Fall 2007

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES IN THE NJTPA REGION Projects Making A Difference Getting It Right cross the NJTPA region—13 northern and central New Jersey counties—there are many examples Aof transportation projects “getting it right.” These projects make travel easier and safer for residents, reduce traffic congestion, offer alternatives for daily commutes and encourage sustainable growth. These projects rarely receive the public recognition they deserve, because in the world of transportation, as elsewhere, there often is more focus on things that go wrong rather than things that go right. This issue of Mobility Matters attempts to give a number of these projects their due. Most were not huge headline-grabbers beyond their location and they were certainly not among the most expensive transportation improvements undertaken in the region. However, they stand as good examples of projects that effectively do what they were designed to do—improve the region’s transportation system. G

Housing Near Transit was dispersed throughout the Double Income, No Kids). Ten site. The design was a prime units were set aside for afford- example of “new urbanist” able housing. architecture. “The residents have been a 'New urban' housing The homes have been pur- real asset in patronizing down- chased by “people who are town businesses,” the mayor boosts downtown Metuchen attracted to living downtown says. The success of Franklin and using mass transit,” Square has prompted plans for New Jersey’s invited developers to create Metuchen Mayor Ed O’Brien additional downtown develop- train stations housing on the former site of a says. They are mostly couples ment. The town recently are more than school near its train station. without children (or, in real Metuchen • just hubs for After much community input, estate parlance, DINKs— Cont’d on next page commuter trav- the chosen developer construct-

el. Increasingly, ed 105 housing units, paying p o k t t

they are anchors special attention to fitting the i W

l for creating hous- design to the scale and look of l i B :

ing and other devel- the downtown while minimiz- o t o

opment to revitalize ing traffic and other impacts of h P downtown business dis- concern to residents. tricts and realize the state's Units have a townhouse Smart Growth goals. appearance (though they con- The Franklin Square housing tain stacked apartments) and development in downtown make extensive use of brick to Metuchen was specifically create an appealing streetscape. designed with these objectives They include rear courtyards for in mind. In 1998, the town use by residents, and parking 2 Getting It Right

Traffic Circle Replacement Westfield roundabout improves traffic Cont’d from previous page Traffic circles were gether,” says Union County Toglia. “The principle is that approved a zoning ordinance once the state- Assistant Engineer Timothy the cars in the roundabout of-the-art Mettlen. itself now have the right of that foresees the creation of a Westfield • six-acre town center, with approach to cir- The NJDOT decided to way to exit and anyone enter- mixed housing, retail and culating vehi- reconfigure, rather than elimi- ing has to yield to the cars office uses—also within walk- cles through nate, the Westfield circle. already in the circle.” ing distance of the train sta- tricky inter- NJDOT first proposed removing The key problem with the tion. changes of busy the circle and putting a new ‘T’ old circle was a “conflict point” Numerous other towns are roadways. For a intersection in its place, but fur- where state Route 28 (known getting into the act. Cranford, time, New Jersey ther study found a modern as South Avenue) entered the Rahway, South Orange and had nearly 70 circles in “roundabout” would be a bet- circle, Mettlen said. South Morristown are among towns operation, most built in the ter, more cost-effective and less Avenue now enters the circle at with new developments going 1920s and 1930s. As years intrusive solution, says Neal a right angle, forcing drivers to up or planned near their train passed and more and more cars Toglia, a design engineer with physically stop and yield to stations. The state has lent filled the roads, though, the cir- Jacobs Edwards and Kelcey, a enter the roundabout instead of support, through programs cles grew infamous for conges- consulting firm that worked on simply driving in. Other promoting Transit Oriented tion, accidents and driver confu- the project. Work on the round- approaches to the circle were sion over who had the right-of- about began in 2004. Development (TOD) including Cont’d on next page the Transit Village Initiative run way. “It has worked well,” says by the State Department of The New Jersey Department Transportation and NJ Transit. of Transportation (NJDOT) has To make a TOD project eliminated or reconfigured successful, Mayor O'Brien says, about half of the state’s traffic towns must not only “make circles in favor of designs to sure to structure development improve traffic flow in places consistent with the town's fis- such as Westfield in Union cal policy” but pay attention to County, Brielle in Monmouth aesthetics and community County, Bound Brook in involvement. He notes that in Somerset County, and Clifton in advancing the recent zoning Passaic County, among others. ordinance, the town held a At the old circle in Westfield, series of meetings and work- more than 250 accidents were shops, creating a “visioning recorded in or adjacent to the process that allowed people to circle between 1998 and 2000. buy into it.” It was “as trans- “It was just a bad situation alto- parent as possible.” G

