MAKINGMAKING THETHE CONNECTION:CONNECTION: TODTOD –– AA BLUEPRINTBLUEPRINT FORFOR SUCCESSSUCCESS

NJ TRANSIT’s PERSPECTIVE

NYU Wagner Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management

Presented by Rich Roberts, NJ TRANSIT November 14, 2008 KeyKey IngredientsIngredients toto SuccessSuccess

• Leadership and the Local Political Environment

• The Process

• The Partnership

2 NJ TRANSIT BUS AND RAIL NETWORK

27 Terminals ,20,000 Bus Stops 164 Stations

3 NJ TRANSIT LIGHT RAIL NETWORK

Newark Light Rail Hudson-Bergen Light Rail River Line Light Rail • 17 Stations •23 Stations • 20 Stations •(8TH St Bayonne newest) 4 KEY TOD SUCCESS FACTORS

• Stable political environment and local leader(s) • Open, transparent, engagement of local community • Partnerships are KEY!

5 NJ TRANSIT’S TRANSIT-FRIENDLY PLANNING PROCESS

• EDUCATE communities • Create a collaborative VISION for TOD • Scale of TOD needs to reflect specifics of area • Once the vision is set, municipality adopts redevelopment PLAN or new zoning to memorialize/enact it • IMPLEMENT (don’t settle for “ok” projects) • If NJ TRANSIT property is involved: – RFP process – Development and/or conveyance agreements

6 TRANSIT HUBS AND CORRIDORS

EXPAND REACH OF TRUNK LINES BY CONNECTING WITH LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS (Rail, Bus and Light Rail) - - create economic development/job/residential opportunities MAJOR TRANSIT HUBS

1 Newark Penn Station 5 Newark Broad St.

2 Journal Square 6 Trenton

3 7 Walter Rand (Camden)

4 8 Atlantic City POTENTIAL REGIONAL TRANSIT HUBS (others possible)

9 Hackensack 12 Sports Complex

10 Paterson 13 New Brunswick

11 Elizabeth 14 Irvington

NEIGHBORHOOD HUBS – scaling 7 downward to local level UrbanUrban HubHub TaxTax CreditCredit ProgramProgram Newark Penn Station Area

Administered by NJEDA

- Tax credits = to from 80-100% of qualified capital investments

- For projects within ½ mile radius of rail stations in designated cities

Broad Street Station Area, Newark, NJ

To qualify:

- Businesses must make a min. $75 mil. capital investment - Have no less than 250 full time employees (Provisions for tenants to qualify)

8 URBAN TRANSIT HUBS – JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!

Newark - Broad Street Station Camden - Walter Rand Transp. Cntr. 9 TOD BENEFITS – EVERYONE CAN WIN

• Opportunity for community to plan its future • Creation of a community of “place” • Increased area activity and security • Economic benefits • Sustainable & Green • Increased transit ridership

10 TOD – MEASURABLE BENEFITS

• TODs generate less vehicular trips and require less parking • NJ TRANSIT analysis of residential TODs indicates trip reduction of 10% to 25% in peak periods and about 10% to 15% daily • Transportation Cooperative Research Project (TCRP) Study of residential TODs shows similar results where TOD is proximate to a major urban center • Overall, convenient transit increases property values • Economically viable and sustainable development • Enhances tax base of municipality

11 TOD SUCCESS STORY – RAHWAY, NJ

• NJ TRANSIT Reconfigured and modernized rail station (mid-1990’s) • Partnered with the community to provide commuter parking in downtown deck: 450 dedicated spaces • Recent private TOD in downtown: • 800+ new residential units • 16,000 square feet retail • 40,000 sf civic/commercial • 100-room Indigo hotel (W chain) opened May Rahway Rail Station Plaza 2008 12 TOD SUCCESS STORY – MORRISTOWN, NJ

THE HIGHLANDS AT MORRISTOWN STATION:

NJT worked with town to create a TOD Overlay Zone proximate to rail station

Town designated a New Jersey “Transit Village” (one of the first 5 in 1999)

NJT-owned 3-acre surface parking lot; competitive RFP process to solicit developer interest

Developer selected; final program includes: 218 residential units (rental apts.) 8000 sf of retail 750 space parking deck (415 commuter spaces)

Supportive community, determined developer & strong apartment market The Highlands at Morristown Station TOD Construction underway 13 TOD IN PROCESS – SOMERVILLE, NJ

NJ TRANSIT, NJDOT and Office of Smart Growth funding sponsored Public Visioning Process 160 acre site includes municipally owned landfill and NJ TRANSIT-owned commuter parking lots Visioning sessions involved public in Site Planning AND Financial trade-off analysis: - Cost of public elements measured against volume of development Mixed use redevelopment plan adopted - includes 1,000 new residential units - sustainable environmental strategies, wetlands protection - “green seam” connects train station, downtown and project area RFQ responses (5) being reviewed by joint TEC starting this month Somerville Landfill & Station Area TOD Plan 14 CONCLUSION

• Work with leader in community willing to consider improving their future potential using transit accessibility as a major attribute

• Educate, develop a vision & adopt plans that involve ALL stakeholders in visioning, planning and developing financially feasible marketable projects

• Partnerships are KEY

Thank You!

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