Sample Long Range Plan

RESILIENCY

PLAN 2O45
ENVIRONMENT

SAFETY

ECONOMY

TECHNOLOGY

GREAT PLACES

GETTING AROUND

PLAN 2O45
November 2017

One Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102
973-639-8400  ˜  Fax: 973-639-1953
www.njtpa.org

This publication is financed by the Federal Highway Administration and Federal
Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The NJTPA is
solely responsible for its contents.

NJTPA’s host agency is the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
This plan was prepared by NJTPA Staff, under the direction of the NJTPA Board
of Trustees. Assistance was provided by AECOM USA, Inc.; Fitzgerald & Halliday,
Inc.; McAndrew Company; Rutgers University—Voorhees Transportation Center;
Urbanomics; and WSP Parsons-Brinckerhof.
Photos: Cover, clockwise from top left: Ed Murray (2), Steve Hockstein/Harvard Studios,
NJDOT, Bill Wittkop (3); Steve Hockstein/Harvard Studios: 8, 9, 26-27,48-49, 54, 62-63, 68-69,
81, 84, 105, 106-107, 122-123; Ed Murray: 10, 11, 12 middle, 13, 29, 36 middle, 51 top, 53, 56,
60-61, 64, 77, 78-79, 85, 89, 94, 95, 98, 99, 102, 103, 104, 109, 110, 111, 119, 121, 124, 125;
Stuart Ramson: 3; Bill Wittkop: 6, 7, 12 left, 14 top left, 50, 57, 66, 70, 72-73, 74, 75, 86-87, 88,
90-91, 93, 113
Illustrations: Kim Han: 35, 41, 43

2  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Foreword from the NJTPA Chair and
Executive Director
W E ARE PL E AS E D TO PRES E NT Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey
on behalf of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Board of Trustees.
In these pages, you’ll learn much about the vital role transportation
plays in the life and economy of our region, where 6.7 million people
live, work and play. You’ll read about the trends shaping the future of
transportation—such as our continued population and job growth; our
rebound from the Great Recession; the shift of economic development
NJTPA Chair and Union

and redevelopment to areas with good walking, biking and transit options; and the
burgeoning freight sector that is contributing to our regional economy. You’ll also

County Freeholder Angel Estrada
and NJTPA Executive Director
Mary K. Murphy

get insight into future challenges, such as the potentially transformative impact of
new technologies.
This plan features NJTPA’s long-range vision for maintaining our current
transportation system while making investments to improve mobility in our
region’s diverse urban, suburban and rural settings. It draws inspiration from and
seeks to advance the goals of the 2015 Together North Jersey plan, which linked
transportation to broader aspects of community development.
Most importantly, this is a plan shaped by the residents of our region. The
NJTPA thanks the thousands of people who offered input during plan development.
We look forward to your continued involvement as we go about the important work
of turning this plan into reality for the benefit of everyone in our region.

Angel Estrada
NJTPA Chair
Union County Freeholder

Mary K. Murphy
NJTPA Executive Director

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  3

The NJTPA and Its Region

T

Main

3.1 million payroll jobs. The 13-county region
he North Jersey Transportation Planning
covers 4,200 square miles, half of the state’s land
Authority (NJTPA) is the federally authoarea, and includes 384 municipalities. Key features of
rized Metropolitan Planning Organization
the regional transportation system serving the region
(MPO) for the 13-county northern New
include the following:
Jersey region. The federal government requires each
urbanized region of the county to establish an MPO to
▰ The region is home to 26,000 miles of roads:
provide local guidance over the use of federal trans2,300 state, 3,700 county, and 20,000 municipal.
portation funding and ensure it is spent cost-effectively
▰ NJ Transit provides some 250 local and express bus
to improve mobility, support economic progress and
routes throughout the region.
safeguard the environment. 
▰ NJ Transit’s rail system in the region includes:
10 commuter rail lines with 150 stations and
The NJTPA oversees over $2 billion in transporta390 miles of track and 2 light rail lines with
tion investments each year. It analyzes transportation
41 stations and 23 miles of track.
needs, approves proposed projects and provides a
forum for interagency cooperation and public input
▰  Amtrak provides intercity service from the Newark
into funding decisions. It also sponsors and conducts
Penn Station, Newark International Airport,
studies, assists county planning agencies and monitors
Metropark, and New Brunswick stations on the
compliance with national air quality goals.
Northeast Corridor.
The NJTPA Board consists of one elected official
▰ The 14-mile PATH commuter rail service connects
from each of the region’s 13 counties; Bergen, Essex,
Newark, Harrison, Hoboken, and Jersey City with
Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris,
Lower and Midtown Manhattan.
Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren,
▰ There are nearly 4,900 bridges in the region.
and its two largest cities, Newark and Jersey City.
▰ Three ferry companies operate 18 routes between
The Board also includes a Governor’s Representative,
New Jersey and New York City from 19 piers.
the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department
▰ The region is home to the largest seaport on the
of Transportation (NJDOT), the Executive Director
 East Coast, which also is the third largest in the US
of NJ TRANSIT, the
 and the twenty-fifth largest
Deputy Executive Director
in the world.
Northern New Jersey
Highway and
of the Port Authority of
▰ The region is also home
Transit System
NY & NJ, and a Citizens’
to Newark Liberty
SUSSEX
Representative appointed by
International Airport,
PASSAIC
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the Governor.
which handled over
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NJTPA Board meetings
33 million passengers and
MORRIS
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WARREN
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are held bi-monthly, open
nearly 700,000 tons of air
HUDSON
to the public, and streamed
cargo in 2015.
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live via the NJTPA website.
▰ The region has an extenHUNTERDON
Legend
SOMERSET
Major Roadways
The meeting schedule can be
sive trucking industry
¤
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MIDDLESEX
Passenger Rail Line
1
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found at www.njtpa.org.
that handles at least
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400 million tons traveling
Detail Area
MONMOUTH
6
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by truck, or almost
The NJTPA Region
LEGEND
80% of the 508 million
The NJTPA serves the fourth
Delay Ratio
(
g
&
%
> 75%
tons traveling through the
most populous MPO region
6
5
50% to 75%
OCEAN
NJTPA region each year.
in the nation with over
25% to 50%
< 25%
6.7 million people and over
Line

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Source: NJOIT, 2008; NJ TRANSIT, 2011; NJDOT, 2011; Esri, 2011.

