But I digress.... Lets celebrate this accomplishment and thank the Administration for its had work and innovation. These programs are helpful but we still need or roads to be maintained.
HOBOKEN AWARDED GOLD WALK FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES DESIGNATION
One of Only 11 Communities Recognized Nationwide
The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center has designated the City of Hoboken a Gold Walk Friendly Community for its walkability initiatives and programs. Only Seattle, Washington, which received a Platinum designation, scored higher. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration and FedEx, Walk Friendly Communities is a national recognition program aimed at recognizing communities for their commitment to pedestrian safety.
Hoboken was praised for its “innovative encouragement programs intended to increase walking” including Corner Cars, “Surrender Your Permit”, Twenty is Plenty, and car-free Sinatra Summer Sundays which were lauded as “excellent models for other communities.”
“I’m proud that we are combining our historical street grid with progressive transportation initiatives and a focus on pedestrian safety to make Hoboken one of the most walk friendly cities in the country,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “As gas prices rise and families seek more healthy lifestyles, Hoboken will continue to welcome families and businesses looking for a unique walkable and bikeable community.”
The Corners Cars program is a public-private partnership with Hertz Connect that features 42 on-street car-sharing vehicles distributed throughout Hoboken which are shared by more than 1,200 members. To date, 73 residents have taken their cars off of Hoboken’s crowded streets by participating in the "Surrender Your Permit" program which offers more than $500 in incentives.
The Zimmer Administration has made pedestrian safety a top priority for engineering, enforcement, and education efforts. In the last year, Hoboken experienced a 30% drop in the number of car-pedestrian crashes and a 63% drop in car-bicycle crashes. The City recently released its first Traffic Calming Toolkit which includes a form that residents can use to submit requests for pedestrian safety improvements.
The City recently completed Phase I of pedestrian safety improvements along Hudson Place which included a widened sidewalk, curb extensions at corners to reduce crossing distances and exposure to motor vehicles for pedestrians, and narrower vehicle travel lanes to calm traffic in this area of high pedestrian activity. Construction on Phase II will begin shortly and will include building out the sidewalk at the intersection of Hudson Place and River Street in front of the PATH entrance, curb extensions on the opposite side of the intersection, and improvements to the sidewalk further east of the PATH entrance.
A new short film developed in partnership with Civic Eye Collaborative highlights transportation strategies the City of Hoboken is implementing to balance the parking and traffic needs with quality of life. It was recently featured at the 6th Annual NJ Future Redevelopment Forum held in New Brunswick and can be viewed online at: http://vimeo.com/20657447.
Hoboken received an “Honorable Mention” from the League of American Cyclists in their Fall 2010 Bicycle Friendly Communities listing, only the second municipality in New Jersey with the distinction. WalkScore.com ranks Hoboken the 2nd most walkable city in the country. Due to its progressive stance on complete streets policy, Hoboken has been asked to represent New Jersey municipalities on the NJ DOT Complete Streets Curriculum Steering Committee.
According to Census figures, the City’s population grew from 38,577 in 2000 to 50,005 in 2010.
Hoboken is among eleven communities recognized in the inaugural round of Walk Friendly Communities announced. The Walk Friendly Community designation, awarded from bronze to platinum, is given to applicant communities that have demonstrated a commitment to improving and sustaining walkability and pedestrian safety through comprehensive programs, plans and policies.
For more information on Walk Friendly Communities, please visit http://www.walkfriendly.org/.
Link: http://www.hobokennj.org/news/hoboken-awarded-gold-walk-friendly-communities-designation/
Additional Resources:
Surrender Your Permit Website: http://www.hobokennj.org/surrenderyourpermit
Corner Cars Website: http://www.hobokennj.org/cornercars
Twenty Is Plenty Website: http://www.hobokennj.org/twentyisplenty
Traffic Calming Toolkit Website: http://www.hobokennj.org/trafficcalming
Short Film on Hoboken Transportation Initiatives: http://vimeo.com/20657447
Walk Friendly Communities Website: http://www.walkfriendly.org/
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center Website: http://www.walkinginfo.org/
Federal Highway Administration Website: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/ ◦