THE NJTPA The NJTPA is the federally authorized Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the 6.5 million people in the 13-county northern New Mobility Matters is published by the NJTPA Board of Trustees William C. Barham—Freeholder, Jersey region. Each year, the NJTPA over- North Jersey Transportation Planning Monmouth County sees over $2.5 billion in transportation Authority, Inc. with funding from the Daniel P. Sullivan, Chairman— Gene F. Feyl—Freeholder, investments. The NJTPA evaluates and Federal Transit Administration and the Freeholder, Union County Morris County approves proposed transportation Federal Highway Administration. The Susan Zellman, First Vice Chairman— Cory A. Booker—Mayor, City of improvement projects and provides a NJTPA is solely responsible for its con- Freeholder, Sussex County Newark forum for interagency cooperation and tents. public input into funding decisions. It Dennis McNerney, Second Vice James F. Lacey—Freeholder, Ocean also sponsors and conducts studies, Executive Editor: Joel S. Weiner, NJTPA, Chairman—Bergen County Executive County Executive Director assists county planning agencies and John DiMaio, Third Vice Chairman— Elease Evans—Freeholder, Passaic David Behrend, monitors compliance with national air Contributing Editors: Freeholder,Warren County County quality goals. The NJTPA serves the Ted Ritter, Mark Solof, Beverly Morris Thomas DeGise, Secretary—Hudson Peter S. Palmer—Freeholder, Somerset fourth most populous MPO region in the Design: Suzanne G. Bennett County Executive County country. The NJTPA Board consists of Host Agency: New Jersey Institute of one elected official from each of the Technology Joseph DiVincenzo—Essex County A. Matthew Boxer—Governor’s Executive Representative region’s 13 counties and two largest Inquiries should be addressed to: cities, Newark and Jersey City. The Board The North Jersey Transportation George D. Muller—Freeholder, Kris Kolluri—Commissioner, NJDOT Hunterdon County also includes a Governor’s Represen- Planning Authority, Inc. Richard R. Sarles—Executive Director, tative, the Commissioner of the NJ One Newark Center, 17th Floor Jerramiah T. Healy—Mayor, Jersey NJ Transit Department of Transportation, the Newark, New Jersey 07102 City Anthony Shorris— Executive Directors of NJ Transit and the Executive Director, Phone: 973.639.8400 David B. Crabiel—Freeholder, Port Authority NY & NJ Port Authority of NY & NJ and a Citizens’ Fax: 973.639.1953 Middlesex County Vacant—Citizens’ Representative Representative appointed by the www.njtpa.org Governor. NJTPA Board meetings are held bi-monthly and are open to the public. Getting It Right 3

Successful Suburban Transit Ocean County bus connects residents with jobs, health care Cont’d from previous page The Toms River Connection also realigned to be indirect, has opened up requiring drivers to slow down a world of and yield. transportation “It was challenging to do a possibilities for project like this in such a busy, Toms River • low-income highly-visible location,” notes residents of

NJTPA Chairman Daniel P. y

several barrier t n

Sullivan, a Union County u

island communities o C Freeholder. “But it wound up in Ocean County. n a e being a good project that The fixed-route bus service c O :

