Fair Lawn’s Broadway Revitalization: $1.5M Grant to Transform Pedestrian Safety and Streetscapes
file photos by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Fair Lawn NJ, Big changes are coming to one of Fair Lawn’s busiest corridors. Thanks to a newly awarded $1.46 million grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), the stretch of Broadway near Warren Point School is set for a major glow-up designed to prioritize pedestrian safety and local business appeal.
The funding, awarded to Fair Lawn Main Street Inc., marks a significant leap from conceptual drawings to actual construction for the Broadway business district.
Safety First: Protecting the Warren Point School Zone
The primary focus of this project is the high-traffic area spanning from 30th Street to Fair Lawn Parkway. Because of its proximity to Warren Point Elementary School, the district is prioritizing “vulnerable” pedestrians—specifically students and parents during morning drop-offs and afternoon pickups.
Potential safety upgrades include:
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Enhanced Crosswalks: High-visibility markings to slow down traffic.
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Curb Bumpouts: Shortening the distance pedestrians need to cross.
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Pedestrian-Scale Lighting: Better visibility for those walking at dusk or early morning.
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Safety Bollards: Physical barriers to protect sidewalks from vehicle encroachment.
Beautifying the “Concrete Jungle”
Currently, residents describe parts of Broadway as “daunting” to walk due to a lack of shade and greenery. The revitalization project aims to fix that by creating a “sense of place” rather than just a thoroughfare.
“The idea is creating a streetscape to make it safer for pedestrians, which is important,” says Tiolora Lumbantoruan, an Economic Recovery Corps fellow. “The entirety of Broadway doesn’t have a lot of tree coverage… we want to make it walkable instead of just driving.”
Key aesthetic and environmental goals:
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Expanding Greenery: Planting trees to provide shade and reduce the “heat island” effect.
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Street Furniture: Adding benches and public spaces to support local shopping.
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Stormwater Management: Implementing green infrastructure to prevent flooding issues near the Broadway train trestle.
What’s Next? Engineering Starts in 2026
While the conceptual designs were handled by the design firm Arterial, this $1.5M grant will cover the engineering design and the bulk of the construction work.
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Timeline: Engineering refinements are expected to begin later this year.
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Community Input: Fair Lawn Main Street Inc. is calling on residents to share their ideas. Whether it’s public art projects or specific seating areas, the borough wants to hear from the people who walk these sidewalks every day.
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It was so terrible