Hoboken, NJ: Mayor Ravi Bhalla delivered his final State of the City Address on Tuesday, reflecting on his tenure since taking office in 2018 and outlining his vision for the future of Hoboken.
Bhalla highlighted key achievements, progress on major initiatives, and the future opportunities that remain for the Mile Square City.
“I remember walking through Hoboken in those early days, potholes needed fixing, parks were in desperate need of investment and water mains were waiting to burst…” Bhalla began.
He noted that his administration’s Vision Zero Initiative had enabled Hoboken to prevent traffic-related deaths for eight consecutive years now, and stated that they would work this year on a Zero Action Plan, focusing on the behaviors that lead to traffic injuries.
“This didn’t just happen by chance, it happened because we made safety a priority, because we redesigned our streets with modern safety features,” Bhalla said.
Bhalla touted the efforts of his administration towards flood mitigation, noting that before he took office, Resilient City Park “was the former site of a chemical plant.”
Bhalla spoke of the progress on expanding affordable housing options and inclusive development, including the Northend Redevelopment plan with over 200 units of affordable housing set to be constructed in the next five years and plans for Garage B.
Bhalla also spoke of his administration’s desire to strengthen police-community relations, including plans for a new Community Policing Bureau for on-street foot patrols.
