The following report comes courtesy of Jeannette Josue of the Hudson County View:
For the complete story, see the Hudson County View: http://hudsoncountyview.com/revised-hoboken-washington-st-redesign-plan-passes-despite-opposition/
Office of the Mayor announces:
“Thank you to the City Council for expressing support for the Washington Street project at last night’s Council meeting. This important project will include upgrading our water main system for the full length of Washington Street and installing modern traffic signals that can be synchronized to improve traffic flow. The project includes pedestrian countdown timers and bump outs to make our vital commercial street safer for pedestrians. It also includes green infrastructure that will improve the beauty of Washington Street and help with capturing rainwater during storm events. The Council also approved the conduit for a microgrid project that once completed will provide backup power for our critical facilities and make our City a model for energy resiliency.”
The City Council working off a resolution for painted bike lanes introduced by Council President Jen Giattino overwhelmingly approved the basis of that amended plan for Washington St. 8-1.
An original administration plan for protected bike lanes and a narrowed roadway became a roadblock for public acceptance in a long awaited Washington St. redesign. The City Council eventually came out of a transportation subcommittee meeting last night with an alternative plan.
Giattino in the end dissented with an amended change to the painted lanes differentiated with a lesser painted version called a sharrow designation on the northern end above 8th St. See photos below.
| Mayor Dawn Zimmer responding to public reaction opted to pull back a plan for protected bike lanes on Washington St. |
Mayor Zimmer after making several awards for Black History Month to Hoboken residents made some impromptu remarks on bike lanes and the original plan as presented in resolution no. 1 for the Washington St. redesign.
Saying she wanted to offer her perspective, the mayor spoke to the audience saying “maybe Hoboken isn’t ready” for her Washington St. plan with protected bike lanes and she would “pull it back.” Her remarks were met with spontaneous applause from the spectators in attendance.
Tonight’s Hoboken City Council meeting is set for major action on moving forward the Washington Street redesign with resolution no. 1.
There’s been a significant response from the public on all aspects of the proposal.
A compromise effort may be in the works seeing some changes in the legislation as proposed. The link to resolution no. 1 and the full council agenda this evening is available at the link: http://www.hobokennj.org/docs/council/respack16/2.17.16.respac.final.pdf <>The following video report comes courtesy of Michael Rodriguez for the Hudson County View:
For the complete report, please see the Hudson County View: http://hudsoncountyview.com/zimmer-turner-dep-official-unveil-latest-plans-230m-rebuild-by-design-project/
Talking Ed Note Correction: Yesterday MSV’s Horse Sense editorial referenced a possible referendum option for the Washington Street redesign. A referendum is available only for an ordinance required for the funding of the plan.
Tonight’s City Council meeting will vote on a resolution which may be revised before final introduction.
City of Hoboken announces:
“With $230 million in federal grants awarded through the Rebuild by Design competition, we have a historic opportunity to address our flooding problem,” said Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “The threat from coastal flooding is very real – New Jersey is hit by a major hurricane every five to six years, and we have had several close calls in the past few months. I look forward to working together with the community to find a solution that protects us from coastal flooding in a way that preserves access to our waterfront and integrates with our urban fabric. Let’s put our creative power together and follow the lead of the Dutch to show that flood protection does not have to come from an ugly wall. Flood protection could come from a landscaped park, boathouse, sidewalk cafe seating, vertical garden or planter, playground, dog park, and more. The final design will depend on our community’s design ideas and preferences.”
=&0=&
The character and tradition of Washington St. isn’t strictly archaic other than the disastrous condition of the roadway surface itself. Hoboken’s “Main St.” is renown both locally and nationally, so the burden of any transformation falls clearly on the would be transformer.
Here the proposed transformation to drastically narrow Hoboken’s main drag by way of two bike lanes comes from Mayor Zimmer. Her plan as currently presented to the public is wrong for Hoboken least of all that it heralds a potential major impediment to the will of the people on its most important and symbolic thoroughfare.
Talking Ed Note: The mayor’s complete letter and the resolution for the Washington Street redesign are available at the link:
http://www.hobokennj.org/docs/council/respack16/2.17.16.respac.pdf
|