Several road safety initiatives were discussed at the Wednesday, Sept. 28 North Bergen Board of Commissioners meeting, including the designation of two one-way streets and a proposed ordinance to establish a 15-mile-per-hour speed limit on streets surrounding seven township schools.
The commissioners tabled the vote on the 15-mile-per-hour ordinance, which would be in effect only during school hours. It will be up for a vote on Oct. 12.
The commissioners first said they want an engineer and workers from the traffic division to give the speed limits and streets another look. The speed limit would be in effect 45 minutes before school starts and 30 minutes before the school day ends.
The commissioners will vote later this month on a resolution lowering the speed limit near the schools.
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“The Township is proactive to keep our children safe around schools,” said North Bergen Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pasqual in an interview. “These laws are to keep drivers safe too.”
The current speed limit is 25 miles per hour.
Also at the meeting, the council approved one resolution to change two streets to one-way streets. Streets affected are eastbound 79th Street, between Tonnelle Avenue and JFK Boulevard. The second is westbound 80th Street, between Tonnelle Avenue and JFK Boulevard.
“Those streets were once two-way streets, but there’s been reports of scratched vehicles or mirrors knocked off [from cars passing each other too closely]” Mayor Nicholas Sacco said during the meeting.
Sacco announced that there were 562 fatalities due to traffic crashes in 2015 in New Jersey. Of these. 28 percent were alcohol-related, and while 26 percent due to unsafe speeding.
Thus, North Bergen has proclaimed Monday, Oct. 10 as Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day to increase safe driving behaviors. Put The Brakes on Fatalities provides towns with information, phone applications, or events with hopes to prevent dangerous driving habits like texting and driving.
Turf for the stadium
Another resolution passed is for the town to accept and match a grant of $500,000 to North Bergen from the County Trust Fund for the construction of the turf on Bruins Stadium in James Braddock Park. According to the resolution, the town will also have to match the price of $500,000.
Retiring lieutenant honored
Members of the Police Department, commissioners, family, and friends honored retiring police officer Lt. James Holsten at the meeting. In November 2009, Holsten was responsible for one of the largest findings in the North Bergen Police Department: a cache of narcotics, firearms, and drug related currency. Several people were arrested.
Members of the department presented Holsten with an American flag sealed in a large, triangular case. The American flag was flown over Police Headquarters in his honor on Friday, Sept. 9.
“During his career he’s performed above and beyond the call of duty,” Captain William Lyons said while presenting the flag to Holsten.
After the meeting, members of the Police Department stood at attention while Holsten walked through the doors. This is the first time the NBPD has staged a walk like this, and they did it as a surprise for him on his last day.
“It was the most amazing experience,” Holsten said. “I was actually choked up when I saw all those people standing at attention. I didn’t know it was going to happen; that was the best part of it. I pulled into the garage and they all saluted. I walked down the line and hugged every one. It meant the world. I’m choked up now just thinking about it.”
In 1989, after Holsten’s father left the department, Holsten joined, and is now retiring as a 28-year veteran. “It was my dream as a little kid to be a cop,” he said. “My dad was a police officer and I was so proud of him. I wanted to work undercover from the first time I watched ‘Starsky and Hutch.’ And I lived my dream.”
During Holsten’s career he’s been in the Patrol Division, Street Crimes unit, the Detective Bureau, and more. He served as the detective in 2006, sergeant in 2008, and was promoted to lieutenant in 2012. The proclamation Holsten received from the mayor said Holsten once apprehended a felon who was sexually assaulting a resident.
Holsten said, “I learned so much and did some awesome things. I want to thank the mayor and commissioners and Chief Dowd for giving me the opportunities they have given me. I was born and raised in North Bergen and this town means a lot to me.”