The Cities of Jersey and Hoboken renewed their Vision Zero commitments to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries, with the former outlining various street safety improvements for the second half of the year.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Every family in Jersey City deserves to travel our streets without fear, whether they’re walking their kids to school, riding a bike, or just crossing the street,” Jersey City Mayor James Solomon said in a statement.
“This updated Action Plan is how we deliver on that promise. We know that when we design our streets for safety, we protect everyone, and we are not going to stop until zero deaths on Jersey City’s roadways is not just a goal, but a reality.”
Jersey City will install over 100 quick-build safety improvements – rapid, lower-cost upgrades that go in within months – at over 80 locations across all six of the city’s wards, the mayor added.
The city evaluated more than 400 requested locations using its Traffic Calming Toolkit, prioritizing them through a data-driven process that weighs crash history, proximity to schools, parks, and transit, and whether a location sits on a priority walking or bike lane.
The highest-priority locations are being advanced first, with improvements reaching every ward and input from each ward’s council member.
In March, Mayor Emily Jabbour signed her first executive order which recommitted to the City’s Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic deaths and injuries by 2030, as well as reestablishing a Vision Zero Task Force, as HCV first reported.
This will include a representative from Jersey City to further strengthen coordination across municipal boundaries.
“People don’t think about city boundaries when they’re walking, biking, taking transit, or driving – they simply expect to get where they’re going safely,” Jabbour added.
“That’s why collaboration is so important to Vision Zero. By working together, Hoboken and Jersey City can make real improvements that protect more people, create safer connections between our communities, and move us closer to a future where neither of our cities see another traffic death or injury.”
Solomon and Jabbour made the announcement joined by city officials, advocates, students, and survivors of traffic violence at the intersection of Bergen and Kensington Avenues, itself a product of Jersey City’s Vision Zero commitment, during a press conference this morning.
The intersection, located directly next to P.S. 17, now has an all-way stop control and curb extensions designed to slow traffic and improve safety, embodying the city’s approach to rethinking how streets are designed to maximize safety and community benefit.
The updated Vision Zero Action Plan and accompanying studies will include:
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Robust data collection to evaluate the impact of Vision Zero initiatives and pinpoint where crashes and injuries are most likely to occur
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Studies on lighting, signaling, speed, curb management, and sidewalks to identify high-risk areas and potential street safety improvements for all residents
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The “Safer Roadways. Stronger Neighborhoods.” public awareness campaign, including billboards, digital radio, and community outreach, to build a culture of roadway safety across Jersey City
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Vision Zero training for city employees to integrate safety principles across all aspects of city government
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Community outreach and events to gather feedback from residents across the city’s neighborhoods and wards, in multiple languages
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Future expansion of street redesigns to improve safety
