In the bitter cold Wednesday morning, employees from the city’s Traffic and Signal Division installed two new “speed humps” as Mayor David Roberts held a press conference to reassert his commitment to expand his pedestrian safety initiatives.
The mayor outlined his plans, which he hopes will slow traffic and protect pedestrians through increased enforcement and through the installation of traffic calming devices such as speed humps. Speed humps, according to Roberts, are significantly lower than traditional speed bumps but still serve to slow vehicles.
According to the mayor, over the past two and a half years, the city has increased its pedestrian-crossing signage campaigns and has installed traffic calming devices such as speed humps and rumble strips (strips of tiny bumps in the road) at key intersections.
He added that the city has installed 30 humps, and the city is conducting a pilot program with rumble strips, one of which has been installed at Seventh and Hudson streets.
“Pedestrian safety is an issue that affects residents of all ages, and it has been a goal of mine since taking office,” Roberts said. “That is why I launched the ‘Yield to Pedestrian’ sign campaign in 2001 at high-risk intersections. I’m pleased to report that this project has improved some dangerous conditions, but it is my belief that stronger measures must be taken to further calm vehicular traffic for the pedestrians in Hoboken.”
On Wednesday, city crews installed two speed humps at 13th and Garden streets and Ninth and Garden streets. Councilman Richard Del Boccio said that these humps were installed at the request of local residents who expressed their concerns about speeding cars on Garden Street.
“For years, cars have been using Garden Street as a throughway to get to Newport and Jersey City,” said DelBoccio. “It has reached a point where traffic calming devices have become a necessity.”
He added that a dangerous condition has arisen in front of the Brandt School, at Ninth and Garden, where commuters are speeding through at the same time that students are walking to class.
According to Roberts, the city’s police force will also be stepping up its enforcement of traffic safety laws, such as ticketing drivers who do not yield to pedestrians and who run stop signs.
“It’s the law and a basic quality of life issue,” said Roberts.
Roberts added that city workers will be repainting many of the crosswalks in the spring and summer months, and will use a mobile radar speed trailer that provides a clear signal to the driver to check his/her current speed. This speed director is used for traffic calming in a variety of locations, including school zones, construction or maintenance work zones, neighborhoods, and high-accident areas where the speed limit must be enforced, said Roberts.
Hoboken has 30 ‘humps.’