INDEPENDENT ADVOCATES AGREE:
CORNER CARS A SUCCESS
Mayor Zimmer urges Council to put good policy above politics
Despite its local status as a political football, the City of Hoboken has received a large number of accolades for the implementation of the Corner Cars program from transportation and environmental advocates, local organizations, the academic community, and independent news sources.
Most recently, Mayor Dawn Zimmer was “thanked” by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a critical transportation advocacy organization in the region, for her innovative stance with Corner Cars, among other transportation solutions. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental advocacy organization with more than 1.3 million members, featured Corner Cars in an article published last week in their “On Earth” magazine. In addition, Corner Cars and Hoboken’s transportation solutions are featured as the cover story of the November issue of the League of Municipalities Magazine.
“It’s great that Hoboken gets so much local, national, and even international recognition for our efforts, but what's most important to me are the benefits that Corner Cars and other transportation programs provide to our residents,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “I urge the City Council to put politics aside and ensure the continuation of this successful and widely-praised program which benefits all residents – those with cars and those without.”
At the November 14th Council meeting, the City Council voted 4-4 and failed to introduce an ordinance to establish on-street parking spaces for Corner Cars, a contractual obligation of the contract previously awarded to Hertz Connect by an 8-1 vote of the Council. As a result, the Zimmer Administration is again placing the same ordinance on the December 1st Council meeting agenda along with a resolution to temporarily establish the parking spaces since the prior temporary authorization will expire before the ordinance can take effect.
“We should all be proud of the success of these programs,” added Councilman David Mello, Chair of the Transportation and Parking Committee. “I am confident that Corner Cars will continue to take cars off the street and assist in relieving the pressure felt by residents who are looking for parking each day.”
“You simply don't get this kind of attention if it doesn't work," said Transportation and Parking Director Ian Sacs. "Our integrated transportation solutions featuring Corner Cars and the Hop have made it far easier to live in Hoboken without a car. The success of Corner Cars is proven by the numbers; with nearly 1,000 participants and 46 residents already giving up their on-street parking permits, Corner Cars is irrefutably taking cars off the street and improving the City's parking situation.”
Click here for a map showing the Corner Cars membership distribution in Hoboken.
Independent advocates, academics, and news organizations praise for Corner Cars:
New York Times
O Estado de S. Paulo
New Jersey League of Municipalities Magazine
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
Discovery Channel Planet Green
NRDC's On Earth
UC Berkeley "Access" Journal
Urban Transportation Monitor
H-Mag
Quality of Life Coalition
Streetsblog
How We Drive
The Infrastructurist
The Daily Green
Link: http://www.hobokennj.org/news/independent-advocates-agree-corner-cars-a-success/ ◦
