Ali Aljarrah Calls for Vision Zero in Passaic County After Crossing Guard Tragically Killed on County Road in Woodland Park

County Commissioner candidate has championed Vision Zero policies to prevent pedestrian fatalities and make roads safer 

LITTLE FALLS, NJ — On Monday afternoon, an 80-year-old crossing guard was killed and two students were hospitalized after a driver struck them in a marked crosswalk at McBride and Lackawanna Avenues in Woodland Park. McBride and Lackawanna are both county roads.

In response to the tragic crash, Ali Aljarrah, candidate for Passaic County Commissioner, released the following statement:

“My heart goes out to the crossing guard’s family, the two children recovering, and to everyone in the Woodland Park community grieving this loss.

“Pedestrian deaths are rising across the country, with far too many people being killed walking through their own neighborhoods. Every one of those deaths is both a tragedy and a policy failure. Our streets are not designed to be safe for pedestrians or children, including these two county roads in Woodland Park.

“Pedestrian deaths are preventable with the right policies in place. Communities that adopt Vision Zero are bringing those numbers down by redesigning dangerous intersections, shortening crosswalks with curb bump outs, and lowering speed limits near schools.

“Passaic County hasn’t done nearly enough to make our streets safe, even on county roads where kids walk to school everyday. It shouldn’t take a tragedy like this for the county to act.”

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Ali Aljarrah is a lifelong resident of Passaic County and a prominent civil rights leader in New Jersey. Born in Little Falls to an immigrant family, Ali is running for Passaic County Commissioner to make our streets safer, tackle food insecurity, and protect tenants. He is endorsed by the New Jersey Working Families Party, 32BJSEIU, CWA District 1, and former Congressman Jamaal Bowman.