Bergen County Complete Streets group asks Rutherford to back county policy; council says it's reviewing local plan

Representatives from Bergen County Complete Streets asked the borough to endorse a county letter encouraging adoption of a countywide Complete & Green Streets policy.

Patrick Deroma (Bergen County Complete Streets) and Chris Nowell (cofounder, Bergen County Complete Streets and Safe Streets Fort Lee) described safety, environmental and economic benefits of complete-streets approaches and asked the borough to sign onto a letter to encourage the county to adopt the policy and Local Safety Action Plan. "What a policy like this would do is require them to at least take into consideration pedestrian safety of other road users, not just drivers whenever they have to repave or redesign a road," Deroma said.

Council members and the councilGreen Team liaison acknowledged the request. The liaison said Rutherfordhas a Complete Streets policy from 2011 and that she and the borough administrator have started discussing updates; she invited advocates to meet with the Green Team to coordinate local and county efforts.

Next steps: Advocates were directed to connect with the Green Team and the borough administrator; council members said they will follow county progress and consider signing the endorsement when staff and the Green Team complete a review.