Paterson adds four-way stop at fatal 18th Avenue intersection
By Jayed Rahman
Published: February 21, 2019
The City Council approved an ordinance to create a four-way stop zone at the intersection of 18th Avenue and East 24th Street, site of a crash that left one person dead and two injured last month.
Ordinance calls for the city to install stop signs on all four approaches to the intersection. Presently, there are stop signs on both 18th Avenue approaches, but not on the East 24th Street approaches.
Councilman Luis Velez championed the ordinance to make the intersection safer. He said there were 9 accidents at the intersection in 2018.
Lilisa Mimms, councilwoman at-large, said neighborhood residents had been asking for city officials to take steps to reduce accidents at the intersection for years.
Velez said he has received many complaints about speeding cars at the intersection.
On Jan. 2, a man from Orlando, Fl, caused a multi-car crash at the intersection after disregarding a stop sign.
31-year-old Jorge Alberto Pena Mesa of Newark died as a result of the crash. Two others were injured.
The council approved the ordinance following a public hearing on Feb. 12, 2018.
Velez said signs will go up in first week of March.