Citizen's Guide to Transportation Planning in North Jersey

Citizen’s Guide to Transportation Planning in Northern New Jersey

North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, Inc. This publication is financed by the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The NJTPA is solely responsible for its contents. NJTPA’s host agency is the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Illustrations by Dean Stanton Citizen’s Guide to Transportation Planning in Northern New Jersey

One Newark Center, 17th Floor Newark, NJ 07102 973-639-8400 Fax: 973-639-1953 www.njtpa.org Sussex Passaic

Bergen Warren NJTPA Region Morris Essex Hudson NEWARK Population (2010) Union 6.6 million Hunterdon JERSEY CITY Somerset Employment (2010) Middlesex 3.7 million Monmouth

Ocean

2 Citizen’s Guide to the NJTPA and Transportation Planning

Introduction ment. The NJTPA thinks about he purpose of this Citi- the region’s transportation system zen’s Guide is to give an in the decades to come and sets overview of how regional broad goals and priorities that are Ttransportation planning takes then reflected in regional invest- place in northern and central ments. New Jersey and to let you know Early and active involvement how you can participate in this means greater influence over how important process. The guide millions—even billions—of public points out various opportunities dollars get spent in our region. for public involvement during the planning process. One thing to remember is that the earlier you get involved in the process, the more you can influence the future of our region, your county, your municipality and even your own neighborhood. Many of the most important decisions regarding a transportation project are made years before a shovel breaks ground, during the early stages of regional planning and project develop-

3 What is the NJTPA and The NJTPA evaluates and what does it do? approves proposed transporta- The NJTPA is the Metropolitan tion improvement projects and Planning Organization (MPO) for programs. We also provide a 13 counties in northern and forum for cooperative transpor- central New Jersey. The federal tation planning efforts involv- government authorizes MPOs to ing counties, municipalities and conduct regional transportation government agencies. We sponsor planning and oversee transporta- various transportation and plan- tion investment. This planning ning studies, assist county and process ensures your transpor- city planning agencies and moni- tation taxes are invested wisely tor our region’s compliance with to improve mobility, promote national air quality goals. economic activity and safeguard the environment. Ultimately, all Who makes NJTPA projects that use federal trans- decisions? portation dollars must be planned The NJTPA Board of Trustees and approved through the NJTPA. ultimately makes the critical The NJTPA oversees the invest- regional planning and funding ment of more than $1 billion a decisions that shape our region’s year in federal transportation future. The NJTPA staff works funding in our 13-county region. for the Board, providing technical guidance and support. The majority of the NJTPANJTPA Board Board of TTrusteesrustees 20-member board is made up of elected Bergen Essex Hudson Hunterdon Middlesex officials from the region. The Board membership Monmouth MorrisOcean Passaic Jersey City is shown at the left. The Board of Trust- Somerset SussexUnion Warren Newark ees meets the second Governor’s Citizen Port Monday of every other NJDOT Rep Advisor Authority NJ Transit month (commencing in County Transit January) at the NJTPA Subregions Providers City Appointed offices in downtown Subregions Representatives Newark. All meetings

4 numerous communities over wide areas. A problem at one location, like a bridge closure or traffic tie-up, can spill over into sur- rounding areas and hamper the movement of large numbers of travelers. Recognizing this reality, the federal government in the early are open to the public. The Board 1970s required urbanized regions of Trustees also has standing of the country—areas with more committees that review potential than 50,000 people that consti- NJTPA actions, discuss agency tute distinct “commutersheds”— activities and make recommenda- to establish formal planning tions to the full Board. The com- bodies for transportation. mittees—Planning and Economic Composed of local elected Development, Project Prioritiza- officials and state agency repre- tion and Freight Initiatives—meet sentatives, these Metropolitan in the months when the Board does not. All meetings are open to the public. Many of the counties and cities represented on the NJTPA Board—known as “subregions”— have transportation committees or advisory boards that meet regularly. Planners and engineers from the subregions participate in a Regional Transportation Advi- sory Committee. Planning Organizations or MPOs were tasked with achieving History & Legislation regional agreement on transpor- Regional planning bodies like the tation investments. In 1991, the NJTPA were created to address federal Intermodal Transporta- a simple fact about transportation Efficiency Act, or ISTEA, tion facilities: They span and link greatly enhanced the authority of

5 MPOs. It required their approval for allocating federal funding for many types of highway and transit projects. MPOs were also given responsibility for oversee- ing compliance with air quality standards. As explained below, the Subsequent federal laws, NJTPA’s investment priorities including the current law, Moving guide the state’s “implementing Ahead for Progress in the 21st agencies”—principally, the New Century (MAP-21), have contin- Jersey Department of Transporta- ued to strengthen the regional tion (NJDOT) and NJ Transit— planning conducted by MPOs. which oversee project design, In New Jersey, the NJTPA is one engineering and construction. of three MPOs; the two others Nationwide there are nearly are the South Jersey Transporta- 400 MPOs. The NJTPA, serving tion Planning Organization 6.6 million people, is the fifth which covers four counties in largest in terms of population. the southeastern part of the state; and the Delaware Valley Regional The Regional Planning Commission which Transportation Plan covers Philadelphia and surround- A key NJTPA function is devel- ing counties including four in oping and updating the region’s South Jersey. Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). This long-range plan is a blueprint for 25 years of transportation investment. It is a critical document, because all federally funded transportation projects in the region must flow from the plan. Inclusion in the plan is the all important first step toward making a transportation project idea into reality. The NJTPA updates the plan every four years to reflect our region’s ever-

6 Online Project evolving conditions and priorities. Info & Mapping Federal regulations put limits on the plan. It can only contain The NJTPA Online Transportation projects that the region can rea- Information System or NOTIS sonably expect to afford over the offers citizens an interactive life of the plan. online tool to search and map a In developing the plan and in conducting its ongoing planning wide range of information about activities, the NJTPA analyzes transportation projects and data on many aspects of the studies in the region. Access region and its transportation NOTIS at the NJTPA webpage: system. The data include where www.njtpa.org. and how people travel, pavement condition ratings, accident rates, trends in housing and commer- and identify current needs for cial development and a host of improvement. other measures. Analyzing the The NJTPA often uses data allows the NJTPA to assess Geographic Information Systems how the system is performing (GIS) to array data on maps

Organizing the Work Hundreds of planners, engineers and other professionals work on transportation planning in northern New Jersey. This includes the NJTPA staff as well as the staffs of the 15 city and county “subregions” and of state agencies. Two planning tools help organize, direct and coordinate this work:

Strategic Business Plan Unified Planning Work Establishes the opera- Program (UPWP) tional policies, goals and Summarizes the transporta- objectives of the Board to tion planning activities of the support the mission of the NJTPA staff and other agencies NJTPA. Updated every five years. in the region. Updated annually.

7 to better assess patterns and large stretches of our regional relationships—for instance, how transportation system and a wide population growth in one area variety of transportation alterna- is affecting traffic volumes or tives—road, rail, bicycle, pedes- transit ridership there. trian and possibly more. Many of The NJTPA also develops these studies are conducted by the forecasts of future conditions and NJDOT, NJ Transit and NJTPA needs. This involves using com- staff. The city and county puter models—essentially, desktop subregions support these efforts simulations of the transportation through planning and studies of system—to predict how current needs at a more local level. trends will affect future trans- In developing the RTP, the portation system performance. NJTPA meets extensively with its This allows the NJTPA Board planning partners—cities, coun- to develop policies that can help ties and state agencies—through- shape the future of transportation. out the region. And, of course, the The RTP also reflects findings public plays a key role in putting of corridor studies which examine together this important transpor-

TheThe Project Project Pipeline Pipeline

Identify Project Needs Plan Design Build Complete

Regional Transportation Project Development Transportation Improvement Plan (RTP) Work Program (PDWP) Program (TIP)

Updated Every 4 Years: Updated Every Two Years: Updated Every Two Years: u Forecast Demographics u Develop Concepts u Prioritize & Select Projects & Transportation Performance for Projects to Implement u Set Regional Goals u Environmental Reviews u Identify Funding & Investment Priorities u Selection of Preliminary u Schedule Preliminary Engineering, u Identify Specific Needs Preferred Alternative Property Acquisition, Design & Improvements & Construction

8 some concerns (such as enhanc- ing access to a growing regional center) may involve in-depth study of a variety of strategies and alternatives. Others (such as repairing a bridge) may involve more straightforward engineering questions. In either case, the needs the tation plan. The NJTPA and its region will address are included in subregions host public meetings the PDWP, the list of all project- and workshops as part of studies specific transportation planning of regional needs and in develop- work underway in the region. The ing a long-range vision for our PDWP contains a variety of work, region. These are your opportuni- including technical studies focus- ties to get involved on the ground ing on highly specific, localized floor of the planning process. issues. The RTP is the beginning The PDWP covers the follow- of what’s commonly called the ing phases of work, in sequence: “project pipeline,” the process Problem Screening This by which a project undergoes the phase investigates a potential various stages of work needed to transportation deficiency and make it a reality (see chart at left). develops a thorough Problem Statement. Project Development Work Program What happens after a transportation need is included in the Regional Transportation Plan? The next step is the Project Devel- opment Work Program (PDWP). Because the region’s needs far outstrip available resources, the NJTPA Board must choose the most pressing—and practical— needs to tackle. Dealing with

