Jersey City advocacy groups Safe Streets JC and Bike JC co-hosted a transportation-oriented Jersey City mayoral forum, the last of the season, at the Martin Luther King Jr. School at 886 Bergen Ave. last night.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
Safe Streets JC President Talya Schwartz served as a co-moderator, explaining the city’s Vision Zero goal of no traffic deaths by 2026 before asking the candidates to introduce themselves.
Former Board of Education President Mussab Ali explained he was elected at age 20 and became president at 23, later emphasizing the need for making a city more affordable.
“We want to make sure we build a fast and free bus system,” Ali explained, citing the need to increase pedestrian safety citywide.
Police Officer Christina Freeman noted she is also a student at New Jersey City University (NJCU) and apologized for having to leave early for a mid-term exam.
“I’m a public servant. I’m a person from the people,” she declared, as well as calling for a stronger police presence to address transportation issues.
Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2) explained that for he served as the Jersey City Ward B councilman for eight years and jas spent the last serving 25 years in his current role.
“On five separate occasions, I’ve run and beat the political machine,” he declared, noting that helped the county acquire a Vision Zero grant.
“I know how to get affordable housing built. I might be a little bit crazy, but I give everyone my cell phone number.”
Ward E Councilman James Solomon said parking and protecting pedestrians have been key issues for quite some time and commended Mayor Steven Fulop for pushing for Vision Zero, but said more strides still must be made.
“It is absolutely not enough … We’ve had bad tragedies on our streets!” he exclaimed.
After the introductions, Schwartz asked for two ideas they had to improve traffic safety.
“No turn on red, that’s something I’m for … The streetlights and the crosswalks are not going at the same time,” Freeman expressed.
In his response, O’Dea called for more money to speed up the Vision Zero program, as well as bringing back a traffic square for the Jersey City Police Department. He also pledged to increase the number of bike lanes.
“Our infrastructure department is woefully underfunded for the danger that is on our streets,” Solomon declared.
As a result, he called to hire more department engineers to implement more bump outs, bike lanes, and raised intersections on the most dangerous roads. He also like the idea of a traffic division.
In addition, he also pledged to get rid of Public Safety Director James Shea, who is planning to retire when Mayor Steve Fulop’s term ends.
As for Ali, he thought a re-education campaign for Vision Zero was important. He also claimed Union City and Bayonne have safer driving cultures.
“In Jersey City it’s the wild west!” Ali declared.
Bike JC President Tony Borelli, another co-moderator, asked the candidates what they would do to find more funds for infrastructure.
O’Dea said options are difficult since the most obvious ones are decreasing funding elsewhere or raising taxes.
He also noted that the city’s bond rating has been downgraded recently, but with that in mind, O’Dea said they could ask the Hudson County Improvement Authority (HCIA) for help.
“Any time a road is removed, it must be repaved with safe street infrastructure. Jersey City does not do an annual capital budget: That has to change,” Solomon asserted, also stating that systemic bonding would be better.
Additionally, Ali said they could earmark traffic enforcement revenue to pay for infrastructure.
“They feel like a traffic light is a suggestion,” he argued about many drivers.
“I have an idea of a toll system,” Freeman explained, stating that through traffic is degrading local infrastructure. She also said developers should be contributing more.
Schwartz noted parking enforcement is difficult and asked for their proposals to improve.
Solomon said he is seeking to improve bike lanes and better state-run mass transit, while Ali stated that parking is prioritized too highly and parking permits should be more expensive.
Freeman explained that her toll system wouldn’t charge locals or those working in the city, while pushing for a new electric bus line would help better connect the city.
Meanwhile, O’Dea also endorsed automated parking enforcement that is going through growing pains in Hoboken right now. Solomon has also supposed such a plan.
Next, Borelli asked how they would address the recklessness of e-bikers throughout the city.
“I don’t think the answer is to penalize them … These are not people who can afford to pay these tickets,” Ali stated, adding that major corporations should have to be responsible for training their deliveristas and cover the costs of any fines.
“They’re gonna be required to have a driver’s license or some type of licensing … I’d make sure the police department is enforcing tickets,” Freeman replied, again reiterating the importance of a traffic division.
O’Dea said enforcement is needed, which is why bringing back the motorcycle squad “is a no-brainer.”
“Hold the businesses accountable because they are making the most money,” he added, noting that robots are competing with deliveristas now.
Solomon agreed that major corporations like Grubhub should not be let off the hook, noting that he led the effort for the city council to approve e-bike regulations last year, which can still be built upon.
Furthermore, Borelli asked the mayoral hopefuls what they’d do to address food deserts in the city.
O’Dea said he wants to bring a Shop Rite to Route 440 and also believes that the city could incentivize the creation of more markets through the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA).
He also pointed out that the NJ Economic Development Authority (EDA) finances supermarkets to shrink food deserts.
Solomon also endorsed using the JCRA to bring in supermarkets, noting many resident want a Target and a Shop Rite on 440.
“We’d have to improve the mass transit to that area,” Solomon added.
Ali indicated that certain companies won’t create stores in certain neighborhoods.
“We need to increase density in some of these neighborhoods,” he argued.
As for Freeman, she believes the city should promote more farmers’ markets in food deserts, particularly on the south side of the city.
During closing remarks, all the candidates tried to make their case for being the most street safety-oriented.
“The first bike lane in Jersey City was in Lincoln Park … I’ve always been a strong advocate for that,” said O’Dea, also noting that he’s worked on safety improvements on John F. Kennedy Boulevard for years.
Solomon said his first political act in Jersey City was supporting a Vision Zero protest.
“It is fundamentally life or death … You have my firm commitment to be the Vision Zero mayor” he noted about traffic issues, also pointing to his record of having many bike lanes installed downtown.
“We need to have a city where people feel safe crossing the street,” Ali declared.
Former Gov. Jim McGreevey, Council President Joyce Watterman, and Kalki Jayne-Rose did not attend.
All of these politicians are talking about bike lanes they are not legal no other city has the bike lanes the way they have it in my city jersey city n they are set up wrong waiting for people to get hurt you can’t have a bike lanes against the curb n the car in a traffic lane n the bus dropping people in the middle of the street it’s tow tickets must be changed Trenton say you can’t do this