improved safety for motorists o gives access to county services, t o and pedestrians.” h a hospital, major retailers and P Mettlen also says coopera- more activities on Route 37 in “We decided that it would to think of things from the tion and coordination went a Toms River and other nearby be strategic to include NJ rider’s viewpoint and make long way toward helping this towns. It provided nearly Transit in the early stages of public transit a little more project get it right. “NJDOT 105,000 passenger trips last the planning process,” Edmond approachable.” didn’t have to do anything they year. says. Working with NJ Transit Developing the Toms River didn’t want to, but they gave Collaboration has been the staff, the county studied Connection “was really a learn- us their plans, and let us have key to success for the connec- Geographic Information System ing process in terms of identify- our input,” he says. “And I tion, which began in winter (GIS) data, and conducted ing transportation needs and think our input made some dif- 2001 after receiving inspiration fieldwork, mapping out and gaps,” Edmond says, but the ferences. They weren’t going from welfare-reform initiatives testing potential routes. “There bus route is now Ocean Ride’s to change the South Avenue of the 1990s and strong support was a great benefit from their biggest success story based on approach until we asked about from county freeholders. The knowledge in terms of service ridership and fare box recovery that.” NJTPA provided federal funding development and planning,” data. Ridership on the Toms The $2.4 million project also (matched by the state) from the Edmond says. River Connection currently included an upgraded traffic Federal Transit Administration’s Once a preliminary route accounts for about 25 percent signal ahead of the western Job Access and Reverse was planned out on a map, NJ of total transit ridership in the approach; replacement of Commute program, which Transit bus stop specialists county, and the county hired a obsolete signals nearby; align- seeks to increase job access for worked with Ocean Ride on private contractor to operate ment modification and turning disadvantaged populations. everything from potential loca- the buses as efficiently as possi- restrictions at Route 28 and The service runs from 6 a.m. tions and technical measure- ble. Westfield Avenue south of the to 10 p.m., making 10 round ments for bus stops, to signage Also, a pilot program was circle; improved crosswalks; trips a day between Toms River and drafting the required legal launched earlier this year with more vertical clearance under and Lavallette, operating seven ordinances. the Ocean County Social NJ Transit’s Raritan Valley Line days a week in summer and six “That early planning focus Services Board to provide pass- railroad bridge, and more. days a week the rest of the was really crucial to success,” es to Medicaid-eligible resi- “The entire area was year. The one-way fare is $1 Edmond emphasizes. dents, allowing them to take repaved, including new road- for local service and $1.40 for a Ocean Ride next enlisted the Toms River Connection to way striping, signs, curbing, transfer to NJ Transit, although the help of the Greater Mercer medical appointments. These and crosswalks,” Toglia says. seniors and people with disabil- Transportation Management residents can keep their month- “We also did some streetscap- ities are eligible for reduced Association (TMA), which ly passes to use transit for other ing and landscaping to keep fares. helped plan the service’s logo purposes. the project character with the and marketing, including a “A program such as this historic nature of the area. That standard Ocean Ride bus stop provides a host of benefits to was an important thing to the sign and bright red transit many our residents,” says community.” The trade journal schedule holder for display on Ocean County Freeholder New York Construction News the same sign pole. James F. Lacey. “Connecting noted that and other features Ocean Ride worked with residents by providing trans- of the circle in giving the proj- the TMA on marketing the portation to jobs, services, and ect one of its Best of 2005 Toms River Connection, using medical appointments helps awards in the highway and The service is popular today, key chains, flyers, coin pouch- make an important difference roadway category: “The recon- but a lot of homework was es, jar openers, bag handles, in their lives.” G figuring of [the] traffic circle in needed before it began, says and a specially created place- Westfield . . . is proof that Kathy Edmond, director of mat with a three-dimensional good construction projects Ocean Ride, the county’s transit map of the bus route. “All sometimes come in small pack- service. those visuals really help,” ages,” the journal noted. G Edmond says. “We really tried 4 Getting It Right

1 Transit Art Program Lends Artistic Touch to Transit Projects J Transit launched its Transit Arts program in N1994 as a pilot project on the first segment of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. Thirty artists worked with plan- ners, designers, and the public 2 to create more than 50 varied works of art for display in a dozen light rail stations. The program was such a big success that NJ Transit expanded it in 1996 to include other projects. NJ Transit officials say the program was designed to pro- vide a framework for promot- ing the development of art in public spaces, while enhancing the public transportation expe- rience and the quality of life for transit riders and residents. 3 “Transit Arts is based on the philosophy that art is essential 1. Sculpture,16-feet-tall, celebrating railroading on the to the overall transportation roadway entering Union Station, Union County, by George experience, and that it needs Greenamyer. 2. Welcoming arch at the Lyons train station, 3. to be designed into a project Somerset County, by Lauren Ewing. Mural of tiles at the Newark Light Rail’s Broad Street station by Ik-Joong Kang. from the beginning,” explains 4. Dinosaur head sculpture at the Hudson Bergen Light NJ Transit’s Courtney Carroll. 4 Rail Transit’s Bergenline Avenue station by Alison Sky, inspired by the prehistoric formation of the Palisades.

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5. Martin Luther King, Jr. bust at the Hudson Bergen Light Rail Transit station at MLK Drive in Jersey City, by Jonathan Shahn. 6. Mosaic ball, part of a sculpture at Ramsey’s Route 17 station in Bergen 5 County by Ned Smyth. Getting It Right 5 in Northern New Jersey The Federal Transit Admin- istration (FTA) allows up to 5 percent of the total cost of FTA- funded projects to be spent on artwork. Further, the state’s Arts Inclusion Act mandates that all state-funded projects allocate up to 1.5 percent of construc- tion costs for art. NJ Transit says the program is also about celebrating the cultural identity of each loca- tion through art that reflects the distinct values and identity of each community that NJ Transit serves. “The artwork beauti- fies our stations and enhances the traveling experience for our commuters, while also provid- 8 ing a sense of ownership to the communities we serve,” says Transit Arts Program Manager Sheila McKoy. To date, the Transit Arts Program has facilitated more than 160 art installa- 9 tions throughout the NJ Transit system. The photos are examples of how the 7 program successfully inte- grates engineering and art at transit facilities in the 7. Walkway artwork called River Ribbons, at the Paterson Station NJTPA region. All photos by in Passaic County by Charles Fahlen. 8. Tribute to musicians at the Mike Rosenthal /NJ Transit. Newark Light Rail’s Grove Street Station by Valerie Maynard. G 9. Garden sculpture combining artwork and landscaping at the Montclair State University Station, Essex County, by Alice Adams.

