On July 15, the Maplewood Township Committee unanimously (5-0) voted to move forward on installing dedicated bike lanes on Parker Avenue, running from Boyden Avenue to Maplewood Avenue. Read more about the plan and read the resolution here.
Watch the public comments, discussion and vote here:
While numerous Parker Avenue residents spoke against the lanes, citing safety concerns, many Township residents — including some Parker Avenue residents — spoke for the lanes. Those pro and con seemed to share a common concern: the need for more defined separation or protection between cars and bike lanes.
Bike Bus organizers Rob Howley and Martin Ceperley celebrate the vote at Maplewood Town Hall. July 15, 2025.
To express support, a group of bike bus families and cycling enthusiasts, led by Rob Howley and Martin Ceperley, rode together to the meeting on bicycles.
Before the vote, Township Committee Member Vic De Luca, who spearheaded the public outreach process, which included three town halls and numerous public discussions at standing committee meetings, delivered the following statement:
I will be voting yes on the resolution.
For me, it was a journey to get to a yes vote. My initial thought about bike lanes on Parker was the negative impact on the residents, who would be prevented from parking on their street. I’ve heard from other residents on streets where commuters, school employees and business owners have preference to park, telling me they never get a chance to park on their street.
So, I spent a lot of time driving up and down Parker, from one end to the other, at different times of day and night, and on all days of the week. The reality is that I did not see much street parking, except on the eastern end. Although it is still a concern of mine, I think we have come up with a parking plan that gives Parker residents and their guests the ability to park on nearby side streets when they need to do so. The bike lane plan also takes a common sense approach to short term deliveries, snow plowing and leaf removal.
Like many decisions made on the Township Committee, we try to strike a balance after taking all views into consideration. We heard a lot of opinions on this issue, discussing it for more than 150 days. And that was a deliberate process of listening and refining our thinking. We sponsored four virtual community meetings, heard comments at various public meetings, and received numerous emails for and against.
One thing that seemed to be consistent with both those in favor and against, was the generic support for bike lanes. Even those on Parker said they are not against bike lanes, just not on Parker. Many offered Elmwood Avenue as an option.
I too think bike lanes are important to the fabric of our community. Maplewood and the State of New Jersey have adopted a complete streets approach, making sure we provide opportunities for walkers, bicyclists and automobile drivers to safely use our roadways. The 2023 Master Plan called for the Township Committee to renew and strengthen its commitment to complete streets policy making.
Now there has been a lot of talk about safety. Safety has been a paramount concern of our professional engineers. They have developed a plan, with 10 feet and 11 feet travel lanes and five feet bicycle lanes, that comports with complete streets standards and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Additionally, the Maplewood Police Department has stepped up its enforcement on and around Parker Avenue. In June of 2025, the police did 40 moving violation and radar stops in the area as opposed to 10 in 2024; a 333% increase year to year. We will maintain police presence on and surrounding Parker.
And this plan is not just about bikes. All current crosswalks will be refreshed with striping and if needed, pedestrian crossing signs on Parker. The plan will add three new crosswalks across Parker and three other crosswalks on side streets. Additionally, the current crosswalks at Columbia High School at Kensington Terrace and North Terrace will have new high intensity beacons on pedestrian crossing signs.
So why Parker Avenue? It is a street that connects the east and west sides of town on Maplewood’s northern border. Columbia High School and Clinton School are on or just off Parker. Borden Park is on Parker and Maplewood Memorial Park is a block away. Train commuters use Parker to get to the station. It provides access to shopping destinations on Irvington Avenue, Valley Street and even Maplewood Village. The people who will use bicycles on Parker are using it for transportation just like the people who drive on Parker. They are going somewhere and we are giving them a designated lane to do so.
I thank everyone for your comments and for sticking up for what you believe in. Many of you have been to one or more meetings since we started on March 3rd. I appreciate your stamina. In the end, each Township Committee member must decide, making the best decision she or he can after considering the facts, the professional recommendations, and the opinions expressed.
After all that and on balance, I think installing bicycle lanes on Parker Avenue is sound public policy and I will be voting yes on Resolution 242-25.
