Final Report of the Broadway Advisory Committee DATED: June 27, 2000 Broadway is a divided State land service highway with two and three lanes of moving traffic and parking permitted along portions of the road. It is a busy road, carrying approximately 35,400 vehicles in both directions each 24 hours…. While the traffic load does have certain advantages in terms of potential customers and transient uses, particularly automotive and fast food establishments, this is more than offset by a number of negative factors generally detrimental to business including a divided roadway with an inadequate number of turnarounds, lack of convenient parking (particularly on the north side of Route 4), real or imaginary danger to pedestrians, and conflicts between local and through traffic. The above quote is from the report of Harvey Moskowitz to the Fair Lawn Planning Board, dated December 22, 1977, (hereinafter referred to as the "Moskowitz Report") in connection with the then proposed revision to the Borough's Master Plan. The intervening period of more than 22 years has resulted in little, if any, progress towards resolving the problems noted in the Moskowitz Report. This is so notwithstanding that two prior committees (in the late 1970's and again in 1994) have been formed to examine the Broadway corridor with a goal of resolving these and other problems. The Moskowitz Report analyzed the needs of the Broadway corridor and concluded that there were several ways the corridor could be improved. These included: A. Providing more parking for shoppers, particularly on the north side; B. Better traffic circulation; C. Pedestrian crossovers between Midland Avenue and Plaza Road and between 26th Street and 30th Street; D. Improvements to the visual environment by adding trees/plantings, park benches and "mini-parks". The committee endorses all of the foregoing. As part of the information gathering process, the committee held a public meeting the committee on February 2, 2000 at the Warren Point School. This meeting confirmed that the issues uppermost in the minds of the residents who attended the meeting were parking and traffic. In its preliminary report of March 24, 2000 the committee made a recommendation that the Mayor and Council investigate the availability and suitability of certain vacant properties and an existing residence located at 1-11 Grunauer Place for use as parking. It now appears that the Grunauer Place residence has been sold. If so, an opportunity to provide a parking lot of significant size may have been lost.  The committee believes that it is imperative that this Mayor and Council begin to address the problems of the Broadway corridor. The committee recognizes that not all of the recommendations that follow can be implemented immediately. It further recognizes that even those recommendations that are implemented will not result in solving all of the problems of the Broadway corridor in the immediate future. Having said that, however, the committee also believes that if the recommendations set forth in the Moskowitz Report had been acted upon, many of the problems noted by the report would now be resolved or, at the very least, be significantly closer to resolution. The specific recommendations of the committee are as follows: - Parking - Broadway Train Station - Traffic - Building Renovation And Signage - Business Window Displays - Landscaping/Streetscaping - Lighting And Pedestrian Safety - Enforcement - Transfer Of Broadway From New Jersey To Fair Lawn PARKING 1. The Borough should undertake a program to provide parking on the north side of Broadway. Those parcels identified in the committee's preliminary report located at the Plaza Road and Broadway and 34th Street and Broadway, should be investigated as to their availability and suitability for parking. When these or any other parcels are determined to be available and suitable for parking, it is the committee's recommendation that such lots be acquired by the Borough and operated as municipal parking facilities. This would allow use of the lots by customers of all of the adjacent businesses, rather than by customers of any particular business. The lots could be metered to at least partially offset the cost of acquisition and maintenance. Business owners could offer reimbursement, should they choose to do so, in order to attract customers. To the extent that such parking lots are acquired, they should be well lit (without adversely affecting adjoining residences) and appropriate signage should be provided both on Broadway and internally on the lot(s).  2. The Borough should consider the extension of the B-2 Zone, General Business, and the OBS-2 Zone, Office and Business Services, to a depth of 250 feet from Broadway. In the alternative, the zoning ordinance could be amended to permit parking in an adjacent residential zone to a maximum depth of 250 feet as a conditional use. Any such change would, of course, require appropriate safeguards and buffers to protect the residences affected by the zoning change. These safeguards could include perimeter fencing, screening, plantings and the like. These safeguards must be carefully considered in order that adverse conditions which currently exist at the boundary between the business and residential zones are not simply relocated further from Broadway.  