Project Overview



The City of Newark, with funding from the State of New Jersey, is undertaking the design, planning, and construction of pedestrian improvements at five key locations in the Downtown district. These projects aim to enhance pedestrian safety, improve accessibility, and foster a more vibrant and walkable community. By focusing on these critical areas, the city hopes to reduce traffic accidents, encourage local commerce, and improve the overall quality of life for residents and visitors. These ‘sub-projects’ were initially identified by the Pedestrian Plan prepared by rePLACE Urban Studio and are as follows:

1. Plaza and Street Reconfiguration at I-280 Underpass (Quick Build Contract).

2. Traffic Calming along Washington Street (Quick Build Contract).

3. Street Alignment and Lane Reduction at Central Avenue and University Avenue (Quick Build Contract).

4. Pedestrian Safety Measures at Broad Street and Tubman Square.

Municipality

The City of Newark, with funding from the State of New Jersey, is undertaking the design, planning, and construction of pedestrian improvements at five key locations in the Downtown district. These projects aim to enhance pedestrian safety, improve accessibility, and foster a more vibrant and walkable community. By focusing on these critical areas, the city hopes to reduce traffic accidents, encourage local commerce, and improve the overall quality of life for residents and visitors.

Master Planner

rePLACE Urban Studio is dedicated to creating places that enhance the social, economic, and ecological performance of our urban environments. Tailored to address the unique challenges of each project, our approach is built upon a foundation of data, research, collaboration, exploration, and creativity. This positions the team of designers to conceptualize small-scale, cost-effective urban interventions that build early momentum, as well as large, sustainable visions for the future.

Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSFRF)

The project is funded by the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (CSFRF), a program authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act, which delivers $350 billion to state, territorial, local, and Tribal governments across the country to support their response to and recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency. The City of Newark was awarded a $6.5 million state grant and must spend the funds by the end of 2026. For more information on the grant, please check the official website.

Outreach Plan Objectives



The goal of this Outreach Plan is to consider all views fully, gather pertinent information, improve the quality of decision-making, and increase the legitimacy of the decision reached by openly communicating with the public and stakeholders throughout the design and planning process. The objectives of this engagement process, in particular, are to:

• Provide stakeholders with clear, concise, and timely information about the proposed pedestrian improvement projects;

• Learn from stakeholders with diverse perspectives and incorporate the technical, economic, and social information gathered into the design and planning process;

• Make the stakeholders' desires, needs, and concerns known to decision-makers and respond to their concerns;

• Manage conflict by discussing and resolving differences as they arise and

• Consider the stakeholders' views when making decisions.

Project Resources

Project Location