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Council reviews Franklin Street one-way plan amid delivery and emergency‑response questions
Summary
The council heard a second-reading ordinance to convert Franklin Street to one-way westbound between Palisade and Central avenues. Infrastructure staff said the design seeks to improve safety and that they will provide response‑time data and stakeholder outreach before a final vote.
Drew Benghart, representing the Department of Infrastructure, presented ordinance 26-010 at the caucus meeting proposing to convert Franklin Street to a one-way westbound street between Palisade Avenue and Central Avenue. Benghart said the conversion is part of a grant-funded project intended to improve corridor safety and included design changes to assist emergency response and nearby deliveries.
Council members pressed for details. Councilperson Efros asked for any recent studies or data about how the change would affect emergency response times; Benghart said the department and the fire department would compile and share relevant response-time data before the final vote. Councilman Griffin recounted a report from a local business that a delivery truck was stuck for about 45 minutes near a Stop & Shop and asked what measures would ease commercial vehicle maneuvering. Benghart said the design includes removing some parking in the driveway area and stepped-up enforcement to eliminate illegal parking and double parking that impede deliveries.
Infrastructure staff emphasized peak-period congestion tied to school pickup and drop-off and said they will coordinate with the deputy mayor for education and Hudson County’s Transportation Management Association to develop operational plans. The department also said the 87 bus currently travels westbound along Franklin, so officials do not anticipate a route change for NJ Transit service.
The council requested additional outreach to stakeholders, including medical offices on the corridor, and follow-up information from public safety to ensure response-time impacts are mitigated. No final vote on the ordinance was recorded in the caucus transcript; the item was listed for a subsequent reading as part of the council’s agenda.
