Mayor Announces Community Meeting for Hoboken's First Traffic Calming Toolkit

MAYOR ZIMMER ANNOUNCES PEDESTRIAN SAFETY COMMUNITY MEETING TO PRESENT HOBOKEN'S FIRST TRAFFIC CALMING TOOLKIT

30% Drop in Pedestrian Crashes and 60% Drop in Bike Crashes in 2010

The Zimmer Administration continues its focus on pedestrian safety with the introduction of the City’s first "Traffic Calming Toolkit." The new toolkit is designed to clarify and formalize the process by which pedestrian safety concerns will continue to be systematically addressed. Residents are invited to a community meeting to discuss pedestrian safety and other transportation issues on March 15, 2011 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Rue School gymnasium, 301 Garden Street.

“With pedestrian crashes dropping by 30% this past year and bicycling crashes dropping by 63%, we have made some progress, but we need to continue building on our measures to address pedestrian and bike safety," said Mayor Zimmer, "With these goals in mind, I asked Director Sacs to prepare a 'Traffic Calming Toolkit'.”

The Traffic Calming Toolkit is the culmination of methods and measures implemented by the Zimmer Administration to make pedestrian safety a top priority. It will address appropriate solutions to obtain slower driving speeds, safer crossings, and improving other aspects of pedestrian life that make walking in Hoboken so enjoyable. The Toolkit includes recommendations for Education, Enforcement, and Engineering (The so-called “Three E’s”), that are proven for their effectiveness in municipal traffic calming programs throughout the country.

As part of the City’s continued efforts to address resident concerns, a program for regular installation of state-approved speed humps is now in place in conjunction with annual resurfacing projects. This program is designed to maximize cost efficiencies for these more costly measures.

Since the Department of Transportation and Parking was established in 2009, a thorough re-evaluation of Hoboken’s traffic calming methods and efforts has helped to improve Hoboken’s pedestrian safety.

Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Calming Initiatives and Update:

• Hudson Place Redesign (created safer pedestrian area by more than doubling width of sidewalk and reducing crossing distances with bumpouts)
• 30% and 63% reduction in pedestrian and bike collisions with motor vehicles from 2009
• “Twenty is Plenty” educational outreach campaign to slow down vehicular traffic
• Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan (strong emphasis on pedestrian and bike safety)
• Daylighting Program to improve visibility/reaction time at crosswalks (38 strategic locations around the city)
• Pedestrian safety/redesign community outreach meetings (14th St Viaduct, Observer Highway, Newark Street, Hudson Place, Bike/Pedestrian Master Plan, and on Transportation concerns)
• Reduced pedestrian-motor vehicle conflicts around PATH/Hoboken Terminal (moved taxi stand, created shuttle loading zone, longer designated crosswalk times at River/Hudson)
• Increased parking enforcement at crosswalks
• “Don’t Block the Box” painting and signage at Monroe/Observer Hwy/Paterson Ave intersection (improves visibility, keeps crosswalks clear, and assists with enforcement)
• 15th Street repainting (low-cost strategy to reduce speeding by 8% eastbound and 5% westbound)
• Use of radar-based “Your Speed Is” educational signage
• Replacement of pedestrian ramps at intersection corners with better landings
• Installation of “Stop for Pedestrian” signs at crosswalks throughout the city
• Bike Rules (improves pedestrian safety on sidewalks)
• Bike lanes and “sharrows” throughout the city are proven to reduce speeding and pedestrian injuries/fatalities by up to 40%

"I’m very proud that our streets are getting safer,” said Transportation and Parking Director Ian Sacs. “Still, it’s difficult to feel that our streets are safe when you’re intimidated in a crosswalk or a car zips by at high speed. Our ‘Traffic Calming Toolkit’ will give us a consistent way to react responsibly and helps every resident understand the process we go through to address their concerns.”

Link: http://www.hobokennj.org/news/mayor-zimmer-announces-pedestrian-safety-community-meeting-to-present-hobokens-first-traffic-calming-toolkit/ ◦

Mayor Announces Community Meeting for Hoboken's First Traffic Calming Toolkit