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Council approves multiple traffic and parking ordinances as residents press for speed mitigation on Keep Street
Summary
The Linden City Council adopted a package of traffic and parking ordinance changes and tabled some items to June while residents raised safety concerns and requested speed humps, four-way stops and other traffic-calming measures on Keep Street and in the Bayway area.
The Linden City Council on May 20 adopted several ordinances amending traffic and parking rules across the city and heard multiple public comments asking for speed mitigation on residential streets, most notably Keep Street.
Council members moved and adopted ordinances involving residential permit parking, handicap parking additions and removals, new no-parking locations, bus stop locations and bond ordinances funding parking and road projects. Among the traffic-related measures adopted that evening were amendments to Chapter 7 (Traffic) including changes to residential overnight permit areas, additions and removals of handicap parking spaces, and parking prohibitions on several streets. The council also tabled ordinances numbered 69-28 and 69-29 to the June meeting and removed others (69-18 and 69-20) from consideration.
Multiple residents used the public-comment period to press for immediate traffic-calming measures. Kevin Byron (North Stiles Street) described recurring reckless driving and two recent accidents near Keep Street and Gibbons Avenue and said he collected a 50-signature petition requesting mitigation. He told the council: “People don't listen to stop signs. At the very least, I'd like to see a 4-way stop sign, blinking stop signs, something to get people's attention because it's only getting worse.” Judy Byron emphasized family safety and urged officials to act before someone is seriously hurt.
Theresa Joseph, a resident who lives on North Stiles, said a commercial site plan adjacent to residential easements had been approved with access and circulation she believes was intended to be one-way and to include a sidewalk and a removable speed bump. Joseph said the site is being used as a two-way route by customers and delivery traffic, creating conflicts and near-misses in the shared easement near her home.
Councilwoman Orman said engineers would re-run a traffic study for Keep Street and noted practical limitations for speed humps (they can be damaged by snow plows and heavy equipment). She asked residents to meet with engineering staff to explore targeted solutions; the meeting record shows an instruction to refer the concerns to engineering and the traffic committee.
Why it matters: Traffic-calming decisions and permit parking changes affect neighborhood safety, pedestrian access and parking availability. Residents described near-misses and collisions and asked for expedited city action to reduce speeds and increase pedestrian protections.
Next steps: Council referred resident requests to engineering for a traffic study and noted that some ordinance items will be returned for further consideration at the June meeting.
