Toll of Commuting: 2 wheels may be faster than 4 in Hoboken
On a beautiful spring day, the bike rack at Hoboken Terminal is full, the bike path along Sinatra Drive is busy and riders aren’t just saving the environment. They’re saving time.
More Stories
As a potential New Jersey Transit rail strike looms, some with city commutes might consider alternative options.
In Hoboken, the bicycle has long been a way to reduce the Toll of Commuting.
“Typically for my commute each morning, I bike each day down to the PATH station and park at Hoboken Terminal,” said Hoboken Councilperson at Large Emily Jabbour. “It’s much easier than sitting in any of the traffic that Hoboken is unfortunately known for.”
On a beautiful spring day, the bike rack at Hoboken Terminal is full, the bike path along Sinatra Drive is busy and riders aren’t just saving the environment. They’re saving time.
“It’s the fastest way for me to get from point A to point B,” Jabbour said.
“I just want to get to work, and bikes are a really good way to do that,” said Andrew Wilson, the executive director of Bike Hoboken. “I can get from my home to the PATH station in maybe seven minutes on a bike, whereas it would take a half hour to walk.”
Hoboken is regarded as a bike-friendly city. There haven’t been any traffic-related deaths in seven years. But there has been an increase in bicycle-related injuries. In more than three out of four of those, the cyclist had the right of way.
“It’s cars, generally, that are in the vast majority of cases hurting cyclists,” Wilson said. “And so, we need roads that will protect against that.”
In recent years, the city has lowered the speed limit to 20 mph, added stop signs and reduced parking near intersections to increase visibility. City officials say these solutions benefit more than just cyclists. They also consider pedestrian safety and those who ride scooters.
