Full Notification

Over the past several days, I have received a wide range of feedback about the Grand Street Complete Streets Pilot. I know that change is difficult, especially when it affects how we travel through our neighborhoods every day. The Grand Street Complete Streets Pilot was designed to improve safety, mobility, and accessibility for everyone who uses the corridor but like anything that is new, there will be an adjustment period during the early stage of the pilot. I encourage everyone to remain attentive, follow posted guidance, and use caution as we all become familiar with the improvements. The goal of this pilot is to deliver a design that creates a safer, more functional Grand Street for everyone who walks, bikes, drives, or delivers goods along the corridor.

The Grand Street Complete Streets Pilot reflects Hoboken’s commitment to Vision Zero, which has a goal to eliminate traffic deaths and injuries by 2030. Although Hoboken has not experienced a traffic death in more than eight years, to maintain that record, we must continue to focus on risk mitigation when we have opportunities to improve our infrastructure. This pilot introduces proven safety measures intended to support our Vision Zero goal, including high-visibility crosswalks, curb extensions, upgraded ADA ramps, daylighting, and simultaneously upgrades the existing unprotected bike lane to a protected one and connects it to our broader bike network. Throughout Hoboken, cyclists use the City’s bike network to commute, deliver goods, go to and from school, and get exercise with their friends and family. We owe it to them to create safer infrastructure. 

Because the project brings new changes to the street layout, it is going to take some getting used to, and unfortunately some misinformation has begun to circulate about its purpose and design. All elements of the pilot, including the protected bike lane, signage, pavement markings, and delineators, were designed consistent with national best practices and guidelines.

The project followed an in-depth engineering design process that incorporates proven safety countermeasures, engaged public safety representatives, and included input from members of the Hoboken City Council and Council’s Transportation Subcommittee before the construction contract was approved by the Council earlier this year.

Addressing Recent Questions

Some of the reoccurring questions I have received include ‘Why are there so many delineators?’ and ‘Why is the road so narrow?’ 

Delineators serve multiple important safety and operational functions, which include daylighting at intersections to improve sightlines for drivers and pedestrians, improved driveway access for residents by allowing cars adequate space to maneuver into and out of driveways, and defining the protected bike lane buffer between the parking lane and the bike lane to prevent encroachment from vehicles. These elements work together to create a corridor that is more visible, more organized, and ultimately safer for everyone who uses it.

Regarding lane width, although the street may feel narrower because of the new layout, the travel lane exceeds the national minimum standard of 10 feet. Narrow streets are common in Hoboken and we have ensured that the width of Grand Street is consistent with the City’s Complete Street Design Guide, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban Street Design Guide, and the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Complete Street Design Guide. It is also consistent with Vision Zero design principles, which show that appropriately sized lanes help encourage safe speeds without impeding emergency vehicles. The perception of narrowing comes primarily from moving the parking lane on the east side of the street and the bike lane to reduce the ability to illegally double park in both the bike and travel lanes.

Recent Cyclist Crash

As many of you have heard, an incident occurred between Fifth and Sixth Streets, where two cyclists on e-bikes collided. According to the Hoboken Police Department, the crash occurred when one cyclist traveled eastbound from the street between parked vehicles, entered the crosswalk, and crossed perpendicularly into the protected bike lane, where the rider collided with a southbound cyclist who had the right of way. Police and Hoboken EMS responded promptly, and one cyclist was taken to a nearby hospital for a head injury and later released. While this appears to be human error, our Transportation & Parking Department and Engineering Division will continue working with community members and local businesses to incorporate feedback, including improving loading practices and visibility along the corridor to reduce the likelihood of conflicts of any kind.

Pilot Process and Evaluation

Our staff has already responded to several site-specific concerns raised in recent weeks, and we will continue to monitor travel patterns, evaluate curb management issues, and adjust the design where appropriate. 

In the coming weeks, we will launch a community-wide survey so residents and businesses can provide additional input because your lived experience is critical to the ongoing evaluation process. Modifications to the design are an integral part of pilot projects like this one and demonstrate our commitment to adapt, ensuring that the final outcome delivers a safer, more functional Grand Street for everyone.

Over the next year, the City will collect data on speeds, vehicular compliance with posted signage and stopping for pedestrian, double parking frequency, street sweeping frequency and road cleanliness, curbside occupancy, micromobility counts, and more. This information, coupled with your feedback, will be used to evaluate the curb management strategies implemented, make adjustments as needed, and assess whether the pilot should become permanent. 

Ribbon Cutting Postponed

The ribbon cutting previously scheduled for Monday, Nov. 24, will be postponed. While much of the pilot is now in place, installation is not yet fully complete, and additional signage, markings, and minor adjustments will continue over the next several weeks. Postponing the ribbon cutting reflects our commitment to finishing the work carefully and continuing to listen to residents and businesses as the pilot progresses. A new date will be announced once installation is completed, and further community feedback has been considered and incorporated.

We have published a detailed FAQ page that explains the pilot’s goals, design, safety features, street cleaning operations, and our ongoing evaluation process.

The FAQ page is available here https://www.hobokennj.gov/resources/grand-street-pilot. I encourage residents to review it and share questions with our team at [email protected]. 

Thank you to every resident, family, and business owner who has shared feedback so far.

Sincerely,
Ravi S. Bhalla
Mayor