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10. Leaded glass panels in the waiting room windows of the restored historic train station in Plainfield, Union County, by David Wilson. 11. Two-sided tile mosaics on platform railings at the refurbished train station in Hazlet, Monmouth County, by Yakov Ishakov.This one pays tribute to Doctor John Hazlett, the town’s founding father. 12. One of two 30-by-6-foot glass mosaics by Mac Adams called Wetlands (Summer) at the Frank R. 11 Lautenberg/Secaucus Junction Station, Hudson County. 6 Getting it Right

Late Night Shuttle Essex 'Night Owl' links workers with airport jobs Cynthia Graham partnership with Essex County is already hard and NJ Transit. Funding comes at work while from the federal government’s Newark• most people Job Access and Reverse are still sound- Commute program, Essex ly sleeping. County and the New Jersey The Newark Department of Human resident works Services. for US Airways at The Night Owl provides Newark Liberty transportation to Newark Penn International Airport— Station—where riders can take and her shifts typically start at a bus to Newark Airport or 4 a.m. and end at 10 a.m. trains to New York City—from The challenge for Graham residential areas in Newark, Krishna Murthy, the TMA’s the early-morning hours. and others who work late shifts Orange, East Orange and Executive Director. First, a “By filling this gap, the at the airport and do not have Irvington. Passengers referred densely developed area with Essex Night Owl allows its pas- a car is finding a way to and by employers, workforce many low-income residents in sengers to build new lives,” from the job. For her and developers and social service need of transportation is near Murthy says. many others, the Essex County agencies can make reservations the station and the airport. In That fact is not lost on Night Owl—servicing Newark 24 hours in advance, including addition, there is a high con- Newark resident Karen Drakes, Penn Station and nearby resi- ongoing, standing reservations. centration of jobs with non-tra- a Continental Airlines employ- dential areas every day from 1 The service’s five shuttle ditional schedules at the air- ee who has been using the a.m. to 5 a.m.—is the answer buses provide nearly 27,000 port. Finally, Newark Penn Night Owl service for five to that dilemma. passenger trips a year, with Station provides a transit hub. years to get to her 5 a.m. shift “Working these hours and about 120 riders on weeknights The key goal of the Night at the airport. having direct transportation is a and 60 on weekends, accord- Owl is to provide service for “There isn’t direct service to real benefit to me, because I ing to Meadowlink figures. It the so-called “last mile,” Murthy Newark Penn Station from am home for my kids,” attracts an average of 40 new says. The term refers to the fact where I live,” Drakes says. “I Graham says. “I can focus on riders a month, with ridership that often riders can get most would be stuck taking a taxi my prime responsibility, which highest around the year-end of the way to their destination every day. Without the Night is my children.” holidays, mainly because of the but lack the transit connection Owl, I would have no other Meadowlink, the oldest seasonal nature of jobs in the to make that final link. Here, option. This service benefits Transportation Management shipping industry at the airport. the missing piece of the trans- me in a way that I can’t even Association (TMA) in New Meadowlink credits much of portation puzzle is the connec- explain.” G Jersey, provides the Essex the service’s success to a con- tion between Penn Station and County Night Owl service in fluence of three factors, says home for workers traveling in

