Great Falls Circulation Study Passaic County, New Jersey
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Final Report 2016 Great Falls Circulation Study Passaic County, New Jersey Great Falls Circulation Study | 1 Disclaimer The preparation of this report has been fi nanced in part by the U.S. Department of Transportation, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, Inc., Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or its use thereof. 2016 Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders Theodore O. Best, Jr., Director John W. Bartlett, Deputy Director Terry Duffy Cassandra “Sandy” Lazzara Pasquale “Pat” Lepore Hector C. Lora Bruce James Passaic County Planning Board Commissioner Miguel Diaz, Chairman Commissioner Joseph Metzler, Vice Chairman Commissioner William Gervens Commissioner Stephen Martinique Commissioner Kenneth Simpson Commissioner Thomas Williamson Commissioner Sam Mirza, Alternate #1 Steve Edmond P.E., County Engineer Theodore O. Best, Jr., Freeholder Director Terry Duffy, Freeholder Cassandra “Sandy” Lazzara, Freeholder Alternate Abdelmageid Abdelhadi, Esq., Planning Board Attorney Michael La Place AICP, P.P., Planning Director Passaic County Department of Planning and Economic Development Michael La Place AICP, P.P., Planning Director Michael Lysicatos AICP, P.P., Assistant Director Kathleen Caren, Open Space Coordinator Jason Simmons, Senior Environmental Planner Jason Miranda, Assistant Planner Giancarlo Bruno, Planning Intern Deborah Hoffman, Economic Development Division Director Kristen Holton, Executive Assistant, Economic Development Helen Willis, Offi ce Manager Qushonda Hamilton, Administrative Assistant TABLE OF CONTENTS i Executive Summary 07 ii Introduction 09 Comprehensive Public Outreach 13 01 and Coordination 02 Vision Statement and Goals 17 03 Community Profi le 19 Multimodal Mobility Needs 21 04 Assessment 05 Gateway Access Alternatives 39 06 Gateway Vision Plan 57 Photo Credit: Terence McKenna i Executive Summary City of Contrasts Gateway Vision Plan Paterson’s history and natural resources serve as The Great Falls Circulation Study advances a a platform of great potential and opportunity, fi ve-part Gateway Vision Plan of multimodal yet its demographic makeup, economic decline, transportation and placemaking improvements. and the long-standing adverse impact of traffi c, congestion, and highway construction present Part 1: Multimodal Urban Boulevard great challenges to advancement. The Circulation Re-envision the Spruce Street Corridor as a Study reveals a diverse but poor community, with multimodal urban boulevard more consistent with limited English profi ciency and scant access to its role as a gateway to the Great Falls NHP and auto ownership. downtown historic district. The Great Falls represent one of New Jersey's Part 2: Two-way Street Conversions most signifi cant untapped natural and cultural Implement two-way street conversions for Cianci resources, and present the opportunity to and Mill Streets to begin the process of restoring provide the City with a sustainable base for Paterson’s historic street grid and counteract the recreation, tourism, and economic development. long-standing impacts of congestion, through traffi c, trucks, and speeding. Part 3: Local Intersections Implement local intersection improvements that Vision Statement prioritize traffi c calming and pedestrian crossings The City of Paterson will become a and enhance multimodal mobility across the City. more attractive place for education, tourism and business and enhance Part 4: Enhanced Placemaking its position as the regional center. Look beyond the transportation and mobility elements to address the chaos, access and Through the implementation of mobility limitations, and diminished built multimodal Complete Streets, environment that residents and visitors encounter Paterson will mitigate long-standing on a daily basis. congestion and traffi c impacts, improve safety and access, and Part 5: Long-Term Vision Plan become a more vibrant and livable Work with City, State, regional, and NHP partners community. to explore and advance roadway and transit projects of regional signifi cance and coordinate plans with development of Great Falls NHP facilities and amenities and restoration of Hinchliffe Stadium. Great Falls Circulation Study | 7 Great Falls Circulation Study Area Oxford St Lawrence St Kearney St Temple St Jasper St Jane St Albion Ave Fulton St Sheridan Ave Crosby Ave Northwest St Coral St Cliff St r ive Marion St c R sai River St Pas Governor St Union Ave White St Presidential Blvd Tyler St Matlock St Ryle Ave Redwood Ave Godwin St W Broadway Paterson St Bridge St Hamilton Ave Totowa Ave Ryle Rd Sherman Ave v509 Fair St