Kiosks “Not a Threat to Public Safety”

The Princeton Traffic and Transportation Committee has no concerns with a plan to clean up the kiosks on Nassau Street, committee members said Monday.

The Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce has presented a plan to lease, upgrade and beautify the kiosks at the corners of Nassau and Witherspoon and Nassau and Vandeventer streets- today the kiosks are typically plastered with layers of disorganized fliers.

”I think they (the kiosks) are a mess, I do not think they speak well of Princeton,” Committee Chairman Anton Lahnston said.

The PRCC's proposal calls for weather-resistant kiosks would help visitors find attractions, local events and transportation options. Two cork panels on the kiosk at the corner of Vandeventer and Nassau would be open to the public.

Last month the proposal received a lukewarm reception before Princeton Council, mostly due to the kiosks' proposed advertising, which would help pay for the upfront investment and potentially offer Princeton future revenue. Council referred the issue to the Traffic and Transportation Committee to see if there were any concerns from a traffic or safety perspective. 

Ralph Widner, a member of Traffic and Transportation Committee, said the group posted information on the kiosks last year, only to have them stapled over within a few hours.

“We have not had good luck trying to disseminate public information... and would welcome an enhancement,” Widner said. "Within our jurisdiction, (the proposal) is not a threat to public safety."

PRCC President & CEO Peter Crowley seemed pleased by the Committee's discussion. 

“The Transportation Committee's unanimous decision reflects more of what we’re hearing from merchants and cultural and arts organizations about bringing better order and better information delivery to the kiosks."

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