By Allison Perrine
RED BANK – The borough’s popular “Broadwalk” established during the COVID-19 pandemic will take a hiatus during the winter months, a decision made by borough council members Nov. 4.
The Broadwalk, a closed-off area for pedestrians only on Broad Street from Front Street to Wallace Street, will close Nov. 30 and reopen to vehicular traffic as normal. Council members may revisit the idea in the spring after the cold weather, and potential snow, passes.
“We don’t know when the snow is going to start. It could start some time in November; it could be no snow until February. But if the snow happens, we are going to have to remove all the barricades, plow the street, require businesses to clear that Broad Street area out and operationally, it’s not something that is practical for us to do on and off,” said Ziad Shehady, borough administrator.
The pedestrian-friendly plaza was created by the borough council in June to support businesses whose operations were impacted by the COVID-19 shutdowns. It allowed a portion of Broad Street to be closed to vehicular traffic so visitors and residents could walk the street under warm white string lights and enjoy food and shopping in the downtown area. It allowed more room for social distancing and kept visitors outside where the virus is less easily spread.
At a Sept. 23 meeting, the council extended the Broadwalk, allowing it to be open for pedestrian-only traffic 24 hours a day until Nov. 30. Before then, vehicular traffic was only blocked on Broad Street Thursdays through Sundays during limited hours.
Shehady said the snow wasn’t his only concern about the success of the pedestrian plaza in the coming months. He also worried about the impact on traffic volume for the businesses and the ability of outdoor patio heaters to mitigate extreme cold temperatures for patrons sitting outside. However, the borough will offer restaurants and businesses the option to utilize the parking stalls in front of their buildings to create “streateries” like others not in the Broadwalk zone have done. Those who choose to do so will be responsible for clearing out the areas for shoveling and plowing when snow accumulates.
“I think allowing for the streateries and not closing the full street is the way to go,” said councilman Erik Yngstrom at the Nov. 4 meeting.
Public information officer Pam Borhgi said two businesses have applied for the expansion for the streateries so far, but both would be on public property.
The borough’s move was followed by news that Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation mandating that all restaurants, bars, clubs and lounges that serve food and drinks must close the indoor portion of their operations by 10 p.m. each night and can reopen after 5 a.m. the next day, effective Nov. 12. Outdoor dining, however, can continue after 10 p.m., as well as takeout and delivery services. The announcement came Nov. 9 during the governor’s press conference and also applies to casinos, though gaming operations can continue “around the clock.”
Murphy said the last thing he wants to do is to shut the economy back down as he had in March at the beginning of the pandemic in New Jersey. He’s hoping this will work as a step to help mitigate “the current increasing rate of spread.”
“However, with these actions, we need to change our mindsets. We have to shake off the pandemic fatigue that I know we all feel. I feel it, by the way, as well. And we have to get back into the mindset that saw us crushed the curve in the spring.”
The article originally appeared in the November 12 – 18, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
