She said Jersey City would be meeting with business owners on the Newark Avenue pedestrian plaza this week to discuss the problem as “on one hand we want to work with the businesses to help them make up for lost time during the pandemic, but on the other hand we expect them to help promote social distancing.” ”We are experiencing the same challenge that we have seen across the state, at the Jersey Shore, and across the country, where many people feel there is no longer a risk, and they are not practicing good social distancing,” said city spokesperson Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione. These new plazas are at Grove Street from First Street to Montgomery Avenue First Street from Jersey Avenue to Newark Avenue Bergen Avenue from Reed Street to Duncan Avenue Rose Avenue from Cator Avenue to Old Bergen Road MLK Drive from Woodlawn Avenue to Armstrong Avenue and Bergen Avenue from Sip Avenue to Newkirk Streets.Īlong Newark Avenue, some residents have complained that, particularly on weekends, social distancing is not being practiced as young people have been congregating with to-go beverages and food, many without face coverings. The city has been working with restaurants to expand outdoor seating into streets to maintain capacity while indoor dining remains limited.Īlong with the expansion of the established Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall, other temporary pedestrian plazas support social distancing. The Slow Streets pilot is the latest city program using streets to assist business owners adhere to social distancing. “The street we want to slow down in Ward A is located near a park, so we have enlisted the Triangle Park Neighborhood Association to help utilize the new expanded open space for programming that benefits the local residents while maintaining social distancing such as sports events, kids activities, and a flea market,” said Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley.Īccording to the city, changes to the Slow Streets Pilot Program may be made throughout the project based on public feedback and the impact on public health and safety.įor input on the Slow Streets pilot program, fill out the Jersey City Slow Streets Survey at. Other “slow streets” under consideration include Cator Avenue from Rose Avenue to Old Bergen Road McAdoo Avenue from West Side Avenue to Rutgers Avenue in Ward A Belmont Avenue from West Side Avenue to Summit Avenue in Ward B and Clerk Street from Bramhall Avenue to Wilkinson Avenue in Ward F. “After incorporating the community’s feedback, this will be a welcome addition to make the street and surrounding area much safer not only for social distancing purposes, but also to help slow traffic down in areas where residents have expressed concern,” said Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh. As the weather gets warmer, and popular destinations like our parks and plazas become increasingly crowded, we want to provide residents with a safe outlet to go outside of their homes and comfortably use neighborhood streets for recreation.” “This is about the physical and mental health of our residents.
“We will start with a few Slow Streets and roll this out on additional streets based on public feedback, as we want this to be a community-driven initiative,” said Barkha Patel, Director of Transportation Planning for the city. The entire lengths of Senate Place and Dey Street in Ward C Nelson Avenue from Bleecker Street to Leonard Street in Ward D and Jersey Avenue from Eighth Street to Newark Avenue in Ward E will be designated “slow streets.” All designated streets will be marked with traffic barricades and signs at intersections. This program will also support further recovery efforts on the horizon.”
“We were the first to implement strict and effective social distancing measures, and now as we work to carefully reopen, these Slow Streets will act as a relief valve for safe outdoor activities this summer as we see the streets and parks start to get crowded again. “We have been working to bring outside-the-box solutions to address the various issues created by this unprecedented crisis,” said Mayor Steven Fulop.