2.5

2.5

5

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10
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10
Miles

±

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Source: NJOIT, 2008; NJ TRANSIT, 2016; NJDOT, 2014; Esri, 2016

November 2017

Contents
Foreword

3

1: Plan 2045: An Introduction

6

2: Innovative Public Outreach

16

3: Regional Context & Trends

26

4: Scenarios & Investment Priorities

48

5: Needs, Strategies & Implementation

60

6: Financing the Long-Range Plan

106

7: Looking Toward the Future

122

Supporting Documents
Project Index

SD-2

Regional Capital Investment Strategy (RCIS)

SD-24

Together North Jersey Focus Areas

SD-26

List of Appendices
Available separately at NJTPA.org

Congestion Management Process
RCIS Policy Document
Demographics
Public Outreach
Environmental Mitigation
Transit Needs
Air Quality Conformity

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  5

1

Plan 2045: An Intr

Montclair, Essex County

6  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

IP

magine a manufacturing facility that employs hundreds of
workers using 3-D printing to create customized products
that were previously assembled from parts made around
the world. It ships products to customers throughout the
northeast via truck, air cargo and short sea shipping.  ●  This

facility is located on a roadway that has been revamped into a
tree-lined boulevard, with bike lanes and a landscaped median.
Surprisingly, through wise design and technology, it handles the same
traffic volume as the previous dangerous four-lane artery.  ●  Down
the road, a new housing development features an interesting mix of

oduction

old and new architectural styles interspersed
with retail shops, a community center and park,
all linked by walking and biking paths. There is no
hint of its past as the site of a failed, sprawling
shopping center.  ●  Traveling to work in the city

is easy. Commuters summon a nifty electric automated vehicle for a
ride to the train station, where they wait only a few minutes for train
service over high speed rail to Newark, New York and beyond.  ● All
these images could be become reality in North Jersey over the next two
decades. The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
is supporting these kinds of technology-driven innovations and other
advances in the region’s economy and quality of life through Plan
2045: Connecting North Jersey and its long-term vision for the region.
●  Plan 2045 focuses on preserving and enhancing the region’s existing
transportation asset —roads, bridges, rail lines, port facilities and more
—and making cost-effective use of capital transportation funding. Yet
it also looks beyond and considers how transportation investments

 7

Together North Jersey

Jersey City, Hudson County

Plan 2045 Goals

▰ Protect and improve natural ecosystems, the built
environment and quality of life.

▰ Provide affordable, accessible and dynamic
transportation systems responsive to all current
and future travelers.

▰ Retain and increase economic activity and
competitiveness.

▰ Enhance system coordination, efficiency, overall
safety and connectivity for people and goods
across all modes of travel.

▰ Maintain a safe, secure and reliable transportation
system in a state of good repair.

▰ Create great places through select transportation
investments that support the coordination of land
use with transportation systems.

▰ Improve overall system safety, reducing serious
injuries and fatalities for all travelers on all modes.

can promote broader regional objectives. In particular, over the next 25 years, it seeks to make the region
more competitive, efficient, livable and resilient.
These are the four themes that emerged from Together
North Jersey, an extraordinary region wide planning
effort launched in 2013, in which the NJTPA plays an
ongoing leadership role.

With support from a federal grant, Together North
Jersey brought together a coalition of more than 100
diverse partners—non-profits, government agencies,
educational institutions, businesses, elected officials,
community activists and others—to develop strategies
to improve lives and opportunities for North Jersey
residents and businesses. The NJTPA joined with
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and
NJ TRANSIT in leading the organization.
A driving force behind the Together North Jersey
planning process was “Connecting People, Places
and Potential,” an idea that speaks directly to the
importance of transportation and the concept of
“Connecting North Jersey.” The plan, finalized in
2015 following extensive input from the public during
three rounds of outreach, contains a host of recommendations organized around the four themes of making the region more competitive, efficient, livable and
resilient, (see Together North Jersey p. 14). The recommendations range widely, touching upon health and
safety, natural systems, housing, education, workforce
training, job access, arts, culture, business, industry,
economic development, energy and climate change.
The plan recognizes that transportation and land use
decisions are cross-cutting issues, affecting and being
affected by nearly all other areas of concern.
Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey draws
insights and guidance from the Together North Jersey
plan and helps to implement its recommendations by
shaping the transportation system in ways that will
support communities, families and individuals across
an array of issues, beyond just mobility. The NJTPA is
also continuing to work with its Together North Jersey
partners through four task forces focused on each
theme. These efforts often involve work to encourage new approaches to land use, such as promoting
development around rail stations or creating improved
access to areas targeted for redevelopment. Plan 2045
uses graphics in Chapter 5—Needs, Strategies and
Implementation to highlight the connections between
transportation and the four themes.

Plan Update

While involvement in Together North Jersey has
broadened the planning horizons of NJTPA and
its partner agencies, this plan remains grounded

8  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

in NJTPA’s responsibilities as the region’s federally
authorized Metropolitan Planning Organization
(MPO). Federal law requires the NJTPA to update its
long-range Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) every
four years in order for the region to continue receiving federal transportation funding. Only projects and
needs identified in the RTP are eligible to make use of
this funding.
Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey updates
the long-range plan the NJTPA Board approved in
September 2013. Over the last four years, many
challenges affecting transportation in the region have
persisted, such as the need to address aging infrastructure, ease recurring congestion in many locations and
make progress towards building much needed new rail
tunnels under the Hudson River. However, as discussed further in Chapter 3—Context & Trends and

elsewhere in this plan, this updated plan also considers new and emerging developments, including the
following:
▰ Since 2013, the regional economy has rebounded,
regaining jobs lost during the recession of 2007-2009
▰ The latest forecasts estimate that the region’s population will increase by 17 percent, from 6.7 million
to 7.7 million people by 2045; employment will
increase by 13 percent, from 3 million to 3.4 million
jobs
▰ From 2010 to 2015, miles of vehicle travel have
increased 3 percent largely due to lower gas prices,
boosting economic activity but also likely adding to
crashes
▰ Less driving by young people, who are getting drivers licenses later or not at all, portends long-term
need for transit and mobility alternatives

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  9

Bridgewater, Somerset County

▰ Growth of single person households and preferences

among young people and older adults for housing in
walkable areas is challenging traditional suburban
land use patterns
▰ Smartphones, real-time data and other technologies
are changing how transportation is provided and
managed. Self-driving cars and other innovations
could be transformative.

Plan Guidance

In April 2016, the NJTPA Board of Trustees met at a
retreat to discuss these and other issues, a key point
in the development of Plan 2045. The Board, reviewing current trends and issues, endorsed changes to the
goals that have long guided the agency’s planning,
including long-range plan updates. The goals (see
p. 8) were modified to include creating “great places”
in recognition of the need to strengthen the connection
between transportation and land use development.
The Trustees also added a new safety goal,
reflecting the growing importance of safety in NJTPA
planning. This includes the agency’s successful Street
Smart NJ pedestrian safety education campaign across
the state (see Street Smart NJ p. 95). Street Smart NJ

10  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

complements NJTPA’s traditional focus on safetyrelated capital projects.
Regarding long-term regional investments, the
Board concluded that the region’s top priority must
continue to be maintaining and preserving existing
infrastructure. The second highest priority identified
was enhancing and expanding transit. These priorities
are reflected in the financial plan (see Chapter 6).
While Plan 2045 was under development, new
federal regulations and legislation provided additional
guidance. In December 2015, the Fixing America’s
Surface Transportation (FAST) Act was signed into
law. It expands the scope of MPO planning to include
greater consideration of resiliency and reliability,
storm water impacts and enhancing travel and tourism. These and other federal planning factors (see
Federal Planning Factors p. 11) have guided this plan’s
development. The FAST Act also carried forward
from previous legislation new requirements for using
performance measures to improve accountability of
project impacts. In response, the NJTPA has been
working with its partners to further enhance its performance-based planning, as discussed in Chapter 7—
Moving Forward.
State legislation has also shaped Plan 2045. In
October 2016, the Governor signed into law a renewal

of the state Transportation Trust Fund, providing
$16 billion over eight years for transportation in the
state. Plan 2045 takes this increased funding into
account in its examinations of scenario testing
(Chapter 4) and financing (Chapter 6).

Public Outreach

The NJTPA recognizes that its plans and programs
must be responsive to the public and attuned to the
region’s ever-evolving conditions and needs. To gather
input and give this plan a reality check, the NJTPA
conducted extensive outreach to the public and regional
stakeholders as described in Chapter 2. This outreach,
which engaged nearly 3,000 residents and stakeholders
included meetings, online surveys, booths at festivals
and events and a variety of innovative methods. The
survey asked residents questions relating to seven
topics: Great Places, Safety, Resiliency, Getting Around,
Technology, Environment and Economy.
People who participated in the outreach called for
expanding public transit, whether that meant creating
new service or building on existing service by offering
more night and weekend trips, better connections and
more frequent service. Survey participants expressed
safety concerns about distracted driving, bicycling and
walking. And they said walking and biking could be
more viable transportation options, by creating more
bicycle lanes, improving sidewalks and making roads
safer for pedestrians.
Participants also called for road, bridge and other
infrastructure improvements, noting they would make
travel safer and also make communities more resilient
to severe weather events. Many people said that such
infrastructure improvements would also help to boost
the economy. When it comes to technology, people
said they are most excited about driverless and electric vehicles, and transit ticketing and informational
applications. They said that investment in education
and research institutions, as well as public-private partnerships could help further the advancement of these
technologies.

the long-term impact of investments.
As presented in Chapter 4, the results of modeling and technical analysis along with input from the
public and experts was used to update the NJTPA’s
Regional Capital Investment Strategy (RCIS), a
statement of principles and guidelines, along with
desired spending allocations for different types of
transportation projects. The allocation objectives are
not intended to dictate year-to-year spending, but to
provide a general guide over the life of Plan 2045. To
monitor the effectiveness of the RCIS, the NJTPA uses
performance measures to assess impacts of investments
and to set targets for how well the transportation system functions and is maintained.

Needs, Strategies, Funding

Chapter 5 sets out the NJTPA’s vision for how transportation needs across all modes and facilities can be
addressed over the next 25 years—including highways,
local roads, bus and rail lines and bridges. Throughout
the discussion are assessments of the impacts of system
improvement strategies and projects on the region’s
economy.
While preserving existing infrastructure is the
plan’s highest priority, it also calls for strategic
improvements that will address bottlenecks and other
problems while allowing road and transit systems to
Iselin, Middlesex County

Scenarios and Investment Priorities

Computer modeling also played a role in plan development. It was used to explore a number of possible
future scenarios to address the inherent uncertainties
involved in assessing future trends and conditions and

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  11

handle rising levels of travel demand—creating new
and better connections for people and goods. These
improvements range from new Hudson River rail
tunnels (as part of a larger Gateway program) to new
modern roundabouts to more sidewalks and bike lanes
in revitalized downtowns.
The plan pays special attention to new technologies that can make the transportation system work

more efficiently, often with modest capital outlays.
Many technologies are already being applied, including computerized traffic signal systems, smart phone
apps for providing traveler information and systems to
gather and use real-time roadway data. But, if experience is any guide, the next 25 years will also bring
new, transformative technologies. Already on the
horizon, as noted, is the advent of self-driving vehicles.

