The two kiosks that anchor Nassau Street, on the corner of Witherspoon Street and the corner of Vandeventer Avenue in the Central Business District, are going to be removed.
The Princeton Council unanimously approved their removal to enable new sidewalks to be installed underneath them, but whether the kiosks will be replaced – and possibly in which format, analog or electronic – has not been decided.
The kiosk removal is part of the proposed Nassau Street streetscape project, which is a makeover of Nassau Street between Chambers Street and Moore Street.
The Nassau Street streetscape project envisions new sidewalks, curbs, benches and landscaping. A consultant has been working on the redesign for several months. The project is expected to go out to bid early next year.
The kiosks have been in place since the late 1980s, Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton said. They were built to house a telephone booth and a newspaper box.
The kiosks are now home to fliers advertising everything from concerts to lectures and lost pets. The fliers are removed once a month by the town’s Department of Public Works.
Princeton Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros said there are many options, such as electronic kiosk, if the town wants to replace them. The kiosks are an eyesore and messy after storms rip the notices off the kiosks, she said.
Princeton Councilwoman Eve Niedergang and Princeton Council president Mia Sacks supported removing the kiosks, but raised concerns about whether it would diminish free speech because people would not have a place to post their fliers.
“With the existing kiosks, there is the free market of ideas, I am sort of a free speech absolutist,” Sacks said. “The public is free to express their opinions on the kiosks.”
If the kiosks are removed and a possible electronic version is put in place, the government is in charge of who can express a particular idea, Sacks said, adding it has serious implications.
Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin agreed with Pirone Lambros that the kiosks are an eyesore. The town is not obligated to have a kiosk in the downtown area for people to get the word out for their individual efforts or interests, he said.
Princeton Councilwoman Leticia Fraga supported removing the kiosks and possibly replacing them with something more modern.
Wrapping up the discussion, the Princeton Council may consider the issue of kiosks and options at a future meeting.
