The role of transportation in ensuring access to jobs, promoting affordable housing and advancing social equity for low-income and minority communities was among the topics explored during an NJTPA roundtable on Dec. 8.
The event (see photos below) was designed to provide additional input into the development of Plan 2035, the NJTPA’s federally required Regional Transportation Plan for 13 northern and central New Jersey counties.
Myron Orfield, a University of Minnesota Law School professor and executive director of the Institute on Race and Poverty, was the roundtable’s keynote speaker. One of Orfield’s central topics was an examination of the problems created by fragmented systems of government, such as New Jersey’s 566 municipalities and more than 600 school districts.
“The competition among municipalities tends to create greater disparities in terms of poverty, in terms of taxes, in terms of the way we grow,” he said. “It tends to favor a system in which jobs are spread out and hard to get to.”
He called for “‘a more perfect union’ among municipalities.” This would include tax-sharing arrangements, reduced dependence on property taxes to fund education and, therefore, a less intense “ratables chase.” This could help develop a more sensible distribution of housing and jobs in the region, easing the intensity of demand on the transportation system.
“Rather than stealing malls from each other, [local governments] might find a better way to bring jobs into the region,” Orfield said.
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Keynote speaker Myron Orfield, University of Minnesota Law School professor
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Other roundtable speakers included representatives of transit agencies, non-profit advocacy groups, state government and universities. Discussions touched on what role the transportation sector can play in encouraging social equality, smart growth and sound affordable housing policies.
“My daily, on-the-job experiences have shown me firsthand that providing affordable housing and better access to jobs, health care and other opportunities are inextricably linked to transportation,” said NJTPA Chairman Susan Zellman, who also serves Executive Director of the Housing Partnership, a nonprofit organization that assists individuals, organizations and municipalities in planning for and meeting their home ownership goals. “This means that Plan 2035, the NJTPA’s long-range regional transportation plan, must deal with these matters.”
NJTPA Executive Director Mary K. Murphy noted that the discussion was valuable because it pushed transportation planners “out of their comfort zone” to “think about what we do and how it affects the lives of individuals, their housing choices, their job choices and really their quality of life choice.”
The roundtable also featured an open forum for questions and answers. After summary remarks by roundtable speakers, a brown bag lunch was held to continue the discussion.
If you missed the socioeconomic roundtable, visit the NJTPA’s Plan 2035 website at www.njtpa.org. Audio of the key speakers will be uploaded shortly.
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1. Sussex County Freeholder and NJTPA Chairman Susan M. Zellman welcomes attendees.
2. Keynote speaker Professor Myron Orfield.
3. Panel members from left: Tom Dallessio, Leadership NJ; Ben Spinelli, Office of Smart Growth; Martin Bierbaum, Municipal Land Use Center, The College of New Jersey; and Dianne Brake, PlanSmart NJ.
4. Panel members with facilitator Scott Giering, from left: Richard Roberts, NJ Transit; Steve Fittante, Middlesex County Dept. of Transportation; and Terry Hirschorn, NJ Dept. of Human Services.
5. NJTPA Executive Director Mary K. Murphy and Passaic County FreeholderPasquale "Pat"
Lepore.
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Transportation planners and decision makers must begin factoring climate change into their planning and infrastructure investment decisions, a panel of experts agreed at a Climate Change Roundtable sponsored by the NJTPA on Nov. 17.
The event, (see photos, below) was held as part of the development of Plan 2035 (the NJTPA’s federally required long-range plan) and featured speakers from the federal government, transportation agencies, tri-state area Metropolitan Planning Organizations, universities and non-profit advocacy groups. The discussion revolved around two key aspects of dealing with climate change—adapting infrastructure to deal with its effects, and developing transportation policies that will reduce or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Hunterdon County Freeholder Matthew Holt, far left, with roundtable panelists
Philip LaRocco, E+Co; Dave Gillespie, NJ Transit; and Joe Siegel, U.S. EPA.
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“Global warming and climate change are linked inextricably to transportation,” Hunterdon County Freeholder and NJTPA Board of Trustees member Matthew Holt said in his opening remarks. “Every county and town in the region has an important stake in seeing that we are planning for these future conditions.”
NJTPA Executive Director Mary K. Murphy noted that Plan 2035 will address both mitigation and adaptation. “We must recognize the profound effects external forces beyond the direct control of regional or state transportation agencies can have on our region.” she said. “We need to plan for them today.”
Keynote speaker George Eads, a member of the Transportation Research Board Committee on Climate Change and U.S. Transportation, warned that global warming is occurring and climate changes are not likely to unfold gradually. New Jersey and the rest of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast can expect increased sea levels and more unstable weather including more frequent heat waves, heavier precipitation during rainstorms and an increased threat of hurricanes, Eads said.
Each factor will carry its own set of challenges to transportation, Eads said, but the combination of rising seas and stronger storms will be the most daunting. He noted that many major facilities including bridges, tunnels and airports are less than 12 feet above sea level in critical areas, leaving them vulnerable to flooding during extreme weather events.