Federal Planning Factors

U

nder federal law, the planning process of MPOs including the NJTPA must be continuous, cooperative, and
comprehensive, and provide for consideration and implementation of projects, strategies, and services that

address the following factors:
  1. Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness,
productivity, and efficiency;
  2. Increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users;
  3. Increase the security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users;
  4. Increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight;
  5. Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote
consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic
development patterns;
  6. Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people
and freight;
  7. Promote efficient system management and operation;
  8. Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system;
  9. Improve the resiliency and reliability of the transportation system and reduce or mitigate storm water impacts of
surface transportation; and
10. Enhance travel and tourism.

12  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Also coming into view are wider use of 3-D printing to
produce goods closer to end users and artificial intelligence that could fundamentally change the nature of
work and workplaces.
This plan seeks to build flexibility into projects
and programs—including through careful study of
alternatives and designs based on best practices and
community needs—to allow the region to take advantage of these and other advances and accommodate
changing travel patterns. It also seeks to make the system resilient in the face of disruption or disaster while
continuing to safeguard the environment and improve
air quality.
Paying for the plan remains a challenge. Despite
increased federal and state funding, needs continue to
far outstrip available resources. This makes prioritizing investments through the MPO planning process
more important than ever, including greater use of
performance measures.
Chapter 6 identifies a prudent, fiscally constrained
approach to financing needed investments, totaling
almost $113 billion over the next 28 years to 2045. It
also identifies what could be accomplished with additional funding (under an aspirational scenario).

Asbury Park, Monmouth County

Making Connections

In many ways, Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey
is the NJTPA’s most ambitious long-range plan over
its three decade-long history as the region’s MPO.
Leadership in Together North Jersey has given the
NJTPA a host of new partners and added vital new
perspectives to its planning work. This plan reflects
efforts to broaden the reach and scope of the connections made by transportation investments. All the
while, the plan promotes a growing regional economy
and continued wise stewardship of the region’s transportation assets
With support from the NJTPA Board of Trustees
and an engaged public, the NJTPA will continue to
hone its approach to planning, working in coordination with its member counties and cities to implement
the policies and priorities of Plan 2045. Over the
next 28 years, guided by this plan, the region will
continue to improve and adapt its transportation system to become more competitive, efficient, livable and
resilient, by connecting people, places and potential.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  13

Together North Jersey
ow does North Jersey remain a place where people want to live and where
employers want to locate and expand their businesses? These were some of
   the key the questions nearly 100 partners—local governments, universities,
nonprofits, businesses and others—set out to answer through the regionWith the support of a federal grant, Together
North Jersey developed the first comprehensive
plan for sustainable development for the NJTPA’s
13-county region. Finalized in 2015, the plan
provides a strategy to make the region more
competitive, efficient, livable and resilient —
the four overarching themes that guide all its
recommendations. It details 15 focus areas and
over 70 strategies the region can pursue to meet these goals (see
back of plan).
You’ll see the competitive, efficient, livable and resilient,
logos in chapter 5, highlighting how the work of Together North
Jersey is woven into the NJTPA’s blueprint for the region’s future.
Together North Jersey’s vision encompasses more than
transportation. It addresses challenges involving economic
development, land use, the environment, education, housing,
health, the arts, culture and other issues. The Together North
Jersey plan recognizes that the decisions we make in all of these
areas—as individuals and as communities—
are all connected and affect the larger region.
Led by the NJTPA, Rutgers University and
NJ TRANSIT, Together North Jersey funded and
assisted capacity building programs, local pilot
projects and other related efforts.
The many partners of Together North Jersey
are now working to implement the plan. Task
forces for each of the themes meet periodically and support a variety of activities.
Here are just a few of the key Together North Jersey strategies that Plan 2045 will
support with long-term transportation investments, policies and programs:

14  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

RUTGERS-VTC

wide Together North Jersey consortium formed in 2011.

Competitive ●

included: using public art and urban design to enhance

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

the Valley Arts District in the City of Orange and joint

The NJTPA and Together North Jersey

efforts by Woodbridge and Rahway to create an arts-

created the North Jersey Regional Comprehensive

driven, transit-oriented downtown revitalization strategy.

Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) as a roadmap
to increased prosperity and access to opportunities by

GREAT PLACES  

identifying regional priorities that support local actions.

Together North Jersey supports communities in

Other economic development initiatives included

implementing Complete Streets policies that make

development of a Hunterdon County CEDS; Talent

all modes of travel (driving, transit, walking, biking and

Network outreach events on port and travel/tourism

goods movement) accessible to all users, regardless

workforce issues; Somerset County’s study of 24

of age, income, or physical ability. Complete Streets

priority growth investment areas; and a corridor vision

help make places healthy, safe and vibrant. Initiatives

plan for Route 37 in Ocean County.

included: a Complete Streets Concept Plan for Morris
Avenue by the City of Elizabeth and joint efforts

Efficient ●
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

by Bloomfield, Montclair, Glen Ridge and Verona
on a Complete Streets plan for a 4-mile section of
Bloomfield Avenue.

With guidance from NJ TRANSIT,
Together North Jersey promotes development
around bus and rail transit hubs. The goal is to create

Resilient ●

interesting, vibrant, walkable areas while increasing

COMMUNITY RESILIENCY 

transit use. This can help reduce road congestion,

A resilient community is one that is

yielding many health and environmental benefits.

ready for and can recover quickly from adverse events

Initiatives have included: a coordinated vision for

like Tropical Storm Irene and Superstorm Sandy. Such

revitalization around five existing train stations on

communities take steps to reduce the impact of these

the inner Morris & Essex rail line and encouragement

events before they even happen. Initiatives included:

of mixed-use development around Perth Amboy’s

creating a post-Sandy vision in Ocean County to

downtown train station.

improve resiliency; developing a model integrating
green infrastructure into public and private projects

Livable ●

in Hoboken; protecting the City of Passaic’s Eastside
neighborhood through a proposed levee also serving

CREATIVE PLACEMAKING 

as a recreational trail; and exploring green stormwater

Arts and culture enhance quality of

infrastructure pilot projects in Newark.

life by fostering community pride and identity while
boosting local economies by creating jobs, attracting
tourists and spurring business investment—whether
in bustling downtowns or rural hamlets. Initiatives

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  15

2

Innovative Public

Newark, Essex County

16 

E

xpand access to public transit. Make streets safer
for people who walk and bicycle. Improve the
region’s ability to recover from major weather
events.  ●  These are some of the ideas people who
live and work in North Jersey gave when asked to share

their vision for the region’s future. ● Nearly 3,000 people participated in Plan 2045 through a series of innovative outreach techniques
that included in-person events and online surveys. People of all ages

Outreach

and economic backgrounds—from children, to millennials to senior citizens—
provided input for this plan. ● Public
participation in Plan 2045 far surpassed
the outreach of the NJTPA’s previous long-

range regional transportation plans, which relied on more traditional
forms of public engagement. This was in large part due to research
into innovative outreach techniques conducted on NJTPA’s behalf
by Rutgers University’s Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC). The
innovative techniques have been cataloged in a searchable public
website tool. Based on the findings of this research, the NJTPA
launched an extensive Plan 2045 public outreach program in spring
2017.  ●  The seven goals that the NJTPA Board of Trustees set for Plan
2045 (see NJTPA Goals—p. 8) were used to develop transportationrelated topic areas. Public outreach focused on:

17

▰ Getting Around
▰ Safety
▰ Economy
▰ Technology
▰ Resiliency
▰ Environment
▰ Great Places

Stakeholder Forums

The outreach included a variety of activities
where staff met with people face-to-face including
pop-up booths at community events, customized
public workshops, millennial dinner parties, a radio
booth to engage children, interactive presentations at
conferences and public meetings, a freight industry

The red dots represent
the home zip codes of
survey participants,
illustrating the
considerable reach of the
NJTPA’s public outreach.

roundtable, a symposium and special outreach sessions with limited English speakers and low-income
residents.
Digital technologies further extended the considerable reach of Plan 2045’s public involvement efforts.
This included a website, a user-friendly online survey
and extensive social media promotion. The survey
mirrored the seven topics and related questions used
at in-person events, but also included open-ended
questions.

18  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Forums sponsored by the NJTPA discussed key issues
for the future that must be considered in Plan 2045.
They featured presentations by experts and included
lively discussion by interested parties, stakeholders and
members of the public. Key events included:
▰ Freight Roundtable—June 14, 2016 
Manufacturers, haulers, railroads, warehouse
developers and port operators discussed the challenges facing goods movement. They all agreed
that reliability must be improved, infrastructure
must keep pace with the growing volume of freight
and the freight sector must take advantage of new
technology.
▰ Plan 2045: A Regional Conversation—
November 2, 2016  This wide ranging event
included discussion of changes in technology and
demographic shifts. Among the topics addressed:
the waning of suburban office parks and the need to
reimagine land use; the attraction of younger people
to places with more transit options; the aging population and the need for services to support them;
and the promises and threats posed by technology,
like autonomous vehicles.
▰ Smart Cities Symposium—April 26, 2017 
Public and private sector experts discussed the
promise of emerging technologies including: possible drastic reductions in crashes through connected
vehicles that communicate with other cars and traffic signals; self-driving shuttles that improve transit
access and efficiency; and streets equipped to better
manage traffic with smart parking and adaptive
traffic signals.

Public Outreach Events

Public outreach for Plan 2045 was primarily conducted in each of the region’s 13 counties and two
largest cities at either a community event (such as
hosting a pop-up booth at an arts festival or street
fair) or a public workshop/meeting, typically hosted
by a county’s Board of Freeholders and Planning
Department (additionally, customized presentations
were conducted at several other meetings and/or
conferences). See the Plan 2045 Outreach Appendix
for summary reports of the events held in the NJTPA’s
15 subregions.

Jersey City

Somerville, Somerset County, Freeholder Peter S. Palmer

Community Events

These events were designed to personally bring Plan
2045 outreach to residents where they live, providing
an opportunity for a broad range of participation.
Eleven of these events were held during spring 2017.
Information booths were set up at community events,
with banners, signs, and other materials identifying
the NJTPA and Plan 2045. A colorful custom-designed
tabletop carnival wheel provided a fun way for people
to select a topic and get conversations started. The
NJTPA’s Plan 2045 team (including NJTPA staff as
well as Board members and subregional staff) ran the
booths and asked residents for their input on one or
more of the outreach topics through a brief survey
via electronic tablets or paper forms. Additionally, a
coloring activity was provided for children who came
with their parents.
Spanish interpreters also were on hand at all events
(as well as Hindi and Arabic interpreters at select locations). More
than 1,600 people participated in
Plan 2045 community outreach
events.

Public Workshops/Meetings

The NJTPA also conducted a series
of interactive Plan 2045 public
workshops, meetings, and special presentations. Some of these,
co-sponsored by NJTPA subregions, were stand-alone workshops
devoted to Plan 2045; others were
planned as part of relevant professional conferences or existing

Newark, Essex County
Executive Joseph DiVincenzo

public/stakeholder meetings that allowed dedicated
time for Plan 2045 discussion.
These workshops and meetings featured a
live-polling tool, Poll Everywhere, which enabled
participants to answer survey questions on phones or
tablets in a group format and see results in real time.
Participants were asked open-ended questions and
“We need better planning for bike lanes and
pedestrian sidewalks’—Feedback from Jersey City
outreach event, May 19

multiple-choice questions. Responses from 264 participants were varied and informative. Survey results
for community events and public workshops/meeting
events are available in Plan 2045’s Public Outreach
Appendix.
In general, many who participated in community
events and public workshops spoke
about the need for expanded or
enhanced public transportation,
improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and better connections where they live and work.
Participants also called for safety
and infrastructure improvements,
asked for help addressing congestion and supported resiliency
upgrades across the region.
Throughout spring 2017, the
NJTPA extensively promoted all of
its upcoming community outreach
events, workshops, the online survey, and other ways to get involved

Flemington, Hunterdon County

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  19

20  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

P LAN  2045

Public Outreach
TOP ROW: Freeholder John Bartlett (left) in Paterson, Passaic County; Newark, Essex County;

Freeholder Carl Lazzaro in Newton, Sussex County; Freeholder
Thomas Arnone (second from right) in West Long Branch, Monmouth County
MIDDLE ROW: County Executive Tom DeGise (right) in Jersey City, Hudson County; Freeholder

Kathryn DeFillippo (inset, right) in Chester, Morris County; Paramus, Bergen County
BOTTOM ROW: Plumsted, Ocean County; Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Angel Estrada in

Mountainside, Union County; Freeholder Jason Sarnoski in Harmony Township, Warren County

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  21

millennials participated in this
activity.
Many young adults expressed
an eagerness to stay involved in the
transportation planning process as
Plan 2045 is implemented going
forward. Some said public transSpecialized Outreach
portation options, small businesses
In addition (and concurrently), the
and access to a downtown area;
NJTPA worked with Rutgers-VTC
diversity; and close proximity to
to craft four specialized initiatives
New York City and other ameaimed at traditionally hard-tonities were what they liked best
reach demographic groups: young
about their communities. But they
adults (18-30 years old), children
expressed concerns about a need to
and young teens, limited-English
Highland Park, Middlesex County
improve safety and also their abilproficiency (LEP) residents, and
ity to stay in New Jersey long-term
low-income residents. All spedue to high housing costs and taxes.
cialized outreach initiatives were customized for each
Others noted that public transportation is a very
group; however, like the general public outreach, they
desirable amenity, but added service needs to be more
also were based on the seven transportation-related
widespread and reliable with better station infratopic areas. Summary reports are included in the
structure. Nearly all young adults indicated support
Public Outreach Appendix.
for expanded and safer bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Many also consider climate change to be a
Set the Table
very important issue and suggested encouraging and
For young adults (sometimes referred to as millenincentivizing “green” practices.
nials), a “Set the Table!” dinner party program was
designed, featuring a fun “meeting-in-a-box” to
clearly guide each host through their event including
NJTPA On Air
For children, a pop-up booth designed to look like a
radio studio—called “NJTPA On Air”—provided a
“Public transit only goes to Manhattan and does not
fun, interactive opportunity for children and young
connect in ways we actually move.”
teens to record their thoughts on the future of trans—Set the Table response on getting around
portation in their own voices. They were then asked
to talk into the microphone and describe what they
discussion cards with questions and facts about the
imagine transportation will be like in the future.
region to jump start conversation. Approximately 160
in the development of Plan 2045
via Twitter, Facebook and
YouTube. And, during the events,
staff shared real-time tweets and
photos with the NJTPA’s followers.

New Brunswick, Middlesex County

22  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Approximately 200 children participated.
Many children imaginatively envision a future that
includes everything from flying cars to teleportation;
but some also talked rather eloquently about mitigating the environmental impacts of transportation,
efficient Hyperloops, and alternative fuels. Several
participants also said they thought they would use
self-driving cars to get around in the future.

Limited English Speakers

In addition, six workshops were conducted at English
as a Second Language classes to reach LEP residents.
A four-part classroom activity introduced approximately 150 students to new vocabulary and provided
an opportunity (either spoken or in writing, enabling
students of varying English proficiency to participate)
to improve fluency and confidence in discussing issues
“It’s easy if we can drive. It’s hard because public
transportation is not convenient.”
—ESL response when asked about getting around

that affect their communities.
Many ESL students spoke optimistically about the
region’s future and highlighted the need for improved
transportation to access jobs and other opportunities.
Several participants said that without cars they would
have a difficult time getting from where they live to
their places of employment and shopping destinations.
This group also requested sidewalks improvements to
make it easier to get around their communities.

Low-income Outreach

Newark, Essex County

“We need buses running at off-peak hours and
the buses don’t run frequently.”
—Low-income outreach response on getting around

Digital Outreach
WEBSITE
The NJTPA created a special section of its website
(www.njtpa.org/Plan2045) to host a Plan 2045 survey
open to anyone, whether or not they had ever heard of
the NJTPA or participated in an outreach event. The
survey, offered in English and Spanish, mirrored the
approach at the NJTPA’s community events, public
workshops and meetings. It included short, narrated
videos as a primer.
The Plan 2045 survey also included simple demographic questions that enabled the NJTPA to learn a
bit more about who participated. Nearly 500 people
responded to the survey via the Plan 2045 website;
more than 500 others answered one or more survey
questions via Facebook (described in more detail below).

Finally, for low-income residents, the NJTPA and
Rutgers-VTC partnered with two established organizations, La Casa de Don Pedro in Newark and Eva’s
Village Recovery Community Center in Paterson. With
the assistance of trusted advocates at both organizations, two workshop sessions were conducted, gathering input from about 150 participants.
Many in attendance pointed to the importance of
public transportation to access jobs. Participants raised
concerns about the need to transfer buses several times
to get to where they need to go. They also cited a lack
of service during off peak-hours and noted that more
frequent buses would make it easier for them to use
public transit.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  23

PAI D SO CIAL M EDIA
To reach an even wider audience across North Jersey,
the NJTPA incorporated a strategic social media
component into its outreach efforts. Paid advertising,
primarily on Facebook, was implemented over six
separate one-week advertising campaigns. The ads
were customized and demographically targeted to
encourage residents to take the Plan 2045 survey on
the NJTPA website (where the entire survey was available) or through Facebook (where select survey topics
were provided).
The NJTPA’s paid social media campaign began
with a series of 16 ads focusing on all seven topic areas
developed to promote the Plan 2045 survey. Ads were
targeted toward all adults in the NJTPA region and
included a link to the online
survey.
Further refinements
helped make it easier for
people to participate in the
Plan 2045 questionnaire
by utilizing a Facebook
survey feature instead of
requiring visitors to click a
link to visit the Plan 2045
webpage.
During the combined
six-week advertising
campaigns, Plan 2045
social media ads were
seen approximately twice
by more than 1.6 million
people. This resulted in
more than 3.1 million

24  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

“impressions” (the number of times an ad is viewed
overall), more than 50,000 link clicks, and 500
Facebook surveys completed. The resulting byproducts of the ad campaign, such as social media
comments, likes and shares also succeeded in another
important way: increasing overall brand awareness
about Plan 2045 and the NJTPA and introducing
more residents to the transportation planning process
in general.