The committee recognizes that any such changes to the zoning ordinance represent a long term, rather than a near term, solution. The committee does not advocate the use of eminent domain powers by the Borough to acquire private residences for use as parking lots. However, it may well be that homeowners whose properties abut the business zones are willing to sell their properties for their respective fair market values. If the zoning ordinance is changed and business property owners could buy property for use as parking without the need for a use variance, the tremendous need for parking on the north side should be alleviated. As the Mayor and Council well know, an application for a use variance is almost invariably a time-consuming and expensive undertaking, with no guarantee of success. 3. Generally speaking, the businesses located on the south side of Broadway have adequate off street parking. In addition, there are a number of parking spaces on the side streets on both sides of Broadway. The street spaces on the south side, however, are not accessible to shoppers patronizing north side businesses. The committee therefore recommends that pedestrian crosswalks be provided at 28th Street and at or near the intersection of Grunauer Place and Broadway. These crosswalks would be similar to the pedestrian crosswalk that presently exists at 34th Street and Broadway and would be controlled by a push button. 4. To the extent that off street parking presently exists, there should be an attempt made to encourage cooperative parking agreements between merchants and/or property owners. The committee has been made aware of informal arrangements between owners of several Broadway businesses and property owners. If at all possible, these private arrangements should be encouraged and expanded throughout the Broadway corridor. 5. There is little, if any, appropriate signage directing shoppers to the existing parking. All such signage should be reviewed with a goal of making it clear and visible. 6. Consideration should be given to creating cul-de-sacs on the side streets off Broadway to create the mini-parks suggested by the Moskowitz Report. Benches, trees and plantings could be installed and angle parking created. In addition, while there are tennis courts and ball fields located along Pellack Drive between 28th and 30th Streets, there are no facilities nearby for young children. The Mayor and Council should investigate the feasibility of installing equipment suitable for young children in these areas. 7. Bicycle racks should be installed near the Hyway Theater, the Broadway train station and Gamemaster at 26-13 Broadway. BROADWAY TRAIN STATION The committee believes that the New Jersey Transit station located at Broadway is an asset to the community. According to information provided to the committee, the Secaucus Transfer Project should result in a large increase in the ridership of New Jersey Transit trains, including daily commuting and other types of travel. The Mayor and Council should make every effort possible to retain the train station and, if possible, to have New Jersey Transit erect an expanded station, accessible to the handicapped. Such a station would serve as an anchor for the Broadway corridor, serving commuters who would in turn patronize local businesses. An expanded Broadway train station could also relieve some or all of the current overcrowding at the Radburn train station. Finally, an expanded station would also remove cars parked on local streets by commuters who use the Broadway train station at present. Unfortunately, commuter parking for the Broadway train station is virtually nonexistent within the Borough of Fair Lawn. A meeting with representatives of New Jersey Transit, the Borough Manager and a committee representative was held on May 9, 2000. At that time, the New Jersey Transit representatives stated that in order to invest the four million to six million dollars necessary to install and upgrade the Broadway train station to be handicapped accessible, New Jersey Transit would require a minimum of 300 parking spaces be available and would prefer a total of 400 spaces. The New Jersey Transit representatives also walked the site with the committee representative and determined that the Boston Market and Brake World sites would not accommodate the number of parking spaces required. The New Jersey Transit representatives stated, however, that arrangements have been made in several other areas throughout the State with movie theaters, such as the Hyway Theater that exists at the corner of Midland Avenue and Broadway, to lease the theater parking lot during the day for use by commuters. Such an arrangement may be considered if New Jersey Transit were to move forward with upgrading the Broadway station.  During the discussion regarding the Broadway train station, the New Jersey Transit representatives also indicated that any application made on behalf of two or more municipalities would receive a higher priority than an application received from a single municipality. Since the Broadway train station is immediately adjacent to Elmwood Park, it is the recommendation of the committee that the Borough contact the appropriate officials of Elmwood Park and begin discussions to upgrade the Broadway train station. This would also mean that sites in Elmwood Park could be considered to provide the parking requirements of New Jersey Transit. The representatives of New Jersey Transit indicated that before New Jersey Transit would be willing to upgrade the Broadway train station, they would need some expression of community support because New Jersey Transit will not expend the time, effort or money required if the community does not support same.   One suggestion which should be made to New Jersey Transit is to construct an elevated enclosed or protected walkway to enable commuters to cross from the existing station to the west bound side of Broadway. At present, commuters who live or park on the westbound side of Broadway must cross the roadway without any crosswalk or signal device to stop traffic. TRAFFIC According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, in 1998 approximately 40,000 vehicles used Broadway each day, an increase of 4,600 vehicles per day over the 20 year period from the issuance of the Moskowitz Report. The speed limits vary from 25 mph (when school is in session and children are crossing) to 35 mph in some sections and 40 mph in others. In addition, in times of high traffic, vehicles also use the side streets in order to avoid the congestion on Broadway. This situation will only be aggravated by the construction on the Route 4/208 interchange, presently scheduled to begin this fall. The committee is aware that the Mayor and Council are looking into the issue of traffic on Ellington Road and ways to alleviate the problems experienced by the residents of that street. While the residents of Ellington Road clearly need relief, the committee recommends that traffic in the Broadway corridor and the side streets surrounding it be addressed through a comprehensive traffic study of the entire area. To do otherwise may result only in the relocation of the problems experienced by those on Ellington Road to another local street if a piecemeal approach is employed. Any such study should include the following considerations: 1. The safety of school children attending Warren Point School is one of the paramount concerns of local residents. The 25mph speed limit is routinely ignored by many motorists. The committee strongly recommends the installation of flashing lights (such as are found on Morlot Avenue near Lyncrest School) to alert motorists to the change in the speed limit. 2. Traffic light controllers should be installed at all intersections presently equipped with signaling devices. This would permit activation by police, fire and ambulance vehicles in order to permit them to pass safely in the event of an emergency. It also would make the roadway safer for the other traffic on the roadway during such emergency. Consideration should also be given to the installation of strobe lights or other devices to warn vehicles of impending signal changes. 3. The traffic island at the intersection of Broadway and Plaza Road on the north side of Broadway should be reconfigured. As it presently exists, this island is oversized and creates a bottleneck for traffic traveling southbound on Plaza Road. This situation is likely to be aggravated when Saddle River Road is closed at Route 208 during construction of the Route 4/208 interchange. Motorists will be detoured from Saddle River Road to either Dunkerhook Road or to Morlot Avenue and Plaza Road to gain access to Route 4 East.  4. Consideration should be given to removing a portion of the center divider and permitting left hand turns from Route 4 West onto Midland Avenue. This would involve a change to the timing of the lights and hopefully decrease the use of side streets off of Midland Avenue and congestion at 17th Street and Broadway. It would also decrease the speed of Broadway traffic since, unless major changes are made to this intersection, the light would have three sequences, i.e., one to control left turns onto Midland Avenue, one to control left and right turns from Midland Avenue, and one to control Broadway traffic. 5. Consideration should be given to changing the location of the stop signs located at 30th Street and Rosalie Street. The committee has heard from residents that Rosalie Street is frequently used by vehicles trying to avoid the congestion of Broadway. The committee therefore suggests that the stop sign at the corners of 30th Street be repositioned so that 30th Street would be a through street and Rosalie Street would be governed by the traffic sign. 6. All of the bus stops on Broadway should be reviewed as to placement and condition. With very few exceptions, the bus stops are poorly marked and have no amenities, such as a lighted bus shelter, similar to those found at Fair Lawn Avenue and Saddle River Road. Several of the bus stops are poorly located, i.e. the corner of 30th Street and Broadway where children cross Broadway to Warren Point School (which should be eliminated for safety reasons), the corner of 34th Street and Broadway where bus patrons have to embark and disembark in the entrance of the driveway serving the strip mall between 34th and 35th Streets on the north side of Broadway and others. Each of the bus stops should be evaluated both from the point of view of safety and for convenience of commuters. 7. Crosswalks across Broadway should be of the ladder striped variety and should be put at all intersections. In addition, the traffic lights governing the intersections should be redesigned to make the crosswalks safer and more accessible for the disabled. One suggestion is to have audible beeps installed as part of the crosswalk lighting so that the visually impaired could safely negotiate Broadway. Another suggestion could be a countdown signal device showing the amount of time left to cross.  The committee has reviewed the report of the Fair Lawn Avenue Pedestrian/Bicycle Corridor Study revised through August 30, 1999 and believes that most of the suggestions made therein for improvements to the Fair Lawn Avenue corridor are equally applicable to Broadway. These include the above-mentioned crosswalk treatments, curb ramps at all locations where a sidewalk meets either a cross street or a driveway opening and removal of sidewalk obstructions. 