NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—On the first Thursday of every month, the city’s Traffic Commission holds a public meeting in the Council Chambers of City Hall.
The group consists of six members, chaired by the New Brunswick Parking Authority’s Executive Director Mitch Karon.
Other city officials sometimes sit including Planning Director Glenn Patterson, City Engineer Tom Guldin, as well as New Brunswick police officers, and city firefighters.
Like most public entities, the commission opens the floor to the public towards the end of their meeting, inviting anyone interested to speak and ask questions. Â But usually no one is there except for the board members.
Unlike most other government bodies in New Brunswick, the Traffic Commission meets during the business day, at 1:30pm. Â As a result, few if any members of the public attend its meetings.
Though their purpose is not enumerated in law, it is the place to go if you want to see changes to traffic and parking rules.
For instance, when members of the public go to City Council meetings to ask for a speed bump on their block or other traffic calming measures, the Council often refers the person to the Commission.
In recent years, the commission has also looked at ways to make dangerous intersections safer, particularly for pedestrians.
In 2015, the board has eleven meetings scheduled:
- February 5
- March 5
- April 2
- May 7
- June 4
- July 2
- August 6
- September 3
- October 1
- November 5
- December 3
All meetings are held on the top floor of City Hall at 1:30pm. Â Parking is available in the rear of the building.
Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.