What We Heard

While Plan 2045 outreach efforts drew participation
from a diverse audience from across North Jersey,
common themes emerged. These themes were used
to inform the plan’s Regional Capital Investment
Strategy (RCIS), a set of
broad principles that sets
goals for funding different
types of initiatives (outlined
in Chapter 6). Common
themes (in addition to those
mentioned above) included:
▰ Need for greater access
to local public transportation as well as having
better public transportation access to New York
City from the western and
southern counties in the
region, with emphasis on
the need for the Hudson
River Tunnel project and
the Gateway Program.

▰ Various enhancements and upgrades to public trans-

portation with more service and better reliability,
including one-seat transit rides to New York City.
▰ More commuter parking, improved roadway conditions, and safe travel to schools, as well as improved
traveler information (such as developing new multimodal transportation apps).
▰ Some suggested that planners need to look at transit
more comprehensively as a system, rather than as
individual components.
▰ A sense of community and safety were important to
many people. Participants noted a lack of affordable
housing choices, especially for low-wage and entrylevel workers, as well as for young adults.
“Regional planning should support economic
development.”—Response from Sussex County public
outreach event, May 31, 2017

▰ Residents also said they want better resiliency mea-

sures to protect against future weather events (such
as not permitting new construction on low-lying,
flood-prone grounds) and emergencies.
▰ Some residents noted that city populations are
growing without regard to capacity; others said
better planning is needed for sidewalks and crosswalks, with some noting that many traffic signals
seem to be geared for cars instead of bicycles and
pedestrians.
▰ Participants called for more bicycle infrastructure,
including protected bike lanes, bicycle parking and a
need for more bike-share programs.
▰ Several residents expressed safety concerns about
self-driving cars, but said they would be open to
using an autonomous shuttle or vehicle if it were on
a fixed route.
▰ Some suggested technology and infrastructure
upgrades, such as supporting alternative-fuel vehicles and addressing congestion, to improve air
quality.
The ultimate goal of the NJTPA’s public outreach
project was accomplished: to use new and innovative engagement strategies to gather public input and
inform and enlighten Plan 2045’s development. As
a result, Plan 2045 effectively responds to the daily
transportation challenges shared by the region’s

Go Farther: Regional Coordinated Human
Services Transportation Plan

A

s part of a separate effort, the NJTPA also
conducted extensive outreach to identify

the transportation needs of seniors, low-income
people, veterans and individuals with disabilities.
This outreach was part of an effort to update
the NJTPA’s Regional Coordinated Human Services
Transportation Plan (CHSTP),
which was adopted in 2008.

2017
E X E C
U T I V
E

S U M M
A R Y

The 2017 CHSTP update, Go
Farther, was used to inform
development of Plan 2045.
CHSTP outreach efforts
included focus groups,
online and paper surveys
(gaining more than 4,000 responses), community
planning sessions (a series of 46 events organized
by the state’s eight Transportation Management
Associations), discussions with professionals who
provide services to these targeted groups and an
advisory committee. All of the input gathered from
this extensive outreach was used to develop the
CHSTP plan, which offers 33 recommendations.
Among the CHSTP recommendations are
offering more affordable transportation options;
maximizing resources by identifying common
destinations in the region; removing physical barriers
for people with limited mobility; and enhancing and
expanding service.

6.7 million residents. It also reflects the aspirations
they hold for their communities in the next 30 years.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  25

3

Regional Context

Englewood, Bergen County

26 

P

lan 2045 seeks to continue the work started under
Together North Jersey to make the region more competitive, efficient, livable and resilient. Realizing these

ambitious goals while responding to the public’s call for
expanded and improved transportation options begins

with a careful assessment of the current condition and performance of
the transportation system and an in-depth evaluation of trends that
will affect it over the next 30 years. ● This chapter provides that
assessment and evaluation. It sets the foundation and context for
informed decision making to address the region’s many challenges,

& Trends

which include severe road congestion and
unreliable travel times in many locations; the
need to repair aging or outmoded facilities;
a bus and rail transit network carrying many
commuters but with limited reach to many

destinations; lack of facilities for safe walking and biking in many
locations; and a host of others.  ●  The chapter also explores possible
“game changers” that could dramatically alter life and transportation
in the future. Some of these are already on the horizon—including
the deployment of self-driving cars and trucks.  ●  But this plan aims
to do more than simply react to current and emerging challenges. It
takes an active hand in helping shape the future of the region. Here
the NJTPA’s partnership with organizations in Together North Jersey
is vital. ● By coordinating transportation investments with other
aspects of community life—economic development, education, the
arts, social services, among them—the NJTPA and its partners can
help strengthen communities with the involvement of all residents.

  27

Map 1: 
Population Growth Forecast
2015-2045

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Source: NJTPA, 2016; Esri, 2017

28  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

As highlighted in the Together North Jersey section
(p. 14), strategies for accomplishing this include promoting transit-oriented development near bus and rail
terminals; developing corridor-wide economic development plans; and reconfiguring streets and intersections
to work more efficiently and safely for all users.
This chapter identifies several current trends—
including changes in household composition, technology and lifestyles—that provide opportunities to guide
regional growth in directions that will meet the goals
of Plan 2045. Specific strategies and their impacts are
explored in later chapters.