8. Another aspect of the parking on Broadway is the fact that the on-street parking areas are poorly marked and there appears to be little, if any, parking for the handicapped. Parking spaces should be clearly delineated and parking for the handicapped likewise delineated and restrictions with respect to same enforced. Currently, vehicles proceeding on Broadway slow down looking for parking spaces, stop on the highway or double park on the shoulder while waiting for or looking for a parking space. This results in a hazardous condition not only for other motorists but also for pedestrians.  9. No discussion of the traffic on Broadway would be complete without the discussion of the signage on Broadway. There is a profusion of signs on Broadway. Unfortunately, the signs that currently exist are not particularly informative. For the most part, the signs should be replaced with clear and concise directional, parking and other signs. In addition, there should be more signs showing the speed limit on the various sections of Broadway, together with signs delineating the permitted parking mentioned above. BUILDING RENOVATION AND SIGNAGE Many of the comments received by the committee from the public meeting held on February 2, 2000 involved the types of businesses that residents would like to see on Broadway. These businesses included restaurants and cafes, book stores, coffee stores and the like. Needless to say, any businesses such as these will not be attracted to Broadway unless adequate parking is provided as discussed above. In addition, however, there has to be a careful balancing of the needs of business and property owners on Broadway with those of adjoining residential areas. The committee has examined the Borough's zoning ordinance and believes all such uses are permitted in the B-2, General Business, and HD, Highway Development, zones. It appears that such uses are not permitted in the OBS-2, Office and Business Services, zone. The committee recommends that the Borough re-examine the zoning ordinance and consider changing it as necessary to permit such uses in the OBS-2 zone. In addition, the process by which a business owner obtains permits, either through site plan approval or otherwise, should be streamlined and should not be so onerous as to deter someone from opening a new business on Broadway. In this regard, the committee also recommends that the sign ordinance should be reviewed, particularly as it affects businesses on Broadway. Broadway, in spite of the relatively low speed limits, is unlike any other business area within the Borough of Fair Lawn. Because Broadway is a four lane roadway, vehicles tend to pick up speed and travel the Broadway corridor at speeds far in excess of the maximum 40 mph speed limit. Many of the commercial signs on Broadway are outdated and, in some cases, are in the a state of terrible disrepair. There have been many comments made by both business members of the committee and other business owners that the Borough's current sign ordinance is much too restrictive as regards Broadway. Presently, businesses are allowed to change the fascia of a sign as long as the physical dimensions of the sign itself are unchanged. To do otherwise would apparently require obtaining a variance from the provisions of the sign ordinance, a costly and time consuming endeavor. The sign ordinance should be made less restrictive as regards the height of lettering, sizes of signs and maximum percentage of building area coverage. This is also true with respect to awning type signs. A failure to revisit the sign ordinance may result in more businesses adopting the approach recently taken by the Lucille Roberts Spa which has painted the exterior of the front facade of the building with what can only be described as brilliant colors. In addition to the foregoing, it is clear that a number of buildings on Broadway need to be upgraded and given a more appealing facade. It is the recommendation of the committee that the Borough, through its grants firm, seek any available funding from either the State or Federal governments for use in order to provide funds on either a low cost basis or as seed money to be matched by building owners and/or tenants. BUSINESS WINDOW DISPLAYS Another aspect that needs to be investigated deals with the window displays of the merchants on Broadway. Many of the window displays on Broadway are attractive and appropriate while others are nonexistent or seriously detract from the individual store front. As discussed in the committee's preliminary report, there is a great of deal of "window clutter". The committee has been led to believe that grant money exists for developing standards for merchant window displays. If such grants exist, they should be pursued. LANDSCAPING/STREETSCAPING The Broadway corridor could be improved in a number of ways to make it both more attractive and more inviting to pedestrians and shoppers. The committee recommends the following: 1. Trees should be planted where space permits. In other areas where it is not appropriate to plant trees, evergreen planters could be installed. The committee was pleased to hear that the New Jersey Department of Transportation will be installing trees, plantings and the like at the Warren Point School at no cost to the Borough or Board of Education. To the extent that the New Jersey Department of Transportation has funds available in this or next year's budget, the Borough should investigate how to apply for such funds in order to have the same type of work done throughout the Broadway corridor.  