July 13, 2017

City of Hoboken Introduces Newark Street Safety Improvement Plan

The City of Hoboken has developed a safety improvement plan for the Newark Street corridor between Jefferson Street and Willow Avenue that will be introduced for consideration by the City Council on Wednesday, May 3rd. The Council meeting will begin at 6:30pm with a presentation of the plan.

Challenges along the corridor include limited pedestrian crossings, vehicles parking on sidewalks, low rate of vehicles stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks, roadway geometry with poor sight lines, wide pedestrian crossings, high speed turns, lack of loading zones for deliveries, and no bicycle facilities.

“We are trying to make sure that our streets are safe for travel for all modes of transportation,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “In particular, we need to address the fact that the majority of traffic injuries in Hoboken happen to pedestrians who are hit walking in marked crosswalks. Whether you drive, take public transportation, bike, or walk, everyone deserves streets that are safe.”

The plan includes sidewalk expansions (safety zone “curb extensions”) at corners to reduce pedestrian crossing distances and vehicle turning speeds and enhance visibility at conflict points, the addition of loading zones to accommodate deliveries, additional crosswalks including a mid-block crosswalk with a pedestrian refuge island between Jefferson Street and Adams Street, a physically separated eastbound bike lane along the south side of the street, and Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon (RRFB) signs to enhance the frequency of drivers stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks. The County is also studying the feasibility of an All-Way Stop sign at Grand Street and Newark Street, and the City will incorporate the Stop sign into the plan if it meets the criteria required by NJDOT.

The full plan can be viewed at: www.hobokennj.gov/docs/transportation/Newark-Street-Concept-Plan.pdf. Since the plan is for a County road, it will require the approval of the Hoboken City Council and the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders.