In 2022, the City of Passaic sought the expertise of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)’s Complete Streets Technical Assistance (CSTA) Program to help reimagine and redesign a roadway into a bicycle and pedestrian-friendly corridor. This report envisions how to reallocate the current right-of-way along Hamilton Avenue and State Street to accommodate a two-way protected bicycle path. Feedback from municipal stakeholders informed development of three conceptualizations for State Street, supporting plans for Hamilton Avenue, and selection of a preferred concept. This report shows how State Street can be completely redesigned with wider sidewalks, angled parking, and a bicycle path to provide safe roadway facilities for all users. In addition, the supporting plans show how the bicycle path can continue up Hamilton Avenue to provide a continuous protected bicycle facility along the entire corridor.
During this project, the City used preliminary study recommendations to apply for a Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside grant. The conceptualizations included in this report will help to educate residents on what a redesign can look like and help to build support for a Complete Street. Additionally, this report describes how Passaic can test the redesign by conducting a demonstration project to gather additional feedback. The concepts and reference images provide context to how a temporary project could take shape. While this project focuses on a single corridor, the idea of protected bicycle paths and expanded public space is applicable to other municipal-owned roads. A list of potential funding resources and recommended design guides can be found in the appendices.
Read full report: Passaic: State Street & Hamilton Avenue Complete Streets Conceptualization (2023)
