Hoboken Schedules 'Pop-Up' Meeting On Controversial Plan To Catch Double-Parkers On Camera

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken's CLEAR system to catch illegally parked vehicles on camera is set to start next Wednesday, but some are concerned.

Business owners have said that parking is already difficult on Washington Street, and that some customers or deliverers need to double park briefly.

The city's Department of Transportation and Parking will host a "pop-up education event" about the program this Monday, from 3-6 p.m. It will be held on the northeast corner of Washington and Third Streets.

During the event, staff members will be available to answer questions about the new CLEAR program, the city said.

They said it's a Vision Zero initiative that aims to improve safety, reduce illegal parking, improve access to loading zones for businesses, and ease traffic congestion along Washington Street."

CLEAR stands for Camera-based License plate Enforcement for Access & Response times. By clearing blocked travel lanes and improving intersection visibility, CLEAR seeks to protect all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.

Starting on Oct. 1, cameras will capture images of vehicles parked illegally along Washington Street between Observer Highway and Eighth Street. The images will be reviewed by staff at the Hoboken Parking Utility, and if they confirm a violation, they'll mail a citation to the business owner.

But some City Council members said that when they voted for the proposal last year, they were unaware of its scope. They and business owners spoke out at a recent council meeting.

Store Owners Concerned

Ernie Reyes, the owner of Ace Hardware on Washington Street, said at a council meeting on Sept. 17 that his store has served the community since 1931.

He said that because of bumpouts, EV fueling stations, and other changes, there are only five parking spots left on his side of the road. He said that if people are afraid to stop briefly in front of a business, independent stores won't be able to survive.

"There's a reduction in customer accessibility to stores, and this will kill Washington Street," he said. "There's been no public comment. Business owners have not been informed at all."

He said Hoboken is getting expensive for people as it is. "It is very hard to live here," he said.

Council members Tiffanie Fisher and Paul Presinzano suggested that the city "take a pause" because not enough segments of the population were consulted on the plan, including seniors.

Presinzano said there were enough empty storefronts on Washington Street already, and that he had previously thought the program would pertain just to loading zones.

"We get this jammed down our throats on a Friday at 5 p.m.," Presinzano said. "All we're asking for is that we take some time to implement this but do it the right way. You can't get people's attention in one week."

Councilman Ruben Ramos said he had objected to the program when it had come up for a vote in May 2024.

To learn more about CLEAR, go to https://www.hobokennj.gov/resources/automated-enforcement