Sun Sep 15 14:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Jersey City Embraces Tactical Urbanism to Improve Public Realm

**Jersey City, NJ** – In a move that has significantly improved the city’s public realm, Jersey City has consolidated the management of streets, transit, parks, and other public facilities into a single Department of Infrastructure. This consolidation, according to Robert Steuteville in Public Square, has allowed the city to take a holistic view of its transportation and mobility needs, leading to impactful changes.

The department has spearheaded the implementation of nearly 25 miles of protected bike lanes, the creation of pedestrian plazas, the planting of over 1,000 trees, and the construction of new parks. These improvements were made possible by Jersey City’s embrace of “tactical urbanism” – quick-build, low-cost interventions often implemented by local activists.

The city has adopted this approach to quickly deploy nimble and low-cost projects that have resulted in permanent changes. For example, leftover tennis court paint and planters were used to build a pedestrian plaza in the heart of the city’s historic downtown. Road diets were implemented along major streets to establish the protected bike lane network, and a fleet of micro-transit vans was employed to fill gaps in transit access.

The city’s efforts have yielded impressive results, including a full year of zero traffic deaths on city-managed roads. This achievement is a direct result of the city’s commitment to quick-build road safety interventions.

Jersey City’s success story highlights the power of taking a holistic view of infrastructure and adopting innovative approaches to improve the public realm. By embracing tactical urbanism, the city has demonstrated that even relatively small, low-cost interventions can have a significant and positive impact on the lives of its residents.

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