Toll of Commuting: Jersey City steps up traffic enforcement
“We needed to change some of the behavior," said Jersey City Police Chief Bobby Kearns. "Everybody’s in a rush in the morning.”
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The challenges of a Jersey City commute include double-parked cars, speeding or "blocking the box" at a crowded intersection. And now, police are writing up more tickets and emphasizing safety with a new traffic division.
Perhaps the most visible change has been the return of the motorcycle unit on the roads. The traffic enforcement team went away in 2015, but was revived in May.
“We needed to change some of the behavior," said Jersey City Police Chief Bobby Kearns. "Everybody’s in a rush in the morning.”
“They weren't used to having a traffic safety division for the last 10 years," said Lt. Travis Ragland. "Seeing our guys out there was a bit of a culture shock for some.”
And a shock to their wallets. Since the relaunch, Ragland says the team has issued 8,000 summonses. Many of these come in familiar spots.
“Route 440, you have blocking the box," Ragland said. "A signal timing that could take two minutes now becomes a four-minute [wait]. We’ve been doing radar enforcement on Kennedy Boulevard.”
The speed limit on the boulevard is 25 mph.
Police say both motor vehicle and pedestrian-involved collisions are down about 10% this summer. The city had three traffic deaths last year, and one so far this year.
Illegal parking is another focus point - and one that residents can directly contribute to using the Word on the Street, or "WOTS," app.
“There’s approximately an 18-20% increase in complaints and calls that our parking enforcement officers are handling," Ragland said.
The city is taking bids for a camera-assisted parking enforcement pilot program - something neighboring Hoboken tried last year. The mayor’s office has called this additional enforcement a revenue source as the city faces a financial crisis.
It all adds up to a costly toll of commuting for rule-breakers in New Jersey's second-largest city.
