Route
1 Regional Smart Growth
Strategy
Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset
Counties
Background
Even though the New Jersey
Department of Transportation
(NJDOT) has implemented a variety
of individual improvement projects
over the past couple of decades,
traffic congestion and development
pressures have overwhelmed
this corridor between Trenton
and New Brunswick.
Traffic is expected to increase
by as much as 55 percent
by the year 2020. Without
the necessary changes to
zoning and subdivision regulations
to appropriately direct new
development, these transportation
investments will be unsustainable.
Without an intervention,
future traffic projections
indicate a corridor of widespread
traffic gridlock with a significant
increase in commuter travel
time. Realizing the importance
to coordinate transportation
and land use decisions, NJDOT
saw the Route 1 Regional
Smart Growth Strategy as
a potential NJFIT strategy
to promote sustainable land
use and increase transportation
options and solutions.
Project
description
NJDOT's Route 1 Regional Smart Growth
Strategy is an interactive partnership
and planning process focused on combining
economic development opportunity with
NJFIT principles.
The project area encompasses a 20-mile
stretch of Route 1 from Trenton to New
Brunswick that passes through 15 municipalities
in three counties. The strategy began
in September 2004 with an emphasis on
public outreach, collaborative partnerships
and proving that there is no conflict
between sound planning and economic health.
The Route 1 strategy involves a group
effort, with a variety of |
Route
1 southbound in Lawrence
is an example of several
sections along the corridor
where access management
issues are a concern
due to increasing commercial
development. |
stakeholders in the development
of a planning process that
can be copied in other corridors
and regions across the state.
The project aims to increase
travel options along this
corridor by fixing access
management problems and enhancing
transit facilities.
The
Route 1 Regional Smart Growth
Strategy is both a proactive
and collaborative approach
among NJDOT and several municipalities
for the development of integrated
transportation and land use
strategies to achieve a shared
vision for the corridor.
NJDOT will advance a final
set of recommendations that
develop from this process.
These recommendations will
include a specific set of
actions for attaining sustainable
smart growth objectives in
the region.
The key objectives of the
Regional Smart Growth
Strategy include:
- Economy - Achieve a balance
of industries and jobs
to sustain economic growth;
- Land
use - Promote mixed-use
zoning and redevelopment
opportunities;
- Demographics - Improve
the job/housing balance
and increase housing options;
and
- Travel - Increase multi-modal
transportation options
and reduce the number of
vehicles on the road.
The Route 1 Regional Smart
Growth Strategy centers on
a smart growth approach that
encourages mixed-use development,
redevelopment opportunities
and increasing intensities
and densities of land uses.
A number of workshops have
been conducted for the four
subareas of Trenton, Princeton,
the Turnpike area and New
Brunswick to identify areas
of congestion, land use and
access management issues
and possible multimodal transportation
solutions. These workshops
have led to the development
of opportunity zones and
growth locations for each
of the subareas. Other outcomes
include the identification
of potential interregional
rail and local transit service,
supporting land use policies
and strategic roadway investments
such as local access management
measures and improved street
connectivity between Route
1 and local street networks
to encourage safe and convenient
travel options. These travel
options range from walking
and bicycling to transit
opportunities, including
a potential Bus Rapid Transit
(BRT) system for the region.
A BRT Alternatives Analysis
study completed by NJ TRANSIT
in 2006 evaluated potential
routes, station locations
and cost effectiveness. The
study also adhered to coordination
with municipal plans and
other related planning efforts.
Concept
design for "next generation"
transportation
system for Route 1 corridor
Recently, NJ TRANSIT completed
a near-term concept plan
for the expansion and enhancement
of existing bus routes and
the creation of new service
routes in the Central Jersey
Region. The plan provides
a phased approach to implementing
BRT service along the Route
1 corridor and includes near-term
investments such as new vehicles
and stations and longer-term
transit solutions including
dedicated bus lanes and service
along the Dinky Line in Princeton.
Plan details will be discussed
with local, regional, state,
private and other stakeholders
to advance the concept design
for BRT service in the corridor.
Building consensus among
the counties and municipalities
on the growth strategy and
related action agenda is
important to making this
integrated land use and transportation
approach a success.
Project status
The final plan and related
action steps for shared
implementation by NJDOT,
counties and municipalities
is expected to be completed
in 2011. More information
and the final report for
the Route 1 Smart Growth
Strategy is available.
NJFITness goals
advanced by the Route 1 Regional
Smart Growth Strategy
are rated on a scale of one
to three stars, with three
stars indicating the most
strongly pursued:
The
NJFIT tools that are most
applicable to this project
are starred:
|
