Jersey City has quadrupled the number of traffic tickets it’s issuing since Mayor James Solomon took office in January.
He wishes it hadn’t. In fact, Solomon said the city is taking steps to reduce the number of tickets it distributes by taking a most unusual step — telling drivers where increased enforcement will be.
That’s not a mistake. It’s the policy, one Solomon hopes will lead to the ultimate goal of making the streets in the city safer.
Solomon, speaking Thursday at the Jersey City Summit for Real Estate, Economic Development & Innovation, described a traffic enforcement philosophy that is geared toward public safety not increased revenue.
“The city is kind of the wild west — people drive through stop signs, red lights all the time,” he said. “I don’t know a person who lives in Jersey City who hasn’t had a close call on the streets.”
Solomon said better traffic enforcement can change that. If people know where enforcement will be, they’ll drive more safely. And if the goal is behavior change, not ticket revenue, doing so makes sense.
“We will literally tell you where we’re deploying (officers),” Solomon said. “I want you to know that, because I want you to drive safely.”
