A P T J Fall 2010 N m o b i l i t y Livability in Northern New Jersey Livability: A Legacy of Northern N.J. Communities hat’s old is new again. With deep historical separate pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Over roots, many New Jersey towns have 600 modest houses are arranged around the edge of features dating back a century or more— “super blocks” with large interior parks. Located including closely spaced row homes, grid near Fair Lawn Train Station, the 149-acre street layouts, ornate brick and stone neighborhood includes a shopping center, a community Wcommercial buildings and downtown train stations— center, a library and a network of parks and trails. that are being rediscovered as the foundation for Even newer suburban towns in New Jersey are more “livable” and sustainable lifestyles. Ironically, able to draw on the examples of their older neighbors many of the “antiquated” features are being looked and make use of shared infrastructure—notably, the to as wave of the future in community design. state’s extensive mass transit system—to give residents new lifestyle options. P O K T In the midst of economic T I W L L recession, the ethos of getting back I B to basics and reclaiming what is valuable from the past is gaining ground. It is being combined with an appreciation for the power of new technologies and a greater understanding of the environmental impacts of various development patterns and their relation to the transportation system. This issue of Mobility Matters highlights examples of livability and sustainability in communities throughout northern New Jersey that point to new and hopeful directions for the future. Key Concepts The terms “livability” and “sustainability” have been gaining a lot of currency recently, thanks to a push by the Obama Administration p The planned community In many cases, New Jersey towns are showing the and major federal agencies. of Radburn in Fair Lawn, nation what it means to create communities where The Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Bergen County was not every trip has to be by car, where not every Communities formed by the Environmental consciously designed for shopping experience has to be at a mall, where Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation livability in the 1920s. people from diverse backgrounds and income levels and the Department of Housing and Urban can live comfortably together, and where conserving Development, has defined a livable community as With its interior parks energy and doing good for the environment are part one “in which people have multiple, convenient and pedestrian paths, of daily life. transportation and housing options as well as it has become an icon Perhaps no place says more about North Jersey’s destinations easily accessible to people traveling in for town planners. legacy than the community of Radburn in the and out of cars.” Six livability principles have been borough of Fair Lawn in Bergen County. Radburn established (see box on page 3). has become an icon for town planners. Founded in Sustainability emphasizes the effective use of 1929, the community was intricately planned to financial, energy and natural resources in ways that P O u Preserving open can be continued over time, K T T I W without imposing burdens on space and providing L L I recreational opportunities future generations. B enhance communities’ There are no formulas for livability. Right, meeting livability and sustainability goals. Communities are taking hikers and bikers enjoy a creative approaches in a host of trail at Sandy Hook, areas, such as promoting transit- M onmouth County . oriented development (TOD)— homes, businesses, schools and other development near train stations and bus terminals. Another related concept is promoting “complete streets,” which involves road designs and investments that make streets accessible and safe for all travelers, including pedestrians and bicyclists. • Traffic calming measures, such as narrowed lanes Many communities have enhanced livability with and crosswalks with pedestrian lights. features such as these: • Alternative travel options such as bike lanes, sidewalks, bicycle- or car-sharing programs, and • Mixed-use development in downtown areas, shuttle buses. including renovated historic buildings and street • Preserving open spaces and natural resources and level storefronts with offices or apartments above. providing recreational opportunities. • Clustering destinations or creating programs that minimize the length of auto and truck trips. “As we go about investing transportation funding, we have to consider the role of Spurring progress transportation in its broadest context— Government has a significant role in spurring the how it can shape housing and economic development, how it innovation needed to improve livability. New