Automated cameras will be used in Hoboken to issue parking tickets and reduce traffic congestion starting next month, city officials announced Friday.
The cameras will target vehicles illegally double parked, blocking bike lanes, stopping in bus zones, and improperly using loading zones along Washington Street between Observer Highway and Eighth Street.
After a public education campaign, enforcement will officially begin on Oct. 1.
Recent data collected by the city revealed significant issues with illegal parking, city officials said.
Bike lanes were blocked for an average of 4.5 hours daily at monitored locations, while bus stops were blocked approximately 158 times per day, officials said.
Officials documented 68 double parking violations daily per location and found that 54% of loading zone usage violated city code.
“Hoboken residents want a safer, more efficient Washington Street,” Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla said in a statement. “We cannot and must not wait for a serious injury or fatality caused by double parking in bike lanes or blocked crosswalks.”
The automated system, authorized by the Hoboken City Council in 2024, will capture images of illegally parked vehicles.
Staff from the Hoboken Parking Utility will review these images before issuing citations by mail to registered vehicle owners.
A recent public survey showed strong support for the initiative, with 75% of respondents agreeing that double parking causes serious safety issues, city officials said.
Among cyclists, 89% reported regularly encountering double parked cars in bike lanes that forced them into traffic.
Similar camera enforcement programs in Philadelphia, Miami, and Pittsburgh have proven effective, with 87% of violators not receiving a second citation, according to Hoboken officials.
For more information on the CLEAR program, including an FAQ, residents can visit hobokennj.gov/automated-enforcement.
Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff.
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