The City of Hoboken will convert five additional intersections to multi-way stops to improve the safety of traffic circulation for all modes of transportation. New stop signs will be installed at the following intersections:
The changes in traffic control at these five intersections, which will include new stop signs and high visibility stop markings at previously uncontrolled approaches, were approved by a unanimous vote of the Hoboken City Council last night and are expected to be implemented this fall. The change in traffic control will also further the City’s Vision Zero Initiative to eliminate all traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.
“Block by block, and street by street, we are taking a comprehensive approach to improving safety for all modes of transportation in our city,” said Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. “The installation of these new stop signs will benefit pedestrians, drivers, and bicyclists with safer and more orderly traffic flow at multiple locations across the city, as a part of our comprehensive Vision Zero efforts.”
The City of Hoboken and Hudson County periodically conduct engineering studies to determine if, and where, changes in traffic control at intersections are warranted. The studies focus on locations that attract vulnerable population groups such as parks, schools, senior buildings, and public housing, as well as locations with high traffic volumes, high crash histories, and sightline obstructions.
The engineering criteria used to determine whether multi-way stop control is warranted is aligned with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and the City of Hoboken’s Vision Zero initiative. Recent studies, prompted by public feedback and safety concerns, found the new stop sign locations to be warranted.
The five intersections being converted to multi-way stop control are in addition to eight newly updated intersections announced last spring, including one at the intersection of Eighth and Clinton Streets near Hoboken High School, pictured below. The signs will be accompanied by other Vision Zero improvements to increase pedestrian safety and visibility including restriping crosswalks and stop markings, daylighting corners with flexible bollards to prevent vehicles from blocking crosswalks, and the addition of curb extensions to improve visibility, reduce pedestrian crossing distances, and slow vehicle turns at the intersections. Hoboken is one of the only urban communities in the country, with a population of over 50,000, to have gone six years without a traffic death.
For more information on the City’s Vision Zero initiative, go to www.vzhoboken.com.