9 Concept Development and state transportation dollars. During this phase, project alterna- The TIP includes public tives and strategies are analyzed transit, road, bicycle, pedestrian and a preliminary preferred alter- and freight-related projects. The native (PPA) is developed. A well- TIP covers a four-year span and is defined and well-justified Purpose updated every two years. It does and Need Statement is drafted. more than simply list projects—it Key Stakeholders are identified spells out the anticipated fund- and engaged. Projects are scored, ing schedule and cost for each ranked and placed into the phase of the project. The TIP can Project Pool. serve as a year-by-year account- ing of how government is spend- The Transportation ing transportation tax dollars on Improvement Program behalf of citizens. The Transportation Improvement By the time a project has Program (TIP) lists all projects reached the TIP, it is in its final for which federal funds will be stages. If you want to influence a project, it is wise to get involved at the earlier project development stages, when the exact nature of the project is still taking shape. Nevertheless, the NTJPA encour- ages public input on the TIP, which is updated every two years. To help decide which projects should be included in the TIP, the NJTPA makes use of a “Project Prioritization Process” that scores projects on a variety of criteria. spent. Developing this capital Points are awarded based on mea- program allows the NJTPA sures of how well projects will Board to set priorities among fulfill goals for transportation set the region’s many transportation in the NJTPA Regional Transpor- projects. That in turn allows the tation Plan. agency to get the maximum For instance, projects that benefit from available federal will improve safety in locations

10 Together North Jersey The NJTPA is participating in Together North Jersey, an effort to prepare a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development for northern and central New Jersey under a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Guided by a consortium including the NJTPA, Rutgers University, the NJ Office for Planning Advocacy, NJ Transit, non-profit organizations, county and local governments and other partners, Together North Jersey is exploring opportunities for regional growth and how best to integrate housing, land use, economic, transportation and infrastructure investments to promote economic development. To learn more and get involved go to togethernorthjersey.com. with high accident rates receive The finalized TIP funds and extra points, as do projects that schedules the following phases help redevelop abandoned indus- of work, which culminate with a trial sites or channel growth to completed project: improvement districts designated Preliminary Engineering by the state. Projects are further developed and Once projects have been refined to a level of detail neces- scored, the NJTPA consults with sary to secure the approval of an county and city representatives environmental document. This is on the proposed project rankings, discusses the rankings at open public meetings of its Project Pri- oritization Committee and, finally, engages in negotiations with the NJDOT to mesh NJTPA priorities with those of the state and Gov- ernor. A final TIP is approved by the NJTPA Board and must then be approved by the U.S. Depart- ment of Transportation.

11 also known as the NEPA process (from the National Environmental Policy Act).

Final Design During this phase, detailed project specifica- tions are developed and a con- tractor is selected. In addition, a and upgraded traffic signals—the utilities phase may occur during TIP also funds transportation or after Final Design in which “programs” which typically utilities are moved if necessary. involve ongoing activities such as snow removal, bridge painting, Right of Way This phase maintenance of railroad tracks, etc. involves acquisition of property needed for the project. This phase can be timeconsuming and costly, Financing as negotiations must take place The $2 billion or more invested and legal issues may need to be in improving transportation each sorted out. year in the NJTPA region derives from both state and federal Construction This phase can sources—in most years, about last two or more years on major evenly split between the two. projects and is usually the most Both the state and the federal expensive. government maintain special In addition to funding projects accounts, called transportation at specific locations—such as trust funds, which receive pro- redesigned intersections, resur- ceeds from fuel taxes and other faced roads, rehabilitated bridges transportation fees and taxes. Outlays from the trust funds are largely dedicated to fulfilling transportation needs. The NJTPA has responsibility under federal law for the investment of federal transportation funding. To be eligible for federal funds, a proposed project must be included in the NJTPA-approved

12 Snapshot of North Jersey Transportation Funding Fiscal Year 2013: Total $2.56 Billion

REVENUES NJTPA EXPENDITURES PLANNING Federal $ Transit–Bus and Rail Projects/ Programs 43% Transportation 37% $1.10 billion Improvement $0.94 billion Program (TIP) 57% 63% $1.46 billion $1.62 billion Highway & Bridge Projects/ State $* PRPROOJECTJECT Programs NEEDNEEDS

Long-Range * includes Port Authority and Plan other non-federal funding 13 system. This reflects a state of good repair approach to investments that is among the guiding principles adopted by the NJTPA as part of its long-range Regional Transportation Plan.