Number 5 E.S. Manchester AveWayne Ave River St Washington St Broadway College Blvd Ryerson Ave Liberty St 647 Van Houten St Curtis Pl Ellison St v Walnut St Alexander Hamilton Paterson Ave Academy Maple St Mill St 648 Memorial Dr Preakness Ave Number 2 E.S. v 16th Ave 666 Cianci St 666 Smith St Clark St Park Ave v Market St McBride Ave Ext Federal Plz 2I Dawn Treader Elm St John F. Christian School Kennedy H.S. Birch St Jersey St Front St 639 Spruce St Crosby Pl v639 John P Holland Charter School Mill St Essex St Pass Jackson St Spring St aic Oliver St River Grand St Walker St Community Charter Ave Dale School of Paterson St Prince Slater St Straight St Hoxey St Morris St Henderson St Mcbride Ave Rockland St Quinn St Howard St Murray Ave Marshall St Perry St 19 633 «¬ Main St v Green St Caldwell Ave Slater St Jackson St Barnes St Ave Railroad 80 Dixon Ave ¨§ 20th Ave New St LEGEND Parks Study Area 0 0.25 0.5 Schools Miles F ii Introduction Paterson’s Great Falls represents one of With few accessible vantage points, the New Jersey’s most signifi cant untapped grand vistas of the Great Falls have long been natural and cultural resources, and overlooked by residents and tourists alike as “hidden, inaccessible, and underutilized.”1 presents the opportunity to provide Addressing this disconnect between the idea the City with a sustainable base for of the Falls as a priceless visual and natural recreation, tourism, and economic asset - and its potential to both revitalize the development. Through a succession community and fi ll the void in active open space of recent studies and improvements, - holds the key to successful completion and implementation of the Great Falls Circulation including its declaration as a National Study. Historical Park (NHP) in 2009 and the restoration of Mary Ellen Kramer Park, Although initiated by the Passaic County the Great Falls now have the potential Department of Planning and Economic Development to examine ways to improve to spur the city’s rebirth by encouraging access for visitors to the National Historical Park redevelopment, fostering heritage and Downtown Historic District, the Circulation tourism, and providing Paterson’s Study recognizes that Paterson is also host to residents with a much needed base for numerous local and regional needs: home of active recreation and open space. more than 37,200 K-12 students, many of whom walk to and from school; seat of the Passaic County government and courts; transit hub The Great Falls study area covers about served by NJ TRANSIT rail and bus, private one-quarter of Paterson's 8.36 square jitney service, and NJ TRANSIT bus depot; miles. The area includes Passaic County gateway community for new immigrants; and government and courts; residential conduit to the adjacent I-80/NJ 19 highway corridor providing essential access to and areas; downtown shopping, dining, and from the surrounding suburban communities. nightlife; and more than 20 schools in The Circulation Study represents a signifi cant addition to the Great Falls NHP and step forward by initiating the process of Historic District. Direct access is provided understanding the City’s many and varied needs to Interstate 80 and New Jersey 19; and mitigating its long-standing defi ciencies and multimodal mobility is supplemented by constraints. both rail and bus transit service. Great Falls Circulation Study | 9 As the National Park Service Paterson's robust street grid, circa 1930 evaluates options for the park’s future, whether the primary emphasis becomes the natural beauty of the Great Falls and its use for recreation or as an historic site essential to America’s industrial ascendance, the efforts undertaken for the Great Falls Circulation Study have made apparent the urgent and pressing need for multimodal circulation improvements that enhance pedestrian access, safety, and mobility with an emphasis on students and vulnerable users. It has also highlighted the importance of advancing improvements for the Spruce Street Bridge (also known as the War Memorial Bridge) and Spruce Street that calm traffi c, improve pedestrian safety, and begin the process of overcoming the impacts of traffi c and congestion that hamper quality of life every day for Paterson residents. The Circulation Study is part of an on-going The Great Falls Circulation Study evaluates effort by Passaic County and the City of Paterson opportunities to improve local and regional to evaluate options and opportunities for the circulation, enhance pedestrian mobility, and City’s future. Previous studies have included a implement gateway access improvements to the city-wide traffi c assessment, heritage tourism benefi t of all. The Circulation Study includes: potential, bike share options,