Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Newark public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
9 issues in roads
Street paving delays and state funding shortfall
Two engineering contracts were on the agenda: pedestrian safety and signal upgrades at Market Street and University Avenue, and the Five Ward Paving Improvement Project.
Street paving and utility restoration oversight
Two engineering contracts were on the agenda: pedestrian safety and signal upgrades at Market Street and University Avenue, and the Five Ward Paving Improvement Project.
Parking limits on certain commercial establishments
The council added a new section to the parking code limiting how certain commercial establishments may use street parking — aimed at curbing businesses monopolizing curb space.
Newark Safe Gateway pedestrian safety project funding
$4 million in state dollars will fund pedestrian safety, accessibility and traffic calming along Newark's central corridors — expect safer crossings and slower traffic in those areas over the coming years.
Truck traffic and overweight enforcement
Council members want trucking companies that damage city streets to help pay for repaving, and the administration wants state police help to weigh trucks on Doremus Avenue — currently the city has only one scale and one authorized inspector.
PSE&G gas line work and street coordination
Streets repaved by the city are being torn up by PSE&G's citywide gas line replacement, and the utility may not be honoring the ordinance requiring curb-to-curb repaving afterward. Council wants long-term coordination so the city stops wasting paving money.
Broad Street Phase II pedestrian safety improvements
Newark accepted a $4 million state grant for the Safe Gateway pedestrianization and traffic calming project — at no cost to the city.
Chancellor Avenue and neighborhood traffic safety
After a near-fatal crash, residents demanded a full traffic light at Chancellor and Parkview Terrace, trimmed vegetation blocking stop signs, and enforcement against predatory towing.
Ironbound-downtown pedestrian bridge delays
A decade-long project stalled again when rail agencies refused to approve the redesign; a new contractor is being hired to reuse the existing bridge, and council wants a formal motion pressuring Amtrak, NJ Transit, PATH and the Port Authority to cooperate.