2. The committee was also advised by the Borough Engineers, during a presentation of the work to be done at the intersection of Routes 4 and 208, that the State will also be undertaking a program of planting trees and shrubs in that area. If at all possible, the Borough should undertake to have the State extend such plantings as far west on Broadway as possible and coordinate same with the work being performed at the Warren Point School. 3. The sidewalks and curbs on Broadway are generally in a state of disrepair. Any funds available through either State or Federal programs for the replacement of sidewalks should be investigated with the goal towards repairing, at the very least, a section of Broadway at a time until all of Broadway's sidewalks and curbs have been repaired and/or replaced. 4. Benches should also be placed along Broadway especially, if possible, at designated bus stops. 5. To the extent that there is landscaping on Broadway at present, business owners and/or tenants should be encouraged to update same and clean it of debris and garbage. In those areas where landscaping does not exist, the Borough should encourage business owners to install raised flower beds, as was done recently at the G & F/Delta Service Station. 6. The committee also met with the Borough's Recycling Coordinator, Ron Lottermann, regarding trash receptacles. The trash receptacles on Broadway are for the most part haphazardly located and are not used. Merchants should be encouraged to police the areas immediately outside their store on a daily basis and new trash receptacles should be purchased and placed throughout the Broadway corridor. LIGHTING AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY The lighting that presently exists on Broadway should be reviewed with a goal of improved lighting that is effective and increases the safety of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The committee has seen the type of lighting installed by the River Road Improvement Corporation and suggests that similar lighting be installed along the Broadway corridor. This would tend to change the atmosphere of Broadway from a "super highway" to more of a "village look". There are many items placed on the sidewalks by the merchants all along Broadway causing obstacles for pedestrians. The committee recommends that items such as flower planters and trash receptacles be placed uniformly, either at the curb or against the building, so that they do not pose a hazard to pedestrians. Numerous street signs and poles are hazardous to pedestrians. Several street signs hang over or into the sidewalk. Some of these hazards are located at the following locations: 1. A sign located at 33rd Street sticks out into the sidewalk. 2. Street signs on either side of 32nd Street (poles) need to be moved off of the sidewalk. 3. Street signs at 30th Street near Warren School Point need to moved off of the sidewalk. 4. A U-turn sign at Plaza Road should be raised above head level.   5. Flags flying at the edge of the sidewalk frequently blow across the sidewalk making it difficult for pedestrians to pass. The flags should be raised above head level. 6. Street signs and crossing signs at Midland Avenue across from the Hyway Theatre should be moved out of the sidewalk. 7. At the corner of 26th Street on the south side of Broadway, there are several street signs that need to be moved from the sidewalk. A traffic light pole on the opposite corner should be moved from the middle of the sidewalk. ENFORCEMENT During the course of its study of the Broadway corridor, committee members made several surveys relating to parking, traffic, review of building facades and signage, as indicated above. During the course of such surveys, it became apparent to the committee members that existing ordinances could be more strictly enforced. Many of the buildings and facades of buildings located on Broadway suffer from deferred maintenance. As indicated above, signs are in need of updating/replacement, storefronts have deteriorated and sidewalks should be repaired. In addition, litter and waste should be removed regularly and placed in enclosures in order to prevent health problems.  Pedestrians crossing Broadway are often at risk due to the failure of motorists to heed existing speed limits and to yield the right of way to pedestrians. Motorists making right turns on red routinely fail to stop and double parking on Broadway occurs regularly. These and other situations occur daily and should be addressed by stricter enforcement. TRANSFER OF BROADWAY FROM NEW JERSEY TO FAIR LAWN The committee has been asked if it would make a recommendation to the Borough of Fair Lawn regarding the Borough assuming jurisdiction of Route 4 from the State of New Jersey. While the committee recognizes that the Borough would have greater ability to make decisions regarding Broadway if such a transfer of jurisdiction were to take place, it is unable to recommend that the Borough do so given the number of issues involved in such a transfer. Even if the Borough were to assume the jurisdiction of Broadway, presumably the Elmwood Park section of Broadway from the Passaic River to the New Jersey Transit railroad trestle would remain in the control of the State, as would that section of Broadway east of Fair Lawn to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee. It is questionable whether the State would be willing to make such a transfer. In addition, the cost to the Borough for the maintenance and repair of Broadway might well be cost prohibitive given the current condition of the of the right of way, including the sidewalks adjoining the paved area of Broadway. Respectfully submitted,  Charles Tregidgo, Chairperson