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The latest from the City of Hoboken on Street repairs and repaving…..
As part of repaving work planned for this year on Monroe Street from 3rd Street to 6th Street, excavation for handicap ramps will begin on Thursday, April 4 at Monroe Street and 6th Street. The contractor will be at Monroe Street through the end of the week, working south to 3rd Street.
Here is an article from local blogger Sara S. about the future state of automobiles and the concept of computer controlled driving for individual vehicles.
The Jetson’s promised us flying cars decades ago and we still haven’t gotten them. So, while we’re waiting, it’s a good thing Google is doing their part for the future of transportation by making and testing autonomous vehicles – or ”robot cars”. It sounds a little crazy, I know, but they really are and soon these “autos” will be cruising along our roads and highways. You will become the passenger and the car will be the driver.
There would be no more need for streetlights. No one would get speeding or parking tickets. We already have cars that can park themselves, but these cars would bring it to a whole new level. We would probably still have parking meters though! Knowing that parking is such an issue in Hoboken for some residents and visitors that do not use mass transit and parking where they wish, can you honestly expect drivers who are accustomed to double parking and standing where they should not to relinquish that option?
Robot cars could take the most congested traffic systems like that in New Jersey and turn it into a streamlined and efficient commute or ride each and every time. These cars have a 360-degree view through radar and GPS technology. They rely on the continuous uploading of detailed images from the vehicle’s immediate surroundings using 3-D laser mapping technology.
Imagine the changes to the traffic jams of cities like New Jersey and NJ car insurance alone and then echo it across the country. States would experience an interesting transition for traffic officers, insurance companies, and lots of other businesses. Think of all the people currently who hold positions as drivers in this country; from buses to semis.
Cops would no longer need to set-up speed traps, there would be no accidents (or at least fewer) with what they say could improve traffic and collision statistics everywhere. But, who knows what new hazards these futuristic automated autos will bring or what the new provisions would be once they were launched on the public across the country?
So far, only Nevada has passed a new robot-friendly law and those laws are only for the purpose of testing automated vehicles; they are not yet available for consumers. Technically however, when they do become available Bryant Walker Smith, a lecturer on legal issues at Stanford University says he has found no laws that directly prohibit them from being used right now.
Set the “neat-o” factor aside and think about the potential implications of a fully autonomous automobile.
Really think about it. A robot car. What is traffic like where you live at any given time? Can a robot car navigate it? Really? Could there be both robot and manually driven cars sharing the same roads at the same time, or could they only work if everyone had one? Could a programmer be sued if he/she developed a faulty self-driving algorithm?
Will a driver’s license become and operator’s license? Who would ultimately regulate this and what could they potentially do with that power? Would they be able to remotely access and control every vehicle and the grids they are traveling on? Will they be able to turn your car off at any time or re-direct you? What a great way to resolve the oil issue that could be.
Currently the prototypes have steering wheels and a tap system on the brakes that will allow you to regain control of the vehicle any time you want, but these questions are all worth pondering.
Technology is encroaching on every aspect of our lives. How much control are you willing to give up behind the wheel? Are you willing to give up the wheel entirely?
Editor’s Note: We are perhaps a ways off before this is even an option but Google and other technology firms have already started on this trend so it may be sooner than later. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below:
Hello Hoboken Citizen -
Due to demolition work which was deemed to have the potential to collapse onto the roadway, Park Avenue between 15th Street and 16th Street has been closed on an emergency basis. Plan on alternate routes and provide extra travel time. The roadway may be reopened as early as 7pm this evening.
Demolition work will resume on Monday, November 19. During demolition, which may last for up to 2 weeks, the southbound lane of Park Avenue will be closed while the northbound lane will be open. Police officers will be stationed in the area to direct traffic. Expect traffic delays in the area and plan accordingly.
The latest proposed pilot plan to address traffic in the Southwest…
Following the community meeting held on August 14 to discuss traffic and pedestrian safety issues in Southwest Hoboken, the City of Hoboken will proceed with plans to reopen Madison Street to vehicular traffic as part of a Southwest Hoboken Access Improvement Plan. The plan was first publicly announced and presented at the community meeting.
