In a letter to the editor, Jersey City resident Kevin Davis explains why a protected lane pilot on Hoboken’s Willow Avenue is the responsible next step.
To the Editor,
Recently, I wrote about the new shared-use path coming to the 14th Street Viaduct and why it’s such a significant development for safe biking and walking in Hoboken and beyond. That project didn’t happen by accident.
It happened because Craig Guy and the Hudson County government took the time to get it right.
They didn’t rush or cave to pressure. Instead, they studied the area, listened to different points of view, and came up with a plan that balances safety with how the road is actually used.
Some activists have claimed credit for this project, but the reality is more complicated. The only thing they can genuinely take credit for is getting Hoboken, Union City, and Jersey City to pass resolutions of support. That helped, but it didn’t determine what got built.
In fact, their push for no study and immediate traffic lane removal nearly sank the entire project. Hudson County rightly rejected that approach.
They conducted a formal analysis and moved forward without bike advocates at the table. The final design kept all travel lanes and added a shared-use path.
Hudson County is also one of the few counties in New Jersey with a Vision Zero Task Force and Plan, committed to eliminating serious traffic injuries and deaths.
The next step in making Vision Zero a reality for Hudson County is in developing and implementing a street redesign for Willow Avenue in Hoboken.
Willow connects Hoboken to Weehawken and the Viaduct, which connects Hoboken to Union City and Jersey City. For cyclists on the Viaduct shared-use path, without a Willow Avenue redesign, once the Viaduct ends, so does the protection.
Suddenly, cyclists are riding in wide, fast-moving traffic, on a road that feels like a highway despite a posted 20 mph speed limit that’s rarely followed.
I don’t own a car. I bike, walk, or take transit every day. I also occasionally give bike tours professionally in New York City, where I’ve seen how smart design can transform streets, and how bad design puts people at risk.
That’s why I’m calling for a protected bike lane pilot on Willow Avenue from 16th Street to 11th Street to be part of the Willow Avenue redesign study.
A pilot gives everyone a chance to stop guessing and start observing. If you think it will make the street more dangerous, this is your chance to prove it. If you think it will improve safety, as I do, this is how we test that belief.
Here’s my theory:
Even though protected lanes sometimes raise concerns about visibility or wrong-way e-biking, the overall reduction in car speeds and sidewalk biking will be a net positive, especially for kids, seniors, and pedestrians trying to cross the street.
We don’t have to speculate. We can try it. Measure it. Adjust it.
At a recent community meeting, Hoboken’s school superintendent and Wallace Elementary’s principal raised concerns about drop-off safety and street visibility.
Those concerns are real. But the status quo isn’t safe either. Speeding cars, wide lanes, long street crossing distances for pedestrians, and chaotic conditions already put people at risk, especially around schools.
A pilot is a responsible next step. It would:
• Require dismount zones during school hours;
• Use temporary barriers to separate bikes and cars;
• Measure speeds and traffic volumes;
• And gather public feedback from people who experience the changes firsthand.
• This isn’t about ideology, it’s about safety, process, and learning from what works.
Let’s give Willow Avenue a fair test, and give people who rely on it every day the infrastructure they deserve.
Kevin Davis
Jersey City resident
Editors Note: The views of the author do not reflect the views of any companies that he works for.