New Jersey Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
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PHASE 2 OF TRANS T PO EN R M TA T T R IO A P N E D Governor Commissioner T H Y E E S S R TA JE James E. McGreevey TE OF NEW Jack Lettiere njdot.nj.gov Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan - Phase 2 Ta b le of Contents Preface . .iii Acknowledgements . .iv Chapter 1 Introduction . .1 Chapter 2 What future do we want Envisioning New Jersey . .4 Chapter 3 What we need to do Key Action Plan Recommendations . .5 Planning and Facility Implementation Education, Enforcement, Encouragement Data Collection and Tracking Chapter 4 Where we are now Current Conditions and Needs . .7 Facilities Community Design Acceptance/Legitimacy Confidence/Security Chapter 5 What kind of changes are necessary Goals, Objectives and Performance Measures . .11 Goal 1 – Build the Infrastructure Goal 2 – Improve Access Goal 3 – Update Policies, Ordinances and Procedures Goal 4 – Educate and Enforce Goal 5 – Foster a Pro-Bicycling and Walking Ethic i Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan - Phase 2 Chapter 6 Implementing the Plan . 17 Roles and Responsibilities . 17 Who needs to participate Primary Participants and Providers of Facilities Other Responsible Supporting Entities Implementation Strategies . 29 What actions will make things change Legislative Strategies Policy Strategies Funding Strategies Administrative Strategies Communication Strategies Chapter 7 What tools will help guide our efforts Facility Priorities . .31 Data Collection Modeling Analysis and Development of Priorities List of Figures Figure 1: New Jersey Bicycle Facilities Figure 2: Bicycle Tools and Models Figure 3: Priority Bicycle Links Map Figure 4: Pedestrian Tools and Models Figure 5: Priority Pedestrian Corridors Map Appendices Appendix 1: List of Support Documents Appendix 2: Bicycle and Pedestrian Trip Attractors and Data Sources Table Appendix 3: List of Acronyms Appendix 4: Glossary of Terms Appendix 5: Local Bike/Ped Planning Assistance Studies ii Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan - Phase 2 Preface his update of the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, Phase 2, Tpresents a vision and action plan for improving the bicycling and walking environment throughout the state. The updated Plan restates the original goals, objectives, roles, responsibilities and recommendations of the 1995 Master Plan in today’s context and in relationship to the many significant accomplishments of the last eight years towards a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly New Jersey. This Plan serves as part of a federally-mandated planning process to include bicycle and pedestrian accommodation in long-range transportation plans. It is also intended to fulfill the policies of the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and the State’s Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) regarding bicycle and pedestrian concerns. The updated Plan was developed by NJDOT in partnership with New Jersey’s three regional MPOs: the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO). Other agencies, organizations and citizens provided input on the goals, objectives and implementation strategies throughout the planning process, in recognition that all have a role to play in creating a state where citizens and visitors can choose to bicycle and walk for transportation and recreation. This Plan is one of a series of documents that were developed as part of the overall Phase 2 planning effort. Other Phase 2 documents include: Technical Memorandum Technical Memorandum Technical Memorandum, Task 1: Task 2: Tasks 3, 4, 5: Literature Survey Data Inventory Analysis and Identification of Bicycle/Pedestrian Demand Bicycle/Pedestrian Demand Priority Bicycle Corridors and Suitability Estimation and Suitability Modeling Analysis and Identification of Modeling Selection Calculations Priority Pedestrian Corridors Finalized Bicycle and Pedestrian Priorities New Jersey remains committed to improving our quality of life by making bicycling and walking an important part of our comprehensive transportation system. James E. McGreevey Governor, State of New Jersey Jack Lettiere Commissioner of Transportation iii Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan - Phase 2 Acknowledgements he Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan was initiated by NJDOT and Tconducted in partnership with other governmental and non-profit organi- zations. It has been a collaborative effort receiving input and direction from New Jersey’s three MPOs: North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA); Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO). Together they formed a Project Management Team that guided and reviewed all Plan elements. A Technical Advisory Committee met at critical intervals to provide technical assistance to the consultant team and to serve as liaison to their respective agencies. Many other organizations and individuals also contributed through the public participation elements of the planning process. In addition, numerous individuals at NJDOT, although not on the Project Management Team, assisted with various elements of the Plan. They include the NJDOT Bureau of Systems Development and Analysis under Manager Robert Miller. In addition, NJDOT Local Aid District Managers Joseph Jagniatowski, Albert Maiocchi, Robert Werkmeister and Steven Moy and their staffs were most helpful in providing Local Aid project data for use in the Bicycle Facilities Inventory. Rahway NJDOT Tour Guides for Cyclists iv Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan - Phase 2 Project Management Team Consultant Team (PMT) The RBA Group in association with Andrew Swords, NJDOT Urbitran Associates Robert Miller, NJDOT Bikeways Engineering Sheree Davis, NJDOT El Taller Colaborativo Judi Parrish, NJDOT Steve Spindler Cartography Elise Bremer-Nei, NJDOT Lois Goldman, NJTPA Ron Tindall, NJTPA Other Contributors and John Madera, DVRPC Participants Michael Reeves, SJTPO New Jersey Pedestrian Task Force (PTF) Tim Chelius, SJTPO New Jersey Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC) Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Technical Advisory Committee Association of New Jersey Environmental PMT members and representatives from Commissions (ANJEC) the following agencies: New Jersey Chapter American Planning Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey Association Central Jersey Bicycle Club Keep Middlesex Moving (KMM) Morristown South Jersey Wheelmen New Jersey Department of Health Trenton Cycling Revolution New Jersey Department of Law and Public NJ Future Safety NJ Conservation Foundation East Coast Greenway Alliance Funding Credits NJ State Assoc. of County Engineers This project was financed by NJ County Planners Assoc. the NJDOT, the NJTPA, the U.S. Cross County Connection Department of Transportation, the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center Highway Administration. NJIT is the host Monmouth County Planning Board agency for the NJTPA. Morris County DOT Hunterdon County Planning Board The State of New Jersey and the U.S. Cumberland County Dept. of Planning government assume no liability for the & Development contents of this plan or its use thereof. NJ Office of Smart Growth NJ TRANSIT NJDEP June 2004 v Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan - Phase 2 Introduction he original Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan prepared by The TNew Jersey Department of Transportation and published in 1995 is a comprehensive policy plan that addresses a wide variety of bicycle and pedes- trian issues. The Plan presents a vision of New Jersey as a place where people can choose to safely and conveniently bicycle and walk as alternatives to auto- motive use. However, problematic conditions and unaddressed needs effectively prevent a bicycle and pedestrian friendly environment; the Plan lays out the issues and recommends a wide range of actions that can be taken to move closer to the ideal expressed in the vision, with significant increases in bicycle and pedestrian modes for transportation and recreation. These recommenda- tions, along with the roles and responsibilities of government, nonprofit organizations and citizens, encompass the 4 “Es”: Engineering, Education, Enforcement and Encouragement. The Plan also suggests the wide range of benefits that would accrue if the vision were achieved, from society-wide benefits such as the reduction of traffic congestion, to personal benefits from increased choices of transportation modes. The Plan was intended to serve - and has served - as a framework for action for achieving the vision. In the eight years since the publication, the Plan has been used by the Department of Transportation (NJDOT), along with other organizations responsible for the transportation infrastructure, as the blueprint for developing and implementing measures that improve conditions for bicycling and walking, and for supporting and encouraging the efforts of others to do likewise. Since the publication of the Master Plan, the Department has updated its policies to strongly state that bicycling and walking are “important and necessary elements of comprehensive solutions to transportation problems and needs.” NJDOT continues as a leader in planning and implementing bicycle and pedestrian improvements. Newark Interest in addressing bicycle and pedestrian needs has continued unabated. In fact, it has increased dramatically. The many accomplishments and initiatives that have been implemented since the publication of