South Orange Meeting Reviews Village Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Projects
Published in TAPinto South Orange & Maplewood
Published Jul 16, 2026 8:00 pm
July 2026 • 5 min read
By Dani Lee Sepe
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange Transportation and Pedestrian Safety Committee met Wednesday, July 15, at the Baird Community Center to review ongoing transportation initiatives, pedestrian safety improvements, traffic studies, and grant-funded roadway projects throughout the Village.
During the meeting, Committee members discussed updates on several active and planned projects in South Orange. Among the projects included was the Village's Bike Network Plan, which recently completed its public survey phase and is now anticipating next steps. Officials reported that the project remains on track for completion by December 31, 2026.
Members unveiled plans for the sidewalk at the intersection of 51–53 South Orange Avenue. Following demolition and sidewalk restoration, the addition of a bike lane to the greenway. Officials are also considering regulations for micromobility devices (e-bikes) to promote safe sharing of paths with pedestrians.
Committee members also reviewed ongoing progress on traffic and pedestrian safety improvements throughout South Orange. Additionally, status reports were given for several open projects on various streets. The Lenox Avenue project is expected to be completed by July 17, and a follow-up traffic study is planned for the fall. Vose Avenue will be receiving traffic-calming measures as well.
Additional safety improvements that have already been completed include the installation of a flashing light pedestrian beacon at Ward Place and Irving Avenue, and new stop signs at Montague Place and Ward Place. Future roadway striping, new signage, and crosswalk redesign at Seton Hall University are anticipated to go out to bid in fall 2026. Academy Street is also receiving restriping.
The Committee also unveiled several upcoming grant-funded initiatives. Walton Avenue and South Ridgewood Road have both received the New Jersey Department of Transportation funding, with concept designs expected to be presented to the Committee at a future meeting. Construction contracts are expected to be awarded for improvements at South Ridgewood Road in 2026 and Walton Avenue in 2027.
Safety concerns near the Marshall School area (Turrell Avenue, Raymond Avenue, and Charlton Avenue) remained an area of focus. Village officials reported that new traffic signs have been installed throughout the area, curb painting is scheduled for this summer, and pavement striping will be completed as part of the Summer Cooperative Road Program. Results based on Federal standards indicate that a four-way stop at Raymond Avenue and Charlton Avenue is not warranted, and, as a result, other traffic-calming options will continue to be considered. Officials are also working with the South Orange-Maplewood School District to evaluate student drop-off procedures and other measures intended to improve safety during arrival and dismissal periods.
Members elaborated on continuing coordination with Essex County regarding neighborhood proposals at the Scotland Road and the Ralston Avenue intersection. Proposals were supported by preliminary Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) findings. Village officials also reported that a request has been submitted to Essex County for a reduction in the speed limit along West South Orange Avenue based on recommendations by both the Essex County SS4A Study and the Village’s draft SS4A Action Plan.
Engineering updates included progress on Greenway Phase 2, which is scheduled to begin construction in August, as well as updates on traffic signal design work at Third Street and Ridgewood Road. Road repaving and restriping projects are also expected to continue later this year.
Residents raised additional concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting, including pedestrian walk signal timing, use of speed tracking box study data, speeding enforcement, pedestrian island beautification, and the addition of “Your Speed” tracking boxes throughout the Village. The South Orange Police Department has stated that residents should report unsafe behavior using the Police Department’s non-emergency line.
VALTEK TO THE RESCUE: ANSWERING A UNIQUE CALLING
The AASP/NJ community goes real deep. From time to time, New Jersey Automotive features some of the association's biggest and strongest supporters who go back to the early days. Read on to see what former AASP/NJ Legislative Chairman Brian Vesley and his business are up to these days.
When you see or hear a fire truck racing through the streets of New Jersey, the crew at Valtek have likely been the brave heroes to their rescue. Ignited by his brothers’ exposure to the truck repair and refinishing industry, founder and owner Brian Vesley and his team of talented staff members have proudly serviced the emergency fire and ambulance departments of over 600 New Jersey and New York townships.