Following the presentation, the panel of about a dozen experts held a facilitated roundtable discussion on climate change and took questions from the audience. Afterward, Joe Siegel of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 2 office in New York, led a discussion on EPA’s regulatory approach to climate change and recent court cases involving state regulatory efforts. Audio of the Roundtable is available on the Plan 2035 page of the NJTPA website.
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6. Hunterdon County Freeholder Matthew Holt welcomes panelists and attendees to the Climate Change Roundtable.
7. Featured presenter George Eads discusses the impacts of climate change on infrastructure.
8. Roundtable panelists offer their insights on the effects of climate change and global warming.
9. NJTPA Executive Director Mary K. Murphy, at podium, addresses a full audience.
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The NJTPA in November completed its series of “visioning” workshops. The workshops—conducted in all jurisdictions represented on the NJTPA Board of Trustees (13 counties plus the cities of Newark and Jersey City)—were held to gather input on Plan 2035, the latest update of its federally required Regional Transportation Plan.
During the workshops, held throughout the fall, residents, elected officials, and other professionals discussed their vision for transportation and land use in their communities and in the region. The NJTPA will consider all comments gathered during the workshops and in its other outreach efforts in developing Plan 2035, scheduled for adoption in summer 2009.
Residents can still offer input on the future of the region and its transportation system. Visit www.njtpa.org and click on the Plan 2035 logo to take an online survey. You can also join an e-mail list and leave comments on the Plan 2035 message board. Voice mail comments may be left at (800) 641-6079.
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Richard Weaver, a Senior Manager of Planning and Programs at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), was the keynote speaker at the Nov. 10 NJTPA Board meeting. Weaver provided an overview of the nation’s public transportation network and highlighted a few of APTA’s recommendations to Congress for the Reauthorization of the SAFETEA-LU legislation. APTA believes Congress should authorize at least $123 billion for public transportation over the next six years.
Weaver suggested that public transportation systems should be viewed in the context of their contribution to economic development. Weaver also said dedicated transportation funding should be strengthened, and fuel tax buying power should be restored and increased with at least 20 percent going to transit.
Although not a substitute for basic federal investment, Weaver said, “Innovative financing such as public-private partnerships and congestion pricing should be part of the mix.” Revenues from climate change legislation, for example, should be used to supplement public transportation funding, he said.
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The NJTPA Board of Trustees has extended a project to further study freight rail crossings in northern and central New Jersey. The locations to be analyzed were identified as among those most in need of improvement by the NJTPA’s Freight Rail Crossing Assessment Study.
At its Nov. 10 meeting, the NJTPA Board authorized “problem statements” to be completed at 10 additional crossings:
• Bergen County: New Bridge Street, Bergenfield; West Clinton Avenue, Bergenfield; Durie Avenue, Closter; New Milford Avenue, Dumont; West Madison Avenue, Dumont; and La Roche Avenue, Harrington Park.
• Hunterdon County: Main Street, Readington Township.
• Middlesex County: New Market Road, Piscataway; and South Avenue, Middlesex Borough.
• Union County: Rahway Avenue, Clark Township.
The problem statements will contain potential solutions developed for each location. They are the first step in developing projects that might become eligible for federal or state funding.
The Freight Rail Crossing Assessment Study, completed in the fall, examined a total of 64 crossings on the Lehigh, West Trenton, Chemical Coast, Port Reading Secondary and River rail lines. To prioritize rail crossings, data pertaining to vehicular traffic, accidents, surrounding land uses, and pedestrian access were analyzed, along with forecasts for future rail operations.
The five highest-ranked crossings previously identified were: Inman Avenue, Edison, Middlesex County; Cedar Avenue, Middlesex Township, Middlesex County; Old Hook Road, Dumont, Bergen County; Route 601 , Montgomery Township, Somerset County; and St. George Avenue, Woodbridge, Middlesex County.
The full study is available on the Freight Planning page at www.njtpa.org. Also, an online supplement now includes photos and scoring sheets for each crossing location.
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Longtime Middlesex County Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel passed away on Dec. 1. He was 78. A dedicated public servant who worked on behalf of the County of Middlesex and the Borough of Milltown for decades, Freeholder Director Crabiel was a strong transportation advocate in the state and served as the charter NJTPA Chairman; he went on to lead the Board during four additional terms.
“The NJTPA has lost a champion and a true friend,” said NJTPA Executive Director Mary K. Murphy. Freeholder Director Crabiel was a recipient of the state’s Charles A. Lindbergh Transportation Award and the Governor’s Pride in New Jersey Award for excellence in transportation leadership.
He also served on the Board of Directors of Keep Middlesex Moving, the Transportation Management Association for Middlesex County, and was active in many other organizations
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Transportation safety issues were front and center at the fourth annual safety forum sponsored by the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation. Several NJTPA planners participated in the Dec. 3 event, held at Brookdale Community College, and staffed a booth highlighting NJTPA safety studies.
The forum focused on interagency cooperation and collaborative efforts, particularly regarding implementation of the state’s Comprehensive Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
Forum attendees—including regional planners; local, county, state, and federal government officials; and law enforcement personnel—also heard presentations on topics ranging from intersection safety to pedestrian, bicycle, and rail safety.
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North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, Inc.
One Newark Center, 17th Floor. Newark, NJ 07102
(201) 639-8400; Fax 639-1953
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