Ridgewood’s engineering team laid out conceptual designs on Oct. 22 to install curb “bump-outs” at multiple East Ridgewood Avenue intersections to shorten pedestrian crossings and slow vehicle speeds. Council members generally supported the concept but asked staff to refine designs, test a few changes in place and return with parking impact analyses.

The drawings covered multiple intersections from Broad and Hudson through to the Cottage Street area, proposing narrower traffic widths at corners and landscaped curb extensions to increase pedestrian visibility. Chief and traffic officers endorsed the safety strategy; council members and business representatives voiced concern about possible loss of on-street parking and asked for staged testing during off-peak periods before permanent construction.

Engineering said work would be tied to resurfacing projects and likely staged over two capital cycles (2026–2027). Staff suggested temporary installations—bollards, concrete blocks or delineators—to test behavior and measure impacts before building permanent curbs. Council directed the engineering department to: (1) refine drawings; (2) quantify net parking changes at each location; (3) run short-term physical tests starting in spring to avoid peak holiday season; and (4) confer with downtown business groups and NJ Transit on turning radii for buses.

Council members emphasized incremental rollout rather than wholesale change. “Let’s not let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” one member said, urging staff to prioritize lower-cost, high-impact locations first. No ordinance or construction contract was approved at the meeting.