“Thank you to all the residents who came out for a very productive meeting,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “Based on the positive feedback we received, we will be moving ahead with a pilot plan to reopen Madison Street to help alleviate the pressure at Jackson Street and ease traffic congestion getting into Hoboken overall.”
The City is in the final stages of coordinating with Hudson County and the Hoboken Fire and Police Departments to reopen Madison Street behind the firehouse on Observer Highway as part of an access improvement plan for Southwest Hoboken. Although the street was closed to traffic with barriers several decades ago, it legally remains a through-street. The City is finalizing plans to conditionally open the street within a month and to monitor changes to traffic patterns.
The principle challenge with opening Madison Street is the short block length which provides minimal capacity for queued vehicles, which could back up onto Newark Street. As a result, the City is planning a three-phase pilot in order to evaluate resulting traffic conditions at each step before considering additional changes.
In all phases, only right hand turns from Newark Street would be permitted onto Madison Street. Drivers would proceed from Marin Boulevard, turn left on Newark Street, and then right onto Madison Street. Left turns will not be permitted onto Madison Street in order to avoid eastbound traffic backups on Newark Street. Large trucks and buses will be prohibited at all times.
Due to the limited queuing capacity on Madison Street, it is critical to maintain a constant flow of vehicles to prevent backups onto Newark Street. Because Observer Highway is a two-way street with moderate traffic volumes, initially only right hand turns will be permitted onto Observer Highway to minimize traffic conflicts and increase traffic throughput.
Pending an analysis of traffic conditions, additional phases would gradually loosen restrictions on turning movements at Madison Street and Observer Highway:
Phase I: Only right hand turns will be permitted from Madison Street onto Observer Highway. Left turns and northbound through movements will be prohibited.
Phase 2: Left turns and northbound through movements will be permitted during off-peak hours (Right turn only on weekdays, 7am-9am and 4pm-7pm). (Pending analysis)
Phase 3: All turning movements permitted at all times. (Pending analysis)
A draft illustration of the three-phase pilot plan is available for download.
First the Good news, the 14th Strete Viaduct is being rebuilt, The bad news is you will have a detour coming soon to Hoboken uptown. Below is some important information for those who drive in the Northern section of town. This detour is set to take place near August 13th , 2012 and will effect the area around the 14th Street Viaduct which is being rebuilt due to previous structural deficiencies……
On or about August 13, 2012 and lasting for approximately 10 weeks, traffic on the 14th Street Viaduct will be closed in the west-bound direction from 9am to 3pm. East-bound traffic will remain open.
The contract for construction of the viaduct called for the complete closure of the viaduct at night to install 50 beams that average 120 feet long. This work is not noise-free, but was expected to be done at night in August and September to reduce daytime traffic delays.
After further consideration, the contractor indicated that they can leave one lane open on the viaduct if they were permitted to work during the day. The hours of lane closure would be from 9am to 3pm to avoid peak period traffic. Traffic congestion is still expected, but the benefit of the daytime detour is to not disturb area residents at night from the noise. Mayor Zimmer is thankful to Hudson County for working to find an alternative to nighttime construction.
There is no additional cost or time involved with the detour change. Sheriffs will be stationed at each end of the viaduct and would, as necessary, allow emergency vehicles through. The century-old Viaduct will be completely replaced as part of a $45 million dollar infrastructure upgrade of this section of Northwest Hoboken overseen by the County.
14th Street Viaduct Traffic Detour– Daytime (9AM to 3PM) – Eastbound open/Westbound closed
Westbound Traffic Detour Description:
Southern Detour:
Northern Detour:
Due to the fact that there will be a 5K race by Party With Purpose in Hoboken tomorrow, drivers can expect some real “Scott Deleas” (race organizer) while driving along Sinatra Drive or Hudson Street from 6:15pm to 8:30pm…
Dear Hoboken Resident or Visitor:
Several streets near the waterfront will be temporarily closed due to a 5k race scheduled for Tuesday, July 17 at 7:00pm. The following roads will be closed between approximately 6:15pm and 8:30pm.
