Open Streets Comes to East Trenton
Residents and community members at the first Open Streets event of the summer.
During the summer of 2020, the Traffic Safety Community Organizing Committee (TSCOC) and the Parks Conditions Committee came together with partner organizations to create Open Streets events here in East Trenton.
On Saturdays in August and September, Lawrence Street was closed to traffic and open to pedestrians. Alongside the Trenton Health Team, the City of Trenton, and others, the committees created these events to provide East Trenton residents more options to spend time outside safely by offering games and activities that allowed for social distancing during the pandemic while creating more access to George Page Park.
ETC Community Organizer Shereyl Snider, Mayor Gusciora, and Trenton DPW employees during the repaving of Lawrence Street
These events helped bring about a wave of improvements in the East Trenton neighborhood, including the repaving of Lawrence Street, the addition of speed bumps near George Page Park, and the installation of a decorative crosswalk through the initiative of Project M.O.V.E, to create more awareness for drivers of pedestrians entering and exiting the park.
Trenton Cycling Revolution’s bike repair station
These Saturday events included a mobile bike repair station facilitated by Trenton Cycling Revolution, a pop-up skatepark with Freedom Skate Park, a family activity kit distribution provided by Better Community Housing Trenton, a census station staffed by Mercer Counts, a clothing drive, food from Rachel’s Real Juice food truck, and the return of 55+ Bingo. The East Trenton Collaborative was able to further its community organizing goals at these events as well by connecting with additional East Trenton residents, many of whom completed East Trenton Environmental Surveys, registered to vote, and signed up for other activities.
Participants were very happy, and residents agreed that the Open Streets events were a huge success! We are so grateful to our partner organizations for their help in creating these events, and to all those who attended!