1999 Grant Recipient Information
New Jersey

Transit-friendly Communities for New Jersey
State of New Jersey

Abstract

By the start of the 21s' century, NJ TRANSIT (NJT) will have spent more than $7.5 billion to repair, rehabilitate, expand, and connect all of the state's passenger lines - built in the late 1800s by competing rail companies - into one seamless transit system. Together, these connections, upgrades and a new waterfront light-rail line will result in one interconnected rail network with more than 150 stations serving the majority of state residents. This enormous commitment, which has begun to reverse years of neglect of transit in favor of the highway network, represents a major opportunity for NJT to expand upon its initial mission to provide bus and rail service in order to help "build and support" the communities it serves.

Despite this massive infusion of transit funding and commitment by NJT, there is a lack of awareness in many New Jersey communities about how to leverage these transit investments to revitalize their downtowns, encourage business and local economic development, and reduce reliance on the private car. This proposal seeks to work with diverse community partners to develop specific ways that New Jersey towns can become more "transit friendly," by building on both NJT's initiatives to make train stations themselves "passenger friendly" and on statewide "smart growth" initiatives to reduce sprawl and encourage new development within walking distance of transit stations.

NJT proposes to work with a consortium of non-profit organizations, the New Jersey Office of State Planning and the Department of Community Affairs, and local public and private sector partners on a statewide initiative, which includes educational workshops, technical assistance and demonstration projects in four to six communities to shape a new vision for linking train stations to community enhancement. Implementation of a series of short-term, catalytic demonstration projects in the districts immediately around train stations will help spur community involvement and leverage local investment and participation. To maximize its relevancy to the state's diverse communities, this program will be structured to select communities with diverse socio-economic, ethnic, and population demographics, and a variety of station types.

This program will allow NJT to leverage the talents and resources of its non-profit and government partners leaders in smart growth, community and downtown revitalization, regional planning, and public education - to shape the future of communities around NJT stations well into the 21st Century. The results will be models for other New Jersey communities to follow in future NJT projects. In addition, the project will ensure that communities understand how transportation investments can enhance the environment, create strong downtown centers, and improve quality of life. Moreover, NJT is committed to using the process developed under this program as a way to take its innovative efforts from "pilot projects" to "the way we always do business." With its diversity of station types and communities, this program will be a model for the nation.

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