A new study out today about red-light running trends finds that more than 2.3 million drivers in 18 states ran a red light in 2011.
The study, by The National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) also found that Memorial Day weekend is the top holiday weekend for reckless driving behavior in intersections with the highest number of red-light violations.
TheBoken.com thought this would be a useful public service announcement to help remind motorists to drive safely this holiday season. The summary and details of the report are below:
Memorial Day Weekend has highest rate of red-light running
More than 2.3 million drivers in 18 states ran a red light in 2011, according to the first-ever Safer Roads Report 2012: Trends in Red-Light Running from the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR).
The report released today examines red-light running trends across 18 states and is designed to help raise driver awareness of the dangers of red-light running. The risks of red-light running are clear: Intersection-related vehicle accidents caused more than 8,500 causalities in 2001, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
NCSR’s report analyzed red-light running data collected from 1,240 red-light safety cameras across 142 areas in 18 states.
Report Highlights:
“This report shines a light on the life-threatening epidemic of red-light running on our nation’s roads,” said David Kelly, President and Executive Director, NCSR, and Former Acting Administrator of NHTSA. “This new information reveals when we are most vulnerable on the road. We’re arming drivers, cyclists and pedestrians with knowledge they can use to keep themselves and their families safer on the road. Drivers everywhere need to make a more conscious effort to be aware on the roadways —no matter the time or the place.”
For more information on Safer Roads Report 2012: Trends in Red-Light Running, please visit http://www.NCSRsafety.org/ . Also view the associated infographic.
The National Coalition for Safer Roads helps save lives and protect communities by demonstrating how red-light safety cameras can improve driver behavior. NCSR brings together policymakers, community leaders and concerned citizens in support of red-light safety cameras, advocating for their use in cities and communities across the country. The National Coalition for Safer Roads is a 501 (c)(6) industry trade association. To learn more, please visit www.NCSRsafety.org follow @SaferRoadsUSA on Twitter and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SaferRoadsUSA.
Below is the report embedded for your reading convenience:
The latest update from the City of Hoboken on pedestrian and traffic safety……
Residents are advised that on Monday, May 14th, new traffic signals will be turned on at Newark Street and Monroe Street/Grove Street. The existing traffic signals at this location were retrofitted by Hudson County with new equipment, including a modernized controller, countdown pedestrian signals, and improved visibility vehicle and pedestrian crossing faces.
The City of Hoboken coordinated with Hudson County engineering to improve signal coordination with adjacent intersections, reconfigure lane utilization to better manage turning movements, and address pedestrian crossing/safety concerns at this location. Hudson County Engineering prepared the plans and implemented the improvements as part of its annual roadway improvement program. The City would like to thank Hudson County for its continued efforts to improve safety and traffic flow in Hoboken.
Previously, Monroe Street was configured with two right turn lanes and one left turn lane. The street has been reconfigured with two left turn lanes and one right turn lane, with the middle “left” turn lane designated for the dogleg turn onto Grove Street.
Editorial – Hoboken Taxi’s and Car Services, what you may not know
By Rory Chadwick
We have all set foot in a local cab or town car to get us from point A to point B. Some of us do it rarely and some do it more often. $5 and we can go anywhere within the city. For $7-$8 we can go to Target or Home Depot. Reasonable for sure if you ask me? At 1am many of us are out on a weekend night with friends and tend to bar hop and taking a cab for just $5 versus walking in a stupor 14 blocks is fantastic. What you do not know is the story of the person giving you the ride. In fact every driver in town be it taxi or town car has pretty much the same story.
Almost all yellow cab and town car drivers work on a percentage or pay a flat fee for use of a car in Hoboken. For a town car they earn a paltry 40% of the fare. In addition to their 40% they must pay $1 to the dispatcher who gives them the fare and at the end of the night must turn in a small percentage to the dispatchers for another fee. The town car drivers must also pay for their own gas and the town car drivers only get fares that are dispatched to them, a town car is prohibited from picking up fares in the street yet they often do anyway to make ends meet. Your basic $6 fare at the end of the night comes out to about $1.25 profit for the driver. If the driver got a tip than they made a tad more.
