Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Network Roundup

Chris Christie Sticks It to Pedestrians for No Discernible Reason

In 2014, 170 people were killed while walking on New Jersey streets, accounting for 31 percent of total traffic deaths in the state (about double the national share). In addition, 13 people were killed while biking that year.

To address the problem, lawmakers and advocates in New Jersey have been working on a bill to establish a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Advisory Council to advise multiple agencies in state government.

The measure sailed through the state legislature, but Governor Chris Christie had other ideas. Cyndi Steiner and Aaron Hyndman at New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition report that Christie, the same guy who stopped the ARC transit tunnel, issued a "pocket veto" to kill the measure:

Legislation sponsored by state Senators Nia Gill and Diane Allen, as well as Pamela R. Lampitt, Daniel R. Benson, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, and Tim Eustace in the Assembly, to create a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Advisory Council had won unanimous approval from the Senate (October 2015) and Assembly (January 2016), and with the Governor’s signature, would have established a new commission designed to carry on the work of the NJDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council (BPAC). The new Council would have examined issues related to pedestrian and bicycle safety and would advise the governor, legislature, NJ Department of Transportation and other state agencies on solutions that will make New Jersey communities safer and friendlier for bicyclists and pedestrians.

While New Jersey’s DOT has had a BPAC for more than 20 years, and in September 2014 introduced a new version that included other stakeholder agencies, this is the first time that the state legislature would have mandated such a commission and codified it by statute, demonstrating the need for such a council not only within DOT but across transportation, planning, and health agencies. As a result, bicycle and pedestrian safety would have now been elevated to the forefront of state-level policymaking. In other words, we thought we had arrived. We were wrong.

With the previous legislative session having come to a close, Governor Christie had the option of signing the bill into law by today’s noon deadline, or allowing the bill to expire without action: the so-called “pocket veto.” Unlike the standard veto, which carries with it an explanatory statement describing the rationale behind the action, a pocket veto lets the legislation expire with no explanation from the executive, more or less letting it fade away without a trace.

Unfortunately, Governor Christie’s decision (or indecision) today was to let this valuable piece of legislation, one seen as so useful and well-constructed that it passed the ENTIRE legislature -- Senate AND Assembly -- without a single “no” vote, go unsigned. As a result, it’s back to square one.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Greater Greater Washington shares big news from DC -- a zoning update to make housing more affordable and the city more walkable won final approval this week. And Twin Cities Sidewalks, reflecting on a bizarre op-ed that endorses aggressive driving, delves into the strange ways getting behind the wheel of a car affects human behavior.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Shutdown Showdown: Trump Blames Democrats for Transit Cuts In His Continuing War on Cities, ‘Woke’

It's the second time in as many days that the Trump administration has denied funding over policies it opposes.

October 1, 2025

Marcus Molinaro Is Wrong About Chicago Transit

Local transit advocates have diverse opinions on the best ways to improve transit safety. But there's one thing most of us can agree on. Donald Trump parachuting in soldiers, in an attempt to bully Chicago into submission, is not the answer.

October 1, 2025

Advocates In America’s Deadliest Car Crash City Are Forming a Powerful Coalition

A group of Memphis advocates are uniting to challenge car dependency and unravel its devastating impacts on residents

October 1, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines Will Tax Your Patience

RIP electric vehicle tax credits, the Trump administration's latest assault on transit, and more.

October 1, 2025

BIG ZERO: Trump Stiffs NYC Transit System in ‘Sanctuary City’ Tantrum

The federal government is denying the MTA tens of millions of dollars in public safety funding over of New York's immigration policies.

September 30, 2025

More Transit Means Safer Streets

Promoting transit isn't just a social good. It's also a tool to achieve Vision Zero.

September 30, 2025
See all posts