Residents: Stretch of Paterson Plank Road where 3 were killed Monday is a problematic area
People who lived near Paterson Plank Road and Congress Street say they were not surprised there was a deadly crash in the area.
The investigation continues into what caused an early morning crash on a known dangerous section of Paterson Plank Road in Jersey City.
It was not shocking to the people who live in and around the area that more lives were lost at this intersection. Nancy Carrion, from Hoboken, described the part of Paterson Plank Road between Jersey City and Hoboken as lawless.
"It’s chaotic, you can see it! A lot of people going in and out of cars don’t care. I almost got hit two times with my granddaughter,” Carrion says.
The latest crash happened just before 1 a.m. Monday. Jersey City police responded to a two-car head-on crash at the intersection of Congress Street. Three people were killed, including 26-year-old Dylan Weidenfield. Three others sustained various injuries.
Steph Cathro lives in the neighborhood. She said, “Almost every day I see multiple cars run red lights, speeding, nearly hitting pedestrians. This is every day.”
In a seven-year span, five people have been killed along this stretch of roadway.
"The driver behavior in this neighborhood is out of control and there is no enforcement of safety issues,” says Cathro. “It’s a huge problem.”
Earlier this year, Hudson County was awarded $53 million for roadway projects. Some $12 million of that federal funding was dedicated for safety improvements to Paterson Plank Road, like pedestrian signal upgrades, high-visibility crosswalks, curb extensions and a roundabout.
Jade Lundy moved to the neighborhood as that construction project started.
"It was about, I would say, two-plus months of work that they did. They redid this whole pavement area giving the right directions for the road,” Lundy says.
Residents say whatever improvements have been made, haven’t been enough because the crashes continue.
Anyone who may have information about Monday’s crash is urged to contact the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office at 201-915-1345.
