The NJTPA Strategy Evaluation is conducted periodically to assess how well the region’s transportation meets residents’ needs. The project also generates recommendations for specific strategies and programs to benefit particular areas. The NJTPA long-range transportation plan — Access & Mobility 2030 — reflects the results of the Strategy Evaluation conducted in 2001-2002.
The NJTPA in Summer 2006 launched a new round of Strategy Evaluation that will serve as a foundation for the next update of the Regional Transportation Plan in 2009. The Strategy Evaluation also addresses the federal requirements for the NJTPA to maintain a Congestion Management Process.
This page will be updated on a regular basis with information about the Strategy Evaluation and opportunities to participate and offer input.
Overview
The Strategy Evaluation process takes a “place-based” approach, finding solutions that are appropriate for prevailing land uses and activities in particular places, ranging from the urban core to exurban and rural areas.
The process first identifies transportation needs throughout the region based on a vision of future development. This vision considers preferred future growth patterns for areas and how transportation can serve them. Data and performance measures are used to gauge accessibility (how readily people and goods can reach desired destinations) and aspects of mobility, congestion, and reliability on roads, public transit, and other modes of travel. This search for the most effective and affordable transportation investments requires an emphasis on land use, economic, environmental, and social impacts.
The NJTPA will work closely with other agencies, interest groups and the general public to ensure that the identified needs and proposed strategies address real regional priorities. These strategies will vary from place to place. For example, expanding bus service in a burgeoning urban economic center likely would make sense, while spending scarce transportation funds on a road expansion that may fuel sprawl development in an environmentally sensitive area may not.
The Strategy Evaluation will generate several products. A map showing many of the transportation improvements needed in the next 25 years — such as new bus and rail initiatives, roadway restructuring, intermodal freight infrastructure, and intelligent technology for keeping travelers informed — will help illustrate how these projects and transportation options work together. In addition, a set of priorities will be developed for specific critical locations.
Evaluation Activities
Key activities conducted in Strategy Evaluation are shown in the diagram above and summarized as follows:
Regional Transportation Plan and Regional Capital Investment Strategy Foundation
NJTPA staff reviews the Regional Transportation Plan adopted by the NJTPA Board in 2005, with specific attention given to the broad Regional Capital Investment Strategy that serves as a policy foundation for guiding transportation funding decisions.
Place Types
Municipalities are categorized by place-type. These classifications recognize the importance of land use issues as a basis for analyzing transportation needs and objectives. Place-types are drawn from those land use patterns, economic activities, and transportation options that have a dominant influence on transportation demand, traffic patterns, and mode choice.
Planning and Transportation Objectives
The NJTPA works with its counties, municipalities and other agencies to establish transportation goals that take into account land use and development features that should be promoted or avoided, and transportation patterns that should be supported or discouraged.
Performance Measures and Targets
Based on these objectives, analysts identify performance measures and establish performance targets to assess priorities for improving accessibility and mobility.
Localized Performance Needs
Current and future local-level needs are assessed and prioritized throughout the region, based on the performance measures and targets determined above.
Evaluating Location-Specific Strategies
Candidate strategies are identified and evaluated according to how well they address location-specific needs and meet overall objectives.
Prioritizing and Selecting Strategies
Strategies are prioritized and refined, becoming the source for studies and project concepts slated for development and implementation.
Including Findings in RTP and Handoffs for Project Development
Strategies, study findings, and project concepts are incorporated into the next Regional Transportation Plan. Potential projects and viable concepts are selected for immediate hand-off to partner agencies for planning, project development, and implementation.
Feedback/Ensuring Consistency of Planning and Project Development
Staff and stakeholders are continually assessing the consistency of proposed and ongoing planning and project development work with the findings of the Strategy Evaluation and the Regional Transportation Plan. This monitoring in turn will inform the next iteration of the Strategy Evaluation.