Valtek’s Paterson-based facility proudly features 20 truck bays and a large spraybooth, which are angled toward the walls with a wide, clear passenger center aisle. The shop’s ergonomic layout allows the business to perform body repair and refinish on any specialized vehicle, especially fire trucks, but also buses, tractors, heavy equipment and RVs. With their commanding 16,500-square-foot shop, Valtek’s facility is efficiently equipped with excellent electrical supply, lighting and compressed air for any repair, no matter how heavy duty.
When asked about the history of the shop, Vesley detailed the background of how his family inspired him to get into the field. “We’ve been in business for over 30 years. We started it back in 1992-1993. We have six people in the shop and two in the office. We got started because my brothers were involved in the industry, and thought we’d like to put something together ourselves. So, I didn’t have much of a background, but they did.”
Built on a dedication to quality specialized vehicle body work, there’s no surprise what has been Valtek’s greatest industry focus in its enduring and successful history. “Well, it’s pretty obvious: It’s emergency vehicles and fire trucks. And we are able to fabricate pieces that go on the truck as well as fix the trucks.”
Every great leader has a source of strength behind them, and above all his marriage to his wife, Cackie Scott, has been his most valuable asset. Leaders such as Vesley employ trusted teams of dedicated professionals that helped build the business and shaped its success story.
Built on a dedication to quality specialized vehicle body work, there’s no surprise what has been Valtek’s greatest industry focus in its enduring and successful history. “Well, it’s pretty obvious: It’s emergency vehicles and fire trucks. And we are able to fabricate pieces that go on the truck as well as fix the trucks.”
“I have my wife as a partner, and she’s been critical to the operation. She has been here for 30 years. We’ve had certain key technicians who have been critical to understanding and figuring out how to do what we do.”
Longtime customers that have relied on Valtek can attest that the marketing philosophy of specialization in auto body repair, frame reconstruction, body modification and the refinishing of emergency vehicles has won their respect and loyalty.
“We have a series of customers who have been with us for 30 years,” Vesley notes. “They’re happy with our work, and we have a bunch of appraisers and insurance adjusters that are very satisfied with what we do.”
Keeping up with training demands in the industry and learning opportunities via partner suppliers' academies have been a big help to Valtek for continuing education. Being the first certified Axalta commercial refinisher in the area, Valtek has consistently met high standards for truck painting for 37 requirements and 11 optional recommendations. “We read publications and we occasionally send people for training. 3M and Axalta are among our key suppliers, so we take advantage of their training opportunities.”
When asked why he became a member of AASP/NJ, he said, “It’s about keeping track of what’s important to our customers and to the members of the industry, and what the problems they are solving and are dealing with. We try to focus on those things and the association helps us do that. It also gives us a vehicle to express opinions and seek changes in the industry.”
Vesley’s knowledge, hard work and professional drive didn’t stop in the workplace. He held a significant role on the AASP/NJ Board years ago, especially in his capacity as the Legislative Chairman. Under his chairmanship, the industry scored big wins, which he was proud to share.
“Our biggest victory was the licensing of the collision shops and heavy duty shop repairs by the State of New Jersey,” he recalls. “Previously, there was legislation that required the use of heavy duty shops for larger vehicles for collision repairs. There were no standards for it, and there were no requirements that the heavy duty shops be used by the insurance carriers.”
“There were no benefits for the people who tried to comply with the state requirements. Such things as being able to repair a large vehicle inside your building was something that was added to the legislation. We spent a large amount of time, resources, people and legislative efforts.”
Not to be discouraged by the prolonged legislative process, Vesley and the Board persevered. “We put in about 10 years on this legislation before we got it done.”
These days, as a longtime active member of AASP/NJ, Vesley stays up to date on the association’s activities, and is encouraged by recent progress being made, including a recent introductory meeting with the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance Acting Commissioner Susan Ochs to further future ongoing communications.
“It absolutely is a step in the right direction,” he says.
