Mayor Bhalla applauds Biden Administration, Secretary Buttigieg for National Roadway Safety Strategy

Today, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg released a plan to create safer streets nationwide, and cited Hoboken as a national model for eliminating traffic-related deaths over the past four years.  

“There are communities that have gotten to that already. And I’m not talking about Oslo, but a place like Hoboken in the U.S. has seen multiple years with zero deaths,” said Secretary Buttigieg, identifying Hoboken’s successful Vision Zero efforts.

"I applaud President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg for laying out a comprehensive plan to create safer streets throughout the country,” said Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. “As the Secretary stated, Hoboken will continue to serve as a national model, by prioritizing the safety of pedestrians and implementing infrastructure improvements that protect our most vulnerable residents. I thank the Biden administration for recognizing our efforts and for making Vision Zero a national priority.

While we've accomplished a great deal over the past four years, including no traffic-related deaths, we still have more to do. I look forward to working with our community to build on our successes as we continue to work toward our ambitious goal of eliminating all traffic-related deaths and injuries by 2030. Thank you to our Vision Zero Task Force, Transportation Director Ryan Sharp, and his transportation team for leading our efforts to make Hoboken’s streets safer for all pedestrians and modes of transportation."

Hoboken is recognized nationally as one of the most walkable cities in the United States and a City where people can walk, bike, and drive safely. It is one of the only cities nationwide to achieve zero traffic-related deaths for the past four consecutive years.  

In 2019, Mayor Bhalla initiated the City’s Vision Zero campaign to eliminate all traffic-related injuries and deaths by 2030 via executive order, which initiated the Vision Zero Task Force. After over a year of research and public engagement, the City of Hoboken officially adopted the Vision Zero Action Plan in 2021.

Since 2019, the City has installed 17 miles of bike lanes, 298 high visibility crosswalks, and 30 curb extensions, among other Vision Zero infrastructure improvements.

Hoboken’s Vision Zero investments include:

• Completion of the Washington Street redesign in 2018 that added bicycle lanes, curb extensions, green infrastructure, upgraded traffic signals, and pedestrian signals with countdown timers at all signalized intersections.  
• Completion of safety and green infrastructure improvements to Newark Street that includes a protected bike lane, a pedestrian refuge island with rapid rectangular flashing beacons, and curb extensions that incorporate green infrastructure.  
• Installation of a mid-block crosswalk with a pedestrian island and rapid rectangular flashing beacon signs at 15th Street and Park Avenue, allowing for a safer crossing at a high-trafficked area near Elysian Charter School and Cove Park.  

• New pedestrian safety improvements to 11th Street and Willow Avenue near Wallace Elementary School, including four new concrete curb extensions that will reduce pedestrian crossing distances across Willow Avenue by approximately 38 percent, ADA-compliant curb ramps with detectable warning surfaces at all corners, high-visibility crosswalks with new pedestrian countdown timers, and new traffic signals with 12" LED signal faces.
• Introduction of the Citi Bike bike-share system and increasing City-wide bicycle parking in Hoboken to encourage the use of alternative transportation options. At two locations, the City added bicycle corrals as part of a dual strategy to provide bicycle parking and “daylight” the intersection to improve safety.
• Implementation of Vision Zero improvements including new high visibility crosswalks, painted curb extensions, “daylighted” corners to improve visibility, 37 ADA-compliant curb ramps as a part of the City’s recent water main infrastructure upgrades
• Safety improvements at the intersections of Hudson Street and Hudson Place and 14th Street and Garden Street, including new traffic and pedestrian signals, high-visibility crosswalks, and a dedicated left-turn lane for bicyclists
• The installation of two raised intersections at 9th Street/Grand Street and Sinatra Drive/Constitution Court to slow traffic and improve visibility for pedestrians and drivers.  
• Traffic and safety improvements in Southwest Hoboken, including new crosswalk and curb extensions at Marshall Street and 2nd Street, new multi-way stop signs, upgraded traffic signals on Paterson Avenue, and ADA-compliant curb ramps.
• Initiated open, slow and summer streets programs to prioritize pedestrian access to streets, free from traffic

This year, the City will launch an open public process for the redesign of Sinatra Drive that will include Vision Zero improvements, such as safer pedestrian crossings, a physically separated bikeway, and ADA-compliant curb ramps, in addition to green infrastructure, drainage improvements, and roadway resurfacing.

The City is also conducting a study on reducing the City-wide speed limit from 25 miles per hour to 20 miles per hour to decrease the severity of one of the leading causes of traffic-related injuries.  

For more information on the City’s Vision Zero initiative, go to https://www.vzhoboken.com/.