100 BLOCKS: Hoboken Announces Ambitious Paving Plan for 2019

(ABOVE: Dramatization)

As the main drag still remains unfinished, the City of Hoboken has announced what can only be described as an ambitious paving schedule, with 100 blocks—equaling nine miles of the Mile Square City, or 1/4 of the city’s streets—set to be repaired in 2019.

“Improving our infrastructure is a major priority for my administration, and our aggressive repaving schedule will help maintain Hoboken’s streets for years to come,” said Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla. “Thank you to Hudson County, PSE&G and North Hudson Sewerage Authority for working with my administration as we continue to upgrade our roads.”

Some of these road repairs are bundled into other infrastructure improvement projects.

Perennial, damaging flooding at 9th & Madison is set to be addressed this fall, as North Hudson Sewerage Authority will replace sewer lines and inlets, as well as elevate the roadway. The City also claims that it will be replacing $4 million worth of water mains. Water utility SUEZ—with whom the City presently has a fairly contentious relationship regarding responsibility for water infrastructure—is conspicuously absent from the list of cooperating organizations.

Here’s the tentative schedule:

Spring/Summer, 2019

• 1st Street (Marshall Street – Hudson Street)
• 2nd Street (Monroe Street – Jackson Street)
• 4th Street (Grand Street – Monroe Street, Jefferson Street – Adams Street)
• 5th Street (Jefferson Street – Grand Street)
• 11th Street (Willow Avenue – Park Avenue)
• 12th Street (Monroe Street – Madison Street)
• Bloomfield Street (2nd Street – 4th Street)
• Jefferson Street (4th Street – 12th Street)
• Monroe Street (2nd Street – 3rd Street, 4th Street – 7th Street, 8th Street – 11th Street)
• Paterson Avenue (NJ Transit RR – Monroe Street)
• Willow Avenue (Observer Highway – 11th Street)
• Washington Street (11th Street – 15th Street)

Fall, 2019

• 7th Street (Garden Street – Hudson Street, Monroe Street – Clinton Street)
• 8th Street (Monroe Street – Jefferson Street)
• 9th Street (Monroe Street – Madison Street)
• 10th Street (Madison Street – Jefferson Street)
• Clinton Street (7th Street – 8th Street, Newark Street – 6th Street)
• Garden Street (12th Street – 14th Street, 3rd Street – 5th Street, Observer Highway – 2nd Street)
• Grand Street (6th Street – 9th Street, Newark Street – 5th Street)
• Madison Street (8th Street – 11th Street)

***Note: Timeframes are estimated based on assumptions regarding bid schedules and contractor availability and are therefore subject to change.***

That last bit is what has folks concerned…

The Washington Street Redesign Project was initially set for completion in July of 2018. It currently sits unfinished, with a potential for completion for at the end of May.

Given the City’s track record on a project of this magnitude, there’s considerable trepidation among residents and business regarding the impact of the scheduled work. While many agree that it needs to be done, concerns have been voiced over how efficiently and effectively the project will be completed:

By the time you finish you’ll have to restart the first road you worked on.

— Peanut Bruddah (@PeanutBruddah) March 18, 2019

Meanwhile, other residents see this repaving as an opportunity for a broader redesign project of Hoboken’s Streets:

It’s a great opportunity to pilot protected lanes along some of these stretches. Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe stand out as prime candidates with Shoprite, Monroe Center, JFK Stadium, and the new parks. Willow as well, given its history per the crash map: https://t.co/rOZ1Btt6Wz

— Alec Perkins (@alecperkins) March 18, 2019

Stay tuned to hMAG for updates on specific impacts as the work begins.

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