Key industry issues that have impacted Vesley’s business are continuing to evolve, and Valtek is evolving with it. “It changes from time to time. Right now, it’s being able to emphasize that the best people in the industry need a reasonable profit margin, which is sometimes put under a lot of pressure from the insurance carriers who try to limit their liability and their exposure. We try to convince them that it’s more valuable to keep a customer satisfied than it is to give them a low price.”
Adapting to the fast-paced modernization for emergency vehicle repair systems has been a critical step. The biggest changes are the increased use of electronics and the associated measurements used to warn the driver. Automatic applications in steering and braking are the big ones. They’re hard to keep up, because there isn’t a standard and each OEM has its own criteria for what a proper repair is and to what extent the vehicle is allowed to be repaired.”
As Vesley looks to the future of the business, he reflects on his vision for carrying on Valtek’s enduring legacy. “The biggest hopes are to continue to serve our specialized industry well and to keep our employees safe and satisfied.”
Valtek epitomizes the wisdom of “finding your niche and being good at it.” In pursuing a specialized career in the emergency truck repair field, Vesley has received a great personal benefit that allows him to process challenges creatively and effectively. “It gives me a chance to solve practical problems constantly, whether or not we can do something in a way that saves the customer money and results in a great repair.”
Thinking back to what he’s gained from the profession that he otherwise would not have gotten from choosing a different career path, Vesley laughs, “Tenacity, sticking to what you think is right, and inspiring other people to support what it is you think should be done.”
Much like the fire trucks that leave their bays good as new, Vesley and Valtek journey onward towards a bright (and shiny) future.
Nutley Nature News Articles
Photo credit: Adam Jackson
The Acrobats of Nutley: Meet the Chimney Swift
Featured Story
Published Jul 16, 2026 9:30 am
July 2026 • 2 min read
By Dani Lee Sepe
While walking through the Nutley Park System on a warm summer day, you may look up and notice an impressive animal darting and weaving in flight. These incredible fliers are almost too fast to follow as they whip around the sky. You may think to yourself, “are those bats?” Many residents have likely seen them for years without realizing what they are. With their near-constant wing-beats and sharp banking, these summer visitors are actually birds. Introducing the Chimney Swift — a fascinating little bird that spends nearly their entire day in flight.
Chimney Swifts are small, slender birds with half-moon-shaped wings that flex stiffly. Identified by their blunt head, wide but short beak, squared-off tail and tube-shaped body, they are nicknamed the “flying cigar”. They are hardly ever seen landing, but as diurnal feeders they nest at sundown, remaining hidden overnight to rest. Their feathers are dark gray-brown, but backlit against the sky they may appear to be all black, like a bat. They swoop sharply in flight in search of flying insects as they forage.
While entertaining to watch, they consume pesky insects, eating between 1,000–12,000 per night. Enjoying meals of tasty bugs such as flies, wasps, bees, whiteflies and aphids, they can be seen feeding in suburban areas, such as above Yanticaw Park. Compared to hopping American Robins, croaking Common Grackles, serenading Song Sparrows, honking Canada Geese and chirping Northern Cardinals, they instead prefer to fly above the Mud Hole rather than mingle.
They are the only Swift species in New Jersey and the Eastern U.S. According to the National Audubon Society, while they once nested in hollow trees, they now almost exclusively nest in human-made structures, even when given an easy option to choose a hollowed-out tree. Their strong yet tiny feet are uniquely adapted to gripping on walls, but as a result they are unable to stand like other birds. Despite their adaptability to declining forests and expanding towns, they are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a vulnerable species due to habitat loss. However, keen-eyed birdwatching Nutley residents can enjoy their delightful flocks as they twitter and twist above them downtown. During their breeding season, they migrate from South America to fill the open sky above Town Hall on Chestnut Street and the surrounding neighborhoods all summer long.
One of the best parts about exploring nature is that discovering wildlife isn’t exclusive to remote national forests or nature reserves. The fun of birdwatching also includes your own community, or even your backyard. The next time you’re out walking your dog, getting in your daily steps or spending time appreciating nature, look up to see the effortless dancing performance of the Chimney Swift. 
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About the Project: Nutley Nature News is a family-friendly neighborhood birdwatching and nature group, and is not affiliated with the official Township of Nutley.