Brownfield Redevelopment site. Potential developers and adjacent to the New Jersey shunned the land, favoring Turnpike and other major high- alternative sites in the suburbs ways. that did not need clean up or Capitalizing on this location- Newark Fed-Ex warehouse pose the threat of future liabili- al advantage took some doing. ties from undiscovered pollu- James Mack, NJIT Director of provides jobs, improves freight tion. Brownfields Technology, notes But the Albert Steel Drum that the site had “a range of The package pro- cities. site had potential advantages. A contaminants,” including cessing facility Fed-Ex built its facility on 13 2003 study by the NJTPA and volatile organic compounds, opened by acres that sat empty for more the New Jersey Institute of PCBs and heavy metals such as Newark• Federal than 20 years. In the 1930s, a Technology (NJIT) found that lead, arsenic and mercury. Express in company made dyes and pig- the site, like most once-indus- Moreover, the property owner Spring 2006 on ments there. Later a pesticide trial brownfields in northern could not afford the extensive Avenue L in manufacturer used the site. New Jersey, has excellent trans- clean up required by the state Newark is a Finally, in the 1960s, it housed portation connections. This can Department of Environmental model for bring- a drum cleaning operation, “mean savings in both cost and Protection (NJDEP). ing derelict former becoming known as the time for businesses seeking to The solution came from a industrial properties “Albert Steel Drum” site after optimize goods distribution,” variety of sources: a developer, back into productive the company that did this the report says. The Albert Joseph Morris, who recognized use. Similar “brownfields” dot work. Steel Drum site is within a mile the property’s advantages and the New Jersey landscape, par- These uses left extensive of both the port and airport ticularly in and around major chemical contamination at the Cont’d on next page Getting It Right 7

Suburban Shopping Center Park-and-Ride Excess parking meets commuter needs at Rockaway Mall Each weekday in tive, but it’s really a positive stripes. Special signs also says. That would require the park-and-ride to be moved to Rockaway • northern and when you think of some people help direct motorists to the central New not wanting park-and-rides in proper location. All mall another section of the mall Jersey, thou- their areas. It was just an under- parking facilities, including parking lot nearby. sands of com- used area of the mall parking the park-and-ride, are well- In the meantime, the park- muters drive to lot that was turned into a good lighted and regularly and-ride is doing its part to park-and-ride use.” patrolled by security staff. reduce the volume of vechicles lots, lock their Three Morris County Metro The park-and-ride now on the area’s busy highways. vehicles, and buses stop at the park-and-ride, serves more than 400 vehi- “This is an extremely high- catch buses or as well as some Lakeland buses cles per day, according to volume and congested area for trains to work. In that go into New York City. Watt. “The lot’s filled up by commuter and commercial traf- general, park-and-rides “That’s probably the bulk of the 7:30 in the morning,” he fic,” says Morris County have been a success, but some facility’s use, but there are also says. “The mall is very happy Freeholder Gene F. Feyl. “We work better than others, and some carpools and vanpools with this facility; they want to are continuously looking for still others are not exactly wel- that use it, “ says Don Watt, see it keep going and they creative ways to reduce vehicle comed by neighbors. But the Vice President of TransOptions, even want to expand it.” counts without impacting our park-and-ride lot strategically a non-profit Transportation Between 200 and 300 residential roads. The relief located at Morris County’s pop- Management Association serving more spaces should be provided by park-and-ride lots ular Rockaway Mall is a northwestern New Jersey. “It’s added to allow for anticipat- provides economic, air quality, notable success. very much a mixed-use thing.” ed growth in the area, Watt and commuter benefits.” G The park-and-ride was In addition, Watt says the established through a per-park- convenient Rockaway Mall loca- ing-space lease agreement with tion provides easy access for the mall, located near a desig- the buses and the commuters nated Route 80 exit (a similar who eventually ride them, with- facility is located at the out creating conflicts with those Livingston Mall and at other who come to the mall to shop. locations in the state). “The buses just pull up right to “The location is very logi- where the people are waiting in o

cal,” says Deena Cybulski, an the morning and, since it’s so n a c s

Assistant Director in Morris early, there’s no other traffic in i H

t

County’s Division of the mall.” h g i

Transportation. “And unless Commuters can easily identi- w D :

you were looking for it you fy their designated spaces, o t o

wouldn’t even know it was which are marked with green h p there. That sounds like a nega-

Cont’d from previous page tives, technical assistance and Special challenges includ- carrying away contaminants legal protections for those ed disposing of soil contami- that remain at the site. agreed to help finance the reclaiming brownfields; the City nated by heavy metals, which The warehouse built on the clean-up as part of a purchase of Newark, which issued per- required special processing site was designed specifically agreement; state programs, mits and approvals; and new costing up to $300 a cubic for Fed-Ex. It is a “cross-dock” coordinated by NJDEP and the technologies pioneered by NJIT yard, and the need to create facility: packages are unloaded NJ Department of Commerce, to cost-effectively identify and a drainage system to prevent from trucks on one side, that provide financial incen- address contamination. rainwater from reaching and processed and sorted, then loaded into other trucks on the opposite side. It employs 150 workers and pays $1 million in annual taxes to Newark. “This is an example of how the process can work when all stakeholders cooperate to cre- ate a win-win situation,” Mack says. “It shows that brownfields redevelopment can be done even with badly contaminated p o

k properties.” Hundreds of acres t t i

W of brownfields nearby are

l l i

B being considered for similar : o t

o freight-related redevelopment. h p 8 Getting It Right

Suburban Pedestrian Bridge Bridgewater/Somerville overpass makes walking to shopping, schools, homes safer Two busy only a matter of time before Designers also had to keep On the bridge’s other end, state highways, someone got hit crossing in mind that the walkway carefully placed fencing and a major mall, there,” says Lane, noting that would play a symbolic role in block retaining walls were con- Bridgewater • two high the county’s freeholders already welcoming visitors to the structed to direct pedestrian schools and an had identified the spot as a regional center of Bridgewater, traffic and contain a staircase apartment location for a priority project. Raritan and Somerville. and a ramp accessible by complex made Officials came up with two The result of all this consul- wheelchairs. for a complicat- possible solutions: either anoth- tation, planning and design The bridge has proven pop- ed mix when it er pedestrian tunnel—like the was a main span consisting of ular with pedestrians. It has came to improving one under Route 22—or a an impressive steel arch with a been “phenomenally” well- pedestrian mobility pedestrian overpass. Planners reinforced concrete bridge deck used by several hundred peo- and safety in Somerset met with various stakehold- suspended from steel cables. ple each day, Lane says. “They County’s regional center. ers—county officials, police, The rest of the structure con- actually had to stop the ribbon Soon after the state desig- and student councils of sists of tubular steel “stringers” cutting ceremony four different nated Bridgewater, Raritan and Immaculata and Somerville on concrete piers. times because people were try- Somerville a regional center in high schools. The bridge was integrated ing to cross the new bridge.” 1996, the county began work- “We showed them both into the mall through sidewalk Somerset County Freeholder ing with the New Jersey options and asked, ‘which alignment and a crosswalk Peter S. Palmer says the bridge Department of Transportation would you rather use,’” Lane leading to the entrance of addresses a transportation need (NJDOT) to consider needed recalls. “Everyone overwhelm- Macy’s department store, help- and improves safety in a vital transportation improvements. ingly supported the overpass, ing to create a “more seamless location. “There are people One safety “hot spot” identi- which is different from what pedestrian system,” according that now walk across that fied was a dangerous at-grade we thought would happen.” to Lane. wouldn’t even think of doing it pedestrian crossing between Students and other stake- As Kendzulak explains, “It’s before because it just wasn’t a Bridgewater and Somerville holders said they would feel not like the bridge is dumping safe location,” he notes. “This townships, says Somerset less confined and safer on an you out into some remote area was a critical link that made a County Transportation/Land overpass. of the mall; it ends at a logical lot of sense; and it was a smart Use Planner Walter Lane. At “The public outreach was point.” link.” G the site along Cloverleaf Drive, there,” notes Principal County a ramp connects westbound Engineer John Kendzulak. “We Route 22 with northbound figured out the people who Route 202/206. The busy would be using the bridge and Bridgewater Commons mall, said, ‘Let’s talk to them.’” Somerville and Immaculata NJDOT agreed to provide high schools, and an apart- $2.5 million funding for design ment complex—all nearby— and construction, while the generate considerable pedestri- county agreed to plan, build an traffic. The ramp often saw and maintain the facility, which heavy traffic traveling at 50 the county owns. miles-per-hour or more. And Making the overpass aes- while an underpass already thetically pleasing was a key y allowed pedestrians to cross focus, Lane says. “We didn’t t n u

Route 22, no such facility exist- want to create a cattle shoot o C

t

ed for those crossing the Route or anything like that, where it e s r 202/206 ramp. was all fenced in,” he says. e m o S

“There had never been an Kendzulak adds: “We also : o t

accident at this location, but it wanted it to complement the o h was our concern that it was surrounding area.” p Getting It Right 9

New Trans-Hudson Ferry Growing community enjoys marine travel alternative Ferries have long term success—opened come to serve March 6, 2007 in Edgewater, Edgewater • an important Bergen County. Like other niche in the towns that form the “Gold transportation Coast” along the Hudson River, system of the Edgewater's proximity to region. They Manhattan drove a real estate supplement the boom over the past two rail and bus sys- decades. Factories that once tem for accessing lined the main drag, River Road, Manhattan from have been transformed into across the Hudson River as condos and shopping centers. well as from the New Jersey A news reporter who works shore. For many riders, they at Associated Press in Manhattan offer quicker trips—at a premi- walks to the ferry terminal each um price—and, in good weath- morning from her home in Fort er, an open air ride and often Lee, one town over. She previ- captivating views. ously took the bus through the Following 9/11, ferries Lincoln Tunnel but found sitting proved to be a valuable in traffic underground “a little regional asset, flexibly claustrophobic, especially after from Edgewater to the Port back to colonial times. For the responding to the surge in 9/11.” Authority typically takes about first half of the 20th century, a demand created by the loss of Despite the added cost—$7 45 minutes in no traffic.” ferry between Edgewater and a PATH line and vehicle restric- one way compared to $3.50 for Bergen County Executive 125th street in Manhattan was tions at the tunnels. Still, pri- the bus—she says the ferry is Dennis McNerney says, “The actively used by New Jersey vate ferry operators, who do worth it: “It's very convenient. Edgewater Ferry gives residents commuters and by New not receive public operating What's their slogan? 'The civi- a valuable travel alternative, Yorkers traveling to the nearby funding, face hurdles in mak- lized commute.' I definitely one that helps protect the envi- Palisades Amusement Park ing routes profitable; a number think that's true.” ronment and eases road con- (which closed in 1971). The have been curtailed in recent Time savings are also an gestion.” ferry ceased in 1951 as a result years. attraction. The Bergen Record The new ferry reclaims a of the easier auto access pro- The newest ferry route—and spoke to one rider who takes key aspect of Edgewater histo- vided by the George Washing- one with great promise for the ferry every day: “The ferry ry. The town was a terminal ton Bridge and Lincoln Tunnel. takes about 12 minutes; the bus for trans-Hudson ferries dating What’s old is new again. G

Key Bridge Replacement came through the NJTPA. The old bridge had been under severe weight restrictions since 1992, with no vehicle Modern drawbridge over Barnegat Bay weighing more than 4 tons allowed. The new one can improves traffic flow, access handle heavier vehicles, mean- ing that fire engines and other emergency vehicles, as well as Over the past year to let boats pass—as new bridge. In addition, when delivery trucks, can cross, year, the opposed to roughly 6,000 times the bridge operator does open eliminating the need to take a Mantoloking a year with the old, lower span, the new bridge, it stays up for much longer, circuitous route Bridge over says Ocean County Engineer far less time. The new bridge between the island and main- Barnegat Bay Ronald A. Lotrecchio. That opens and closes in less than land, Lotrecchio points out. has been means better traffic flow on three minutes, down from over The new bridge also is 10 Mantoloking • “closed” far Mantoloking Road between five and a half minutes, cutting feet wider, which will allow it more frequently Brick on the bay’s western waiting time for cars nearly in to play a vital role if storms or than the old one shore and Mantoloking to the half. flooding ever force the evacua- ever was. In this east. Keeping openings shorter tion of the barrier island. In case, though, that’s a “Our openings are down to and less frequent is just one that event, two lanes could good thing. the level we thought they’d be,” of the many benefits of the carry traffic bound west for the The new drawbridge, com- says Lotrecchio, whose office new bridge, which was built mainland, while a third east- pleted in May 2006, has to be oversaw removal of the old with $20 million of federal opened about 2,000 times a span and construction of the funding, $12 million of which Cont’d on next page 10 Getting It Right

Cont’d from previous page marina. Meanwhile, the coun- ty now owns the other third, bound lane would let emer- which it will turn into a gency vehicles get to the “park-like” setting with park- island. ing and restroom facilities While the design of the needed by those using the new bridge mainly focused fishing pier and paths, on improving traffic flow Lotrecchio says. and safety on this increasing- “We’re enhancing the ly busy county road, recre- New walking paths also allow the county joined with Brick waterfront,” says Ocean ational uses—particularly for exploration of the bay’s Township in acquiring Traders County Freeholder James F. fishing and crabbing—were shoreline near and beneath the Cove Marina just northwest of the Lacey. “In many ways—from not forgotten. The county new bridge. bridge. The township acquired mobility, to safety, to recre- preserved a section of the The new bay access has two-thirds of the property and ation—that has proven true old bridge on the Brick side, proven popular. Fortunately, as now is preparing a waterfront for the entire project.” G and it now serves as a pier part of its plans for the area, improvement plan as it oversees for fishing and crabbing. the continued operation of the

Redesigned Urban Intersection attention being given to improving travel and safety in urban areas in northern New Jersey. The pedestrian count- Upgraded Union City crossroads down signals, in particular, are being installed around the region. One study in San benefits drivers, pedestrians Francisco found that the sig- Kennedy rants, apartments, senior hous- The county removed one sig- nals resulted in a 50 percent Boulevard is ing, a gas station and more. nal that caused traffic backups reduction in accidents involv- ing pedestrians. Union City • a key road- For years, the intersection and blocked streets during peak way spine became congested at peak travel times; created left turn The NJTPA is supporting running the travel times. The intersection lanes with pavement symbols and the use of the signals and length of configuration resulted in short signs; restriped the roadway to other low cost safety meas- densely pop- sight distances for turning vehi- guide traffic through the intersec- ures through its Local Safety ulated cles and longer than average tion; added bold crosshatching on Program—including funding Hudson crosswalks for pedestrians, cre- pedestrian crosswalks; and upgrades to intersections County. Along its ating safety concerns. installed pedestrian signals that along the length of Kennedy northern section, In 2005, Hudson County countdown the number of sec- Boulevard. after it passes over the I-495 started a project to improve the onds remaining before the light Hudson County Executive “cut” that takes vehicles to intersection. It involved some changes. Thomas DeGise says, “We’re the Lincoln Tunnel, New creative engineering, new tech- “Traffic is flowing through the well aware that safety for Jersey Turnpike and Rt. 3, the nology and a lot of common 32nd Street intersection better and drivers and pedestrians must road intersects with 32nd sense. It was completed in less pedestrians can make more be the top priority, but at the Street. It's a classic urban than one month for under informed crossing decisions,” says same time, we’re finding crossroads, surrounded by $90,000 in county funds—little Sean Keating, Senior Engineer for ways to make our roads work buildings with a lively mix of money for redesigning a major the county. more efficiently.”G uses—shops, fast food restau- intersection. The project is an example of Getting It Right 11

Bike/Pedestrian Trail Old Monmouth rail line a key part of popular trail In Monmouth the abandoned Freehold and County, two Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad trails—one right-of-way. created on The bikeway was built on a abandoned grade rail bed and runs from Manasquan • railroad tracks Hospital Road in Wall and the other Township, through Manasquan, on an old state and into the eastern part of the highway—now county, ending in Allenwood. offer pedestrians, From that point, the path joins cyclists, joggers and the Capital to Coast Trail, con- dog walkers a smooth path to tinuing on to Allaire State Park, access everything from antique with planned extensions all the stores to ice cream. way to Trenton’s Assunpink The Edgar Felix Bikeway is Greenway and Urban Park and a prime example of the state’s the D&R Canal Bike Trail. vision for improved bicycling Not only is The Edgar Felix and walking facilities. Bikeway a safe corridor for Nationwide, in the 1960s and thousands of bicyclists in the 1970s, railroad consolidation shore region, it also serves as a resulted in thousands of miles path for children going to of abandoned tracks, many of nearby recreational activities. which had the potential to be “The bikeway transformed a converted to bike or hiking neglected railway into an asset trails or linear parks. Today, that improves the quality of from Cape May to Sussex life in our county,” says County, New Jersey has about Monmouth County Freeholder 20 of these so-called “rail trails” William C. Barham. “We’re totaling more than 200 miles. proud of it.” In 1995, New Jersey pub- Connecting to the 5.4 mile- lished the Statewide Bicycle Edgar Felix trail is the nearly and Pedestrian Master Plan, two-mile-long Route 18 which was developed by the Bikeway, which winds through New Jersey Department of wooded areas and open fields Transportation (NJDOT) in to the Wall Township munici- partnership with the state’s pal complex and soccer fields. three Metropolitan Planning This paved trail, though, was tion in the municipal complex, Organizations (MPOs), includ- not built on a rail bed like the at the Allaire Park trail head ing the NJTPA. The plan for- Edgar Felix path. Rather, this and at the Manasquan trail malized a vision for making “spur” trail was built along the head on North Main Street. bicycling and walking an abandoned NJ Route 18 south- Safety and continuity on the important part of the state’s ern right-of-way. An additional trail are enhanced with ample transportation system. path circumvents the municipal signage alerting users to road The Edgar Felix Bikeway complex, adding another mile crossings. Two small wooden showed how it could be done. to the trail system. bridges traverse the eight-lane Established in 1971, the bike- The Edgar Felix and Route Garden State Parkway. way has continually expanded. 18 trails form a “T” intersec- The atmosphere is peaceful Its namesake, Edgar H. Felix, tion, and comprise a scenic and cordial and users share a took up bicycling for his health path through residential and sense of community. One after retiring and actively advo- commercial areas, farmland, Allamuchy resident, who visits cated that the Borough of and wetlands. There is ample the trails often with his two Manasquan purchase part of parking behind the police sta- young daughters, notes that “Everyone says ‘hi.’ It’s neat!” G

Aerial view of the redesigned roundabout in Westfield, Union County (see page 2). page (see County Union Westfield, in roundabout redesigned the of view Aerial

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