Jersey has a long record in this regard. As the most densely can link residents with job opportunities, how it can affect the populated state in the nation, New Jersey was one of quality of life in our communities, among other factors.” first states to enact statewide legislation aimed at limiting sprawl and promoting “smart growth.” —Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney, The State Planning Act adopted in 1986 set in Chairman of the NJTPA motion continuing efforts to realize smart growth in communities throughout the state. While there have been continuing challenges to • Housing development affordable to a diverse meeting the goal of smart growth over the years, population including members of the local recognition of its importance has gained wide workforce. acceptance among local officials and residents • Traditional street grids that more evenly distribute throughout New Jersey. The current efforts in the traffic, easing congestion on main routes. m o b i l i t y NJTPA Board of Trustee s THE NJTPA is the Mobility Matters is published by the Hon. Dennis McNerney , Hon. Pasquale “Pat” Lepore —Passaic federally authorized North Jersey Transportation Planning Chairman—Bergen County Executive County Freeholder Metropolitan Planning Authority, Inc. with funding from the Federal Hon. Peter S. Palmer —Somerset County Organization (MPO) Transit Administration and the Federal Hon. Gene F. Feyl , First Vice Chairman— Freeholder Highway Administration. The NJTPA is Morris County Freeholder for the 6.7 million Hon. Susan M. Zellman —Sussex County solely responsible for its contents. people in the 13-county northern New Hon. Tom DeGise , Second Vice Chairman— Freeholder Hudson County Executive Jersey region. Currently, the NJTPA Executive Director: Mary K. Murphy Hon. Daniel P. Sullivan —Union County oversees over $2.5 billion in transportation Managing Editor: Karl Vilacoba Hon. Matthew Holt , Third Vice Chairman— Freeholder investments. The NJTPA evaluates and Hunterdon County Freeholder Contributing Editors: David Behrend, Jeff Hon. Angelo Accetturo —Warren County approves proposed transportation Perlman, Ted Ritter, Dan Schned, Mark Solof Hon. Joseph DiVincenzo , Secretary—Essex Freeholder improvement projects and provides a forum County Executive Design: Dralyn Veech James S. Simpson —Commissioner , NJDOT for interagency cooperation and public Hon. Jerramiah T. Healy —Mayor, Jersey City Host Agency: New Jersey Institute of Technology James Weinstein —Executive Director, input into funding decisions. It also Hon. H. James Polos —Middlesex County Inquiries should be addressed to: NJ Transit Corporation sponsors and conducts studies, assists Freeholder The North Jersey Transportation county planning agencies and monitors Christopher O. Ward —Executive Director, Planning Authority, Inc. Hon. John D’Amico Jr. —Monmouth County compliance with national air quality goals. Port Authority of NY & NJ One Newark Center, 17th Floor Freeholder The NJTPA serves the fourth most populous Deborah L. Gramiccioni —Director, Authorities Newark, New Jersey 07102 Hon. Cory A. Booker —Mayor, City of Newark Unit, Office of the Governor MPO region in the country. NJTPA Board Phone: 973.639.8400 meetings are held bi-monthly and are open Hon. James F. Lacey —Ocean County Fax: 973.639.1953 Freeholder to the public. www.njtpa.org 2 | Livability in Northern New Jersey areas of livability and sustainability are very much consistent with smart growth, broadening its focus Six Principles of Livability beyond land use concerns. u PROVIDE MORE TRANSPORTATION CHOICES. Develop safe, Livability and sustainability are key priorities of reliable and economical transportation choices to decrease Plan 2035 , the Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey, which guides the planning household transportation costs, reduce the nation’s process overseen by NJTPA. dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, reduce “Transportation is about more than just moving greenhouse gas emissions, and promote public health. people and goods,” said Dennis McNerney, Bergen u PROMOTE EQUITABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Expand County Executive and Chairman of the NJTPA. “As location- and energy-efficient housing choices for people of we go about investing transportation funding, we have to consider the role of transportation in its all ages, incomes, races and ethnicities to increase mobility broadest context—how it can shape housing and and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation. economic development, how it can link residents with u ENHANCE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS. Improve economic job opportunities, how it can affect the quality of life competitiveness through reliable and timely access to in our communities, among other