Yellow cabs are charged a weekly rate and in Hoboken the going rate is $900 a week, or 7 days . With a leased yellow car the driver is responsible for all repairs and gas. Yellow cab gets a flat, the driver is paying for a new tire. Engine blows, the driver must pay for the engine. The cab companies assume no responsibility for anything. With yellow cabs the rule is 1 fare and you can take a 2nd fare only if the 1st ride says ok. 3 fares at once is not allowed.
900 divided by 7 is 125 and change a day, about the same for an NYC taxi rental which is currently approx 130 for a weekday rental and 140 on a weekend day. With 100′s of yellow cabs in Hoboken and a paltry $5 fare, the limitation to just 2 fares seems harsh to this writer. While most cabs in NYC are used around the clock, many Hoboken yellow cabs are operated by 1 drivers who sleeps at night with his family. In NYC it’s worth it to take 2 – 12 hour shifts because the money is there but in Hoboken everything is dead for cabs from 5am-3pm. The drivers who I spoke to who wish to remain anonymous make on average $6 an hour to drive a cab in Hoboken. Yes, less than the state minimum wage. The saddest thing is the drivers are afforded no benefits by their leasing agents. There is no insurance, no medical, no dental, there is no 401k there is nothing but $6 hour if they are lucky.
The cab drivers are business owners as well. They deserve a fair balance as well. Recently with the food trucks the city wanted to make it even for all who come to run a business in town. The city devised a plan to make it approx $3000 a year for a food truck to sell here, far less than the some 100K a year brick and mortar restaurants. That plan has since been taken off the table and the current rate is being implemented until further notice. Should a business owner that is responsible for getting many of us home safely at night or maybe getting us home in time so we can see our children play soccer on time or perhaps rushing a sick person to a hospital when no ambulances are available be held to a current standard of making $6 an hour with NO benefits, a car to gas and repair and a family to cloth, feed and put through schooling?
Your thoughts are appreciated in the comments area. Should cabs be allowed to take more than 2 fares to help cope with their paltry salaries? Would a fare increase of $1 make or break your pockets? Would mandatory benefits for the cab drivers seem fair?
- Rory Chadwick
Editor’s Comment and Disclaimer: The content in the above piece is the opinion of the columnist and not necessarily that of the opinion of TheBoken.com. At TheBoken.com we encourage people to share their opinions so feel free to comment in the section below your thoughts on Rory’s article.
CITY IMPLEMENTS ADDITIONAL STOP SIGNS TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SAFETY
Residents Can Submit Concerns With Traffic Calming Request Form
In response to requests from constituents and concerned business owners, the Department of Transportation and Parking recently installed stop signs to make it safer for pedestrians to cross the street at two high-traffic intersections.
The intersection of Harrison Street and Observer Highway has been a growing concern for residents and businesses in the area who have seen more pedestrians attempt to navigate through heavy southbound traffic volumes. This concern was raised by the Hoboken Business Center as well as residents who regularly attempt to cross there.
“The new stop sign for southbound traffic will have minimal impact on driver travel times during peak periods, but will even the playing field for everyone trying to cross this street, particularly children, parents with strollers, and the elderly,” said Transportation and Parking Director Ian Sacs.
Uptown, concerns about pedestrian safety have also been raised by residents at the intersection of Park Avenue and 12th Street. After an analysis of vehicle and pedestrian volumes, a stop sign was approved for this location as well.
Both intersections will now operate as “All Way Stop” intersections. The benefit of this traffic control configuration is that it allows pedestrians the safety benefit of drivers coming to a complete stop at all approaches and prevents the “intimidation” associated with fast-moving cars.
Traffic Calming Toolking & Request Form
All way stops are discussed in the City’s recently introduced “Traffic Calming Toolkit” as a way to continue to improve pedestrian safety at intersections where appropriate. Residents may download the Traffic Calming Toolkit from the City website: http://www.hobokennj.org/trafficcalming. The toolkit includes a Traffic Calming Request form that can be used to report problem areas and request traffic calming measures.
Link: http://www.hobokennj.org/news/city-implements-additional-stop-signs/
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