Leonia lightens its roads

Softer sign language

A New Jersey town that’s instituted a rush-hour sidestreet ban on out-of-town motorists is changing its “overly foreboding” traffic signs to friendlier ones.

“Residents and Leonia Destinations Only” signs will replace the current “Do Not Enter” signs along 60 side streets in Leonia, which instituted the ban to stop nonresidents from using its roads as a shortcut to the George Washington Bridge.

“In hindsight, the ‘ Do Not Enter’ signs were overly foreboding and I think we have an opportunity to correct that,” Mayor Judah Zeigler said, according to NorthJersey.com.

The original signs cost the borough $3,900 to install. Leonia will shell out another $2,500 to put up the new ones.

The new signs originated out of a traffic meeting held Wednesday and attended by concerned local business owners who say the traffic ban has been bad for their bottom line.

The business owners are also calling on the borough to ease the traffic restrictions — which are in effect from 6 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 9 p.m. seven days a week — on the weekends.

“I appreciate the new sign draft, it is better than before, but it’s still not enough for our survival,” said Jenny Kim, owner of the local Sylvan Grace Florist.

“Remove the weekend restrictions, remove the afternoon restrictions.

“Everybody knows those hours are the essential hours for most commercial activities,” she said.

Kim, who also lives in Leonia, said she’s seen less traffic near her home since the initiative began in January, but estimated her business has tanked by 50 percent.

The borough council Wednesday also amended the local ordinance to make it clear that “those traveling to and/or from Leonia destinations” are allowed to drive on the affected streets.

So far, 586 warnings have been doled out to drivers by the Leonia Police Department, but no tickets.

“This is not about enforcement, this is a tech initiative,” said Police Chief Tom Rowe.

“It’s about reprogramming the navigation apps to make sure vehicles stay on the major roads or on the highways where they belong.”