City officials are seeking a pedestrian overpass for Rt. 440 in Bayonne, or some other major safety measure, citing a need to protect residents, workers, and shoppers.
The Bayonne section of Rt. 440, Rt. 169 before much of the current development near the east side roadway, has seen increased traffic over the last several years with the addition of strip malls, the Cape Liberty Cruise Port, and a Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station.
Mayor James Davis would like to see a pedestrian overpass somewhere along the busy roadway, but said that two major impediments would have to be overcome: complete funding for the project and approval from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
A North Bergen man was killed last year trying to cross the roadway, a main connector between downtown Bayonne and Jersey City and Bayonne’s entrance to the New Jersey Turnpike.
The Bayonne Community News regularly receives letters to the editor from readers about what they say is the lack of safe pedestrian passage near the Bayonne Crossings and South Cove Commons malls.
Last year, Bayonne resident Richard McCarthy wrote a letter calling for more awareness of those walking to the Rt. 440 shopping centers and again suggested the idea of pedestrian bridges.
At a City Council meeting following his letter, he said that the council had passed a resolution authorizing an application to the NJ DOT that, among other things, asked for funding to “provide a safe environment for pedestrians and bicycle riders traveling along and crossing Rt. 440 between 22nd and 30th streets.”
On the first Sunday afternoon this year, about eight to 10 pedestrians could be seen heading north along the eastern side of Rt. 440 North, near a rock-crushing facility and the Bayonne Crossings mall. One was a man in a wheelchair. Another was a woman pushing a stroller. There was also a family.
As far as a pedestrian bridge is concerned, estimates run into the millions of dollars for a single one, up to as much as $4.2 million. City officials said there is set-aside money from developers and state funding amounting to $2.6 million, still not enough to cover a walkway.
Davis is concerned not only about those pedestrians traversing the highway, but also the ones walking down the Turnpike connector bridge to the Global terminals area. Each day, many people can be seen during rush hour and other times using the overpass meant for vehicles. There is no shoulder on the structure, and therefore virtually no margin of error should a pedestrian slip or fall into oncoming traffic.
“I just want to make sure the people are safe.” – Mayor James Davis
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At a meeting with Turnpike officials in December, Davis urged some type of measure to aid pedestrian safety. The Turnpike will this year begin a renovation of Bayonne’s 14A exchange to improve traffic flow. The project could take up to four years, and Davis is trying to work out a plan to ensure those walking will be able to navigate around the traffic safely.
Davis hopes to run a jitney bus service from 53rd Street to the east side of Rt. 440 during the morning and evening rush hours. This way, workers could get to their jobs without having to expose themselves to danger.
“I just want to make sure the people are safe,” Davis said.
Vehicular traffic safety on the Rt. 440 corridor in Bayonne has also been questioned recently. On Friday, Dimitrios Frangakis, 43, of Bayonne, died after being ejected 45 feet from his motorcycle, according to a published report. Police said Frangakis’s motorcycle was rear-ended by another vehicle, the report said.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.