in complex civil litigation cases, including professional malpractice, personal injury, class actions, wrongful death, products liability, and commercial litigation.  He has extensive experience representing clients in both state and federal court. Greg has tried many jury trials to verdict and has recovered over $50 million in settlements and verdicts in all types of personal injury matters including automobile accidents, wrongful death cases, slip and falls, and other catastrophic injury cases. Greg also handles medical malpractice cases, involving misdiagnoses, wrongful birth, and delayed cancer diagnosis. If you have questions regarding this article, you can contact Greg here.