The City of Hoboken is launching a robot-assisted sidewalk assessment on Monday, with a new survey available through Thursday, July 23rd.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Hoboken has become a national model for street safety because we’ve consistently invested in making our streets work better for everyone. As we update our Vision Zero Action Plan, we’re expanding that commitment by taking a comprehensive look at accessibility throughout our city,” Mayor Emily Jabbour said in a statement.
“By combining innovative technology like Daxbot with feedback from residents and guidance from accessibility advocates, we’ll better understand where improvements are needed and develop a roadmap that makes Hoboken’s streets, sidewalks, and public spaces safer and more welcoming for everyone.”
Over the next month, residents will begin seeing Daxbot robots traveling along Hoboken sidewalks to collect information about the existing conditions of sidewalks, curb ramps, push buttons for pedestrian signals, crosswalks, and park pathways to help identify accessibility barriers throughout the public right-of-way.
The city is also launching a public accessibility survey to gather feedback from residents, municipal staff, businesses, and community organizations.
The input from the survey and stakeholder engagement will help shape accessibility priorities and recommendations for future improvements to the public right-of-way.
The survey will complement the engineering assessment by identifying accessibility challenges and opportunities that may not be captured through data collection and field observations alone.
To take the public survey, which is scheduled to close on July 23rd, click here.
The Daxbot robots, which will wear a high-visibility vest, travel at walking speed and use sensors to collect detailed engineering measurements.
Those include sidewalk width, cross slope, running slope, vertical changes, curb ramp conditions, and other features for Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility.
The robots, which will be supervised at all times, are designed specifically for shared public spaces and prioritize pedestrian safety by yielding to people using sidewalks.
They collect engineering data related only to pedestrian infrastructure and do not store personal information.
Residents who encounter a Daxbot are encouraged to take a selfie and tag thecCity at @CityofHoboken and Daxbot at @idigdax – but are asked not to obstruct the robot as it completes its work.
Further, when a robot finishes surveying a designated area, it may temporarily stop to upload data or wait for pickup.
The city will also continue working with a stakeholder advisory group representing residents, advocacy organizations, community partners, and accessibility experts to review findings, identify priorities, and help inform recommendations included in both the ADA Accessibility Plan and the Vision Zero Action Plan update.
1st Ward Councilman Paul Presinzano, who sits on the council’s transportation committee and has introduced an ordinance to bring a delivery robot to the Mile Square City, said he was unaware of the Daxbots coming to Hoboken until today.
“The administration should keep the council informed about new initiatives before they become public, not after questions are already being asked. Good communication leads to better oversight and stronger public confidence. To be clear, I support using technology that improves safety. This particular robot is being used to collect sidewalk measurements,” he said.
“However, the company behind it, Daxbot, also develops autonomous security patrol robots equipped with 24/7 camera surveillance for crime deterrence. That distinction matters, and it’s the type of information the council should have before programs like this move forward. It also raises a reasonable question: how can a new technology initiative advance without the council being briefed?”
