JERSEY CITY, NJ. September 13, 2024 (Biz Republic) — Vision Zero Chair and Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Chairman Anthony Romano, and Commissioner Bill O’Dea delivered remarks at the Vision Zero Safety Demonstration Project event. This was a collaborative effort between regional, state, municipal, and community partnerships to pilot new safety measures on roads.
“As Vision Zero Chair, it has been, since the very beginning, my goal to eliminate roadway deaths in Hudson County. And through this safety demonstration project, I am fulfilling my commitment to trying out all possible safety measures to ensure county roads are safe for all who use them,” said Hudson County Executive Craig Guy. “I understand the importance of investing in safe streets and in the communities that need it most now and for future generations. We are focusing on the best ways to provide safe streets for all. This is critical to Hudson County residents, it is critically important to my administration, and it is the mission of the Vision Zero Task Force I created.”
“The $480,000 we were able to secure through this program was a crucial step in our efforts to increase road safety in Hudson County,” said Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08). “I’m proud to have partnered with County Executive Guy and leaders throughout the community to ensure that the Vision Zero initiative will be successful. Providing safe streets for all of our residents is a top priority for all of us.”
“Hudson County is taking meaningful steps to involve the public in its Vision Zero initiative and in transportation decision-making,” said Emmanuelle Morgen, Executive Director of the nonprofit Hudson County Complete Streets. “We are relieved to see new traffic-calming infrastructure like curb extensions and centerline hardening added to our high-injury network, and look forward to more changes that truly welcome all road users to our streets.”
The Vision Zero Safety Demonstration Project tests permanent solutions to improving walking, cycling, driving, and the use of public transportation on roadways. These solutions include hardened center lines and speed bumps to encourage slower and safer turns. In addition, the project expands existing measures that are currently used on county roads including ‘No Turn on Red’ signs, curb extensions using cost-efficient materials, and traffic signal timing to prioritize the safety of pedestrians crossing the roads. The traffic calming measures constructed at the corner of JFK Boulevard and Manhattan Avenue will be in place for about two weeks and will be used for gathering useful data for the Vision Zero Action Plan.
Since the establishment of the Vision Zero Task Force in August 2023, the team has been meeting monthly as a collaborative effort between all stakeholders in Hudson County. The Vision Zero Action Plan will be announced by the end of this year.