Air Quality Regions such as northern New Jersey which have been designated TIP, discussed above. In develop- as in “non-attainment” of federal ing the TIP, the NJTPA cooperates air quality standards are required with the NJDOT and NJ Transit under federal law to take special to determine how both federal and steps to reduce pollutants. state transportation funding can Each year the NJTPA must be most cost effectively applied to demonstrate that the projects it meeting transportation needs. approves through its TIP and Like the long-range plan, Regional Transportation Plan the TIP is required to be “fiscally will have a net positive impact constrained.” That is, it must be on air quality and contribute to based on reasonable estimates the achievement of the air qual- of available funding. Nearly half ity goals contained in the New of all the funding in the TIP is Jersey State Implementation Plan allocated to improving highways (SIP). The SIP governs pollution and bridges, with the remaining from all sources—not only from amount allocated to bus and rail automobiles but from power transit. The large allocation for plants, manufacturing and other transit reflects the NJTPA’s com- sources. To annually demon- mitment to safeguarding the envi- strate TIP/SIP “conformity,” the ronment and providing increased NJTPA uses computer modeling travel choices for residents. to estimate the emissions impact The vast majority of funding of approved projects. The NJTPA allocated through the TIP goes also administers programs and toward maintaining or upgrad- studies to help achieve state goals ing existing facilities rather than for reducing greenhouse gases and expanding the transportation for improving energy efficiency.

14 Getting Involved

here are many ways you can influence the transportation planning decisions Tthat will shape our future. Here are a few: Attend NJTPA Board meet- Attend meetings of your ings (held every other month) county’s transportation board or and committee meetings (held on committee (see contacts, page 16). alternating months). A calendar is Visit the NJTPA website posted on the NJTPA website. (www.njtpa.org) or our Facebook Request a speaker for a meet- page and get our Twitter feed. ing of your community organiza- Sign up for the NJTPA email tion, club or school. list (e-list) at www.njtpa.org or Visit New Jersey Regional write to the address on the back Network Libraries which keep cover. major NJTPA documents on file.

Visiting NJTPA Offices The NJTPA is located in downtown Newark in the One Newark Center office building which is attached to the Seton Hall Law School building. This is at the corner of McCarter Highway (Route 21) and Raymond Boulevard, about one block from Newark Penn Station, which serves the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line, Raritan Valley Line and PATH trains. Office hours are 8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. For further directions, call 973-639-8400 or click on “Contacts-Directions” at www.njtpa.org.

15 Transportation Contacts

NJTPA Somerset County Transportation One Newark Center Planning Board Management 17th Floor 908-231-7021 Associations Newark, NJ 07102 TransOptions Phone: 973-639-8400 Sussex County Serving western Passaic, FAX: 973-639-1953 Division of Planning western Essex, Sussex, www.njtpa.org 973-579-0500 x3 Warren, and Morris counties Union County NJTPA Subregions 973-267-7600 Department of Parks & www.transoptions.org Bergen County Community Renewal Department of Planning & 908-527-4291 Meadowlink Economic Development Commuter Services 201-336-6438 Warren County Serving Bergen, eastern Planning Board Passaic, eastern Essex, Essex County 908-475-6530 Union, and Monmouth Planning Board counties City of Newark 973-226-8500 x2580 201-939-4242 Engineering Department www.ezride.org Hudson County 973-733-6452 Department of Keep Middlesex Moving City of Jersey City Engineering & Planning Serving Middlesex County Office of the Mayor 201-369-4340 732-745-4465 201-547-4284 www.kmm.org Hunterdon County Planning Board Implementing Agencies Ridewise 908-788-1490 New Jersey Department Serving Somerset County 908-704-1011 Middlesex County of Transportation www.ridewise.org Planning Board P.O. Box 600 Trenton, NJ 08625-0600 732-745-3013 HART 609-530-2000 Serving Hunterdon County Monmouth County www.state.nj.us/transportation 908-788-5553 Engineering Department www.harttma.com 732-431-7760 NJ Transit One Penn Plaza East Hudson County TMA Morris County Newark, NJ 07105 Serving Hudson County Division of Transportation 24-hour transit information: 201-792-2825 973-829-8101 973-275-5555 www.hudsontma.org www.njtransit.com Ocean County Greater Mercer TMA Engineering Department Port Authority Serving Ocean and 732-929-2130 225 Park Avenue South Mercer counties New York, NY 10003 609-452-1491 Passaic County 212-435-7000 www.gmtma.org Planning Board www.panynj.gov 973-569-4047 Traffic/Travel Info 511NJ Dial 511 www.511NJ.org

16 Stay Informed—Get Involved

Attend our meetings and events

NORTH JERSEY TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AUTHORITY One Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102 973-639-8400 Fax: 973-639-1953 www.njtpa.org

Visit us at NJTPA.org Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter