Easton Avenue/ Main Street Corridor Plan Final Report May 2011 Prepared for: Prepared by: Somerset County, NJ Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. Orth-Rodgers & Associates, Inc. Middlesex County, NJ Amy S. Greene Environmental Consultants, Inc. TechniQuest Corporation The preparation of this report has been financed in part by the U.S. Department of Transportation, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, Inc., Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its content or its use thereof. This page is intentionally left blank. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..........................................................................................................................1 Public Involvement .................................................................................................................................... 2 Strategies .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Transit-Friendly-Design and Smart Growth .......................................................................................... 3 Travel Demand Management ............................................................................................................... 3 Transit ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Pedestrian and Bicycle .......................................................................................................................... 4 Roadway Strategies ............................................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................7 Description of Roadway ............................................................................................................................ 9 Public Involvement .................................................................................................................................. 10 Steering Advisory Committee ............................................................................................................. 10 Focus Groups and Technical Committees ........................................................................................... 10 Public Meetings ................................................................................................................................... 11 Survey .................................................................................................................................................. 11 CHAPTER 2: TRANSIT-FRIENDLY DESIGN AND SMART GROWTH ...................................... 13 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................................................. 13 Zoning.................................................................................................................................................. 13 Planning Guidance .............................................................................................................................. 15 Proposed Developments ..................................................................................................................... 18 Strategies ................................................................................................................................................ 19 Smart Growth Planning ....................................................................................................................... 20 Transit Friendly Design ........................................................................................................................ 24 CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ......................... 34 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................................................. 34 The Benefits of TDM ............................................................................................................................... 34 Ridewise .............................................................................................................................................. 35 Keep Middlesex Moving ...................................................................................................................... 36 Strategies ................................................................................................................................................ 37 Designate Nodal-Based Districts ......................................................................................................... 37 Establish Corridor-wide Direction for Districts ................................................................................... 38 Set a Quantifiable Measure ................................................................................................................ 39 Get the Most Bang Out of the TDM Buck ........................................................................................... 40 Offer Financial Benefits to Riding Transit ........................................................................................... 41 Expand What’s Already Working ........................................................................................................ 42 Establish a Carsharing Program in New Brunswick ............................................................................. 42 Manage Parking .................................................................................................................................. 43 CHAPTER 4: TRANSIT STRATEGIES ............................................................................................. 47 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................................................. 47 Rail ....................................................................................................................................................... 47 Bus ....................................................................................................................................................... 49 Route 1 Regional Growth Strategy ..................................................................................................... 57 BRT Study ............................................................................................................................................ 57 Strategies ................................................................................................................................................ 58 Improve DASH service ......................................................................................................................... 59 Bus Stop Construction, Renovation, and Amenities ........................................................................... 62 Extend DASH service ........................................................................................................................... 65 Improve public information ................................................................................................................ 68 Shelter Funding ................................................................................................................................... 72 Park & Ride .......................................................................................................................................... 73 CHAPTER 5: PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE STRATEGIES ........................................................... 75 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................................................. 75 Pedestrian and Bicycle Activity ........................................................................................................... 75 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes ........................................................................................................... 77 Pedestrian Facility Conditions ............................................................................................................. 78 Bicycle Facility Conditions ................................................................................................................... 78 Street Lighting ..................................................................................................................................... 80 Maintenance ....................................................................................................................................... 80 Delaware & Raritan Canal Towpath .................................................................................................... 80 Strategies ................................................................................................................................................ 81 Improve Sidewalk Conditions along the Corridor ............................................................................... 81 Improve