Hoboken Mayor Vetoes Bicycle Parking Plan

As much as any municipality in Hudson County, Hoboken is a city of bicyclists.  Look at any street in the Mile Square City, or along the Hudson River waterfront, and you will see people, adults and children alike, riding their bicycles.  It’s fun.  It’s great exercise.  It’s an activity that easily can maintain social distancing while allowing riders to spend time with friends and family.

Obviously, with so many Hoboken residents owning bicycles, it makes sense that bike owners would need a place to store them.   It cannot be assumed everyone has enough room in their residences to store their bicycles.

Recently, the Hoboken City Council, by a vote of 7-2, passed an ordinance which would have added covered bicycle parking and storage at municipal garages.  The cost to bike owners would have been one dollar a week.

The idea for the ordinance came from Second Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher and First Ward Councilman Mike DeFusco.  They were the co-sponsors.

Despite being approved by the Council, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla has vetoed the measure, which prompted Councilman Fisher to question why on social media.

Fisher tweeted, “Our Mayor @RaviBhalla one again put politics before policy & vetoed an ordinance that was approved 7-2…”  The Councilwoman went on to ask, “Why? Because it wasn’t his idea/headline.”

Whatever the Mayor’s reason, the ordinance has been put to rest.