Roughly 20,000 cars, trucks, and buses use the deteriorating 14th Street Viaduct from Union City and Jersey City to Hoboken every day, but since engineering studies call it “fracture critical,” the federal government is investing $45 million to replace it while keeping it open.
The federal government is also creating three 60-by-150-foot swaths of public open space below the bridge.
On Tuesday, the city held a community meeting to ask residents what they want on the three parcels. Unfortunately, there was a limit to how much input they will really have. At the meeting, Hoboken Transporation and Parking Director Ian Sacs said the planning has been ongoing between county, state, and federal entities for more than two years. He said the county isn’t allowing the city to make any major changes this late in the process.
Someone suggesting collecting rainwater from the viaduct and piping it into a water park.
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Clearview Cinema recently opened just south of the bridge, and the uptown area is revitalizing slowly, especially after a tough economic year.
Talking about parks only
Sacs and Community Development Director Brandy Forbes hosted the meeting at the Elks Club, drawing 30 residents. The city provided a large map of the project.
Sacs and Forbes answered questions and asked residents to write their suggestions on sticky notes and place them on the map near the appropriate areas.
Notes read, “Think: walking,” “Need good lighting,” and “Gathering space rather than sports.”
Recommendations came in for a farmer’s market, a shade garden, a dog run, and several proposals for open space that can be used for different events on different days. Sacs said this type of “programmable” space allows the residents to be flexible in their use of the area down the road.
A few residents discussed the fact that some sport venues, like tennis courts, severely limit how many people can use a given space at a time. Still, one note asked for multi-purpose athletic facilities to be put on each lot.
Requests were submitted for benches, landscaping to discourage graffiti, and public art to decorate the area.
One note suggested that the county collect rainwater from the viaduct and pipe it into a water park at ground level.
Abridging debate
Jasek, the county engineer heading the project, said that the road will literally be cut in half during construction and one lane will remain open in either direction.
At the meeting, some residents voiced their displeasure about the two years of traffic mayhem that could occur with only one lane open. Traffic in uptown Hoboken is stressed by its proximity to the Lincoln Tunnel.
Other residents are concerned about the closure of Clinton Street at 14th Street to vehicular traffic. Councilwoman Beth Mason, who was one of several council members in attendance, called the Clinton Street closure a hindrance to public safety officials.
Mason unveiled a plan for uptown revitalization last year that included a baseball field that a minor league team could play in. She said she asked the county to include Hoboken in their planning process for the viaduct, but the city was never included by county officials.
County spokesperson Jim Kennelly said the county advertised and publicized public meetings on the viaduct project over the past few years, so residents shouldn’t be upset about not having input now.
He said with the budget struggles, various scandals, numerous elections, and other major news in Hoboken, “some folks may have been distracted.”
What about bike lanes?
Sacs said Mayor Dawn Zimmer has been petitioning the county to allow more input on the project, for instance creating a bike lane on the bridge, but has been met with resistance.
Some suggestions by the city have been accepted, he said, like their request to have crosswalk paths raised above street level to slow cars passing under the bridge.
Sacs said, as far as the residents should be concerned at the meeting, some elements of the project were just “set in stone.”
Timothy J. Carroll may be reached at tcarroll@hudsonreporter.com.