Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla gave his annual State of the City Address at Mile Square Theatre this past Monday. After celebrating the opening of three new businesses (Little City Books, a second location of bwé kafe, and Park and Bloom), Bhalla hinted at a “major, well-known event” that would soon be held in Hoboken’s North End. He also mentioned a large quality of life project currently underway, and the recent groundbreaking of the Northwest Resiliency Park, which when finished will be the largest such park in New Jersey featuring an ice skating rink, an athletic field, and an amphitheater.
Bhalla then turned to infrastructure in Hoboken. In addition to the two million gallons of flood infrastructure included in the Resiliency Park, he mentioned a $33 million deal to upgrade water mains, and a project to pave over 50 blocks of road. Furthermore, the mayor described ongoing work in the Vision Zero road safety campaign, such as reducing crossing distances, improving visibility, extending curbs, and adding dedicated bike lanes. As part of the plan, Bhalla also mentioned how he is seeking to reduce speed limits citywide from 25 to 20 mph. Vision Zero appears to be connected to the decision to remove Lime scooters, because Bhalla promised residents to consider the popular e-scooters again if the “safety, operational, and technological requirements” were met. He also proposed a new light rail station at 15th Street, which would improve the city’s economic growth, and could help students commute to and from school.
E-scooters and other mass transit options in Hoboken like the HOP buses are part of Hoboken’s sustainability initiatives, which culminate in an overall goal to make the city carbon neutral by 2050. As part of his Climate Action Plan, the city upgraded 11 municipal buildings with LED lights and high-efficiency heating and cooling. Bhalla said he plans to widen the plastic bag ban on March 8 to include all carry-out plastic bags, including the thicker ones that few people actually reuse.
While not about Stevens, the speech did contain several issues concerning Stevens students. For students renting apartments in the city, transportation is critical to get to and from school, made more difficult by the departure of Lime scooters in November. The HOP is one alternative, and students can hold out hope that the scooters may come back.
The Vision Zero campaign is also important to the students who walk the streets of Hoboken every day. Reducing the speed limit may disappoint some commuters with longer travel times but would also reassure students peering around the cars parked on the side of the street as they look to cross.
Sustainability was featured prominently in the SGA presidential campaign last semester, so students should be pleased to see the efforts being made by the city to reduce waste and emissions. The parks that are part of the environmental plan will also be an exciting addition to the city, giving students new places to go with friends or by themselves for a meditative moment.
A chief concern of Stevens students that Bhalla omitted was housing. That it does not appear to be a part of the mayor’s official agenda may disappoint many students, and it is currently unclear what, if any action is being taken to lessen the burden on students at this time.
Bhalla’s speech laid out an ambitious agenda for the coming year, with numerous implications for Stevens students. The parks are something to look forward to, and many students will be pleased to see action being taken in the direction of sustainability and safety.
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