Bloomfield Adopts Complete Streets Policy

March 8th, 2011 by Jay Corbalis

Following the lead of their neighbor Montclair, Bloomfield Township in Essex County became the seventh municipality in New Jersey to embrace complete streets after their town council voted unanimously last night in support of the policy. Bloomfield was awarded a Smart Growth Award from NJ Future in 2008 for their Town Center Redevelopment Plan, which, among other things, envisioned a “pedestrian hub” at the town’s Six Points intersection, including “safe, well-lit mid-block pedestrian alleys and connections” and “bicycle lanes and conveniently placed bike racks.”

Text of the resolution is below, courtesy of Bloomfield Councilman-At-Large Michael Venezia (emphasis added):

2011 RESOLUTION – ESTABLISHING A COMPLETE STREETS POLICY

WHEREAS, the Township of Bloomfield is committed to creating street corridors that safely accommodate all road users of all abilities; and

WHEREAS, significant accomplishments have already been achieved by incorporating pedestrian safety and traffic calming measures when public streets are improved; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council supports this “complete streets” initiative and wishes to reinforce its commitment to creating a comprehensive, integrated, connected street network that safely accommodates all road users of all abilities and for all trips; and

WHEREAS, that all public streets projects, both new construction and reconstruction (excluding maintenance) undertaken by the Township of Bloomfield shall be designed and constructed as “complete streets” whenever feasible to do so in order to safely accommodate travel by pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit, and motorized vehicles and their passengers, with special priority given to pedestrian safety, and subject to the following conditions:

a. Pedestrian and bicycle facilities shall not be required where they are prohibited by law; and

b. Public transit facilities shall not be required on streets not serving as transit routes and the desirability of transit facilities will be determined on a project basis; and

c. In any project, should the cost of pedestrian, public transit, and/or bicycle facilities cause an increase in project costs in excess of 5%, as determined by engineering estimates, that would have to funded with local tax dollars, then approval by the Mayor and Council must be obtained for same prior to bidding of the project.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield, County of Essex, State of New Jersey hereby adopts this “Complete Streets” policy as outlined in the resolutions.

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I hereby certify that the above resolution was duly adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Township of Bloomfield at a meeting of said Township Council held on

March 7, 2011.