Demographics

Key demographic trends and their implications for
transportation include the following:
A growing population  From 2010 to 2015, the
region’s population grew from 6.6 million people to
6.7 million people. By 2045, population is expected to
increase by 17 percent to approximately 7.7 million
(Map 1). This growth could increase travel demand
across the transportation system, adding to congestion
and other problems if the region does not effectively
prepare for it.
But where and how this growth occurs will affect
the region’s possible responses. In the past several
years growth patterns have undergone a dramatic shift.
The long trend of suburbanization
that dominated the post-World
War II era—in which population
and jobs shifted steadily outward
from the state’s northeastern
urban core—is weakening and in
some respects reversing. Map 2
tells the story. Suburban and rural
counties like Ocean, Monmouth
and Hunterdon, which captured
the most growth in the 1970s and
1980s, have seen flat or declining
growth in recent years. The top
growing counties are now the relatively dense urban core counties
of Bergen and Hudson.
These trends are also visible at
the municipal level with three of

New Jersey’s four largest cities—Newark, Jersey City
and Elizabeth—showing significant population gains
from 2010-2016. Eight of the top 13 municipalities in
absolute growth and four of the top seven municipalities in percentage growth were in Hudson County, the
region’s most urbanized county. Places like Harrison
and Jersey City are seeing major redevelopment that
is helping to attract residents interested in easy access
to New York and the major cities in North Jersey.
This redevelopment often features walkable, mixeduse environments that allow residents to walk, bike or
take transit to meet most of their travel needs.
The renewed attractiveness of these areas, as well
as older suburbs in and around the northeast urban
core, provides opportunities to realize transit-oriented
development and other approaches to greater transportation efficiency, improved quality of life and other
related goals.
Millennials  Roughly defined as the generation
born in the early 1980s through early 2000s, millennials have overtaken the baby boom generation as the
largest living generation—totaling about 75 million
nationwide. The lifestyle choices of a large share of
millennials are helping drive urban resurgence and
land use changes. This includes greater preference
for living in urban and walkable neighborhoods, and
openness to non-driving forms of transportation.

Red Bank, Monmouth County

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  29

Map 2: Absolute Population Growth by County-Rank
1980–1990

2000–2010

2010–2015

Rank
1

13
Source: U.S. Census, 1980-2015, NJTPA, 2017

People 16 to 34 years old drove 23 percent fewer miles
in 2009 than they did in 2001—the largest decline in
any age group, according to “A New Direction,” the
2013 report by US Public Interest Research Group.
Real estate developers, retailers and others seeking
to tap the spending power of millennials moving into
their prime earning years have responded by investing in the urban core and in other denser, walkable
areas. But the question remains: will these changes
endure? This generation has delayed having children
in comparison to previous generations, possibly due to
financial difficulties from the Great Recession, stricter
mortgage requirements, or the higher cost of living
today compared to decades past. Will having children
motivate many millennial families to move to the suburbs or rural areas as their parents did? It is still too
early to tell.
This plan takes a balanced approach to these
uncertainties, supporting redevelopment of urban
areas and downtowns while continuing to strengthen
less dense suburban and rural communities. The NJTPA
seeks to work with these communities to improve the
efficiency of their transportation networks, preserve

30  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

open space and enhance transit options.
An aging population  The region is home to an
increasing number of households with people age 65
and older, as seen in Figure 3-1 at right. Based on the
2011-2015 Census Bureau’s American Community
Survey (ACS), the highest concentrations of people over age 65 were found in Ocean (22 percent),
Bergen (16 percent) and Warren (15 percent) counties,
each exceeding the New Jersey statewide average of
14 percent.
Approximately 27 percent of those over 65 live
alone, and this population is projected to increase
by nearly 50 percent over the next 30 years as baby
boomers age and as average life expectancy increases.
An older population means more elderly drivers
and more people who do not drive. Making roads
easier to navigate through modified design and signage and providing attractive transportation alternatives such as transit, paratransit and walkable streets
supports senior mobility and helps maintain quality of
life. Seniors and empty-nesters are tending to downsize and relocate to smaller homes and older adult
communities. This trend also supports transit-oriented

Employment

New Jersey and the NJTPA region have realized
considerable progress in recovering from the Great
Recession of 2007-2009. Looking at only payroll
jobs—excluding workers who are self-employed,
which is approximately 8 to 9 percent of the total

—employment peaked at 3.1 million jobs in 2007
before declining to 2.8 million during the lowest point
of the recession early in 2010.
The region recovered most of these jobs by the
end of 2015 and appeared to have recovered all of
its pre-recession payroll jobs by the end of 2016.
Unemployment rates reflect this recovery: the rate
stood at 4.2 percent in July 2017. Payroll employment
is projected to continue to increase to 3.4 million by
2045, a 14 percent increase from 2015, as shown in
Map 3. Like population growth, job growth will put
more demand on all aspects of the transportation
system.
Also mirroring population growth, the long-standing trend of outward movement of jobs from the
urban core is reversing. Companies that favored
corporate campuses in suburban or rural areas in the
1980s are moving jobs back to the urban core and
downtown areas, particularly walkable locations
with transit access. In part this is to attract and retain
younger workers who also favor these locations.
Corporate leaders also are seeking greater opportunities for creative collaboration, proximity to customers
and business partners and centralization of operations.
Left behind are large office campuses with too
much square footage for a single tenant in the current
real estate market. Examples include the sprawling former Merck campus in Whitehouse Station in
Hunterdon County and the former Sanofi Research

Figure 3-1:
NJTPA Region: Population Age 65 and Over
n  1990–2010 Census Data   n  2020–2040 Forecasts

1,500
1,408

1,480

1,200
1,125

Thousands

development and the creation of walkable areas.
Migration  Population growth is impacted by
migration from other states and other countries. From
2010 to 2015, 90 percent of New Jersey’s population
had not moved during any given year, and of those
who did about three-quarters moved within the state.
But there is also significant movement of people to
and from the state. ACS indicates that nearly 76,000
people left from 2011-2015. A national survey of
moving companies placed New Jersey as the state with
the highest number of people moving to other states,
largely for jobs or retirement. The state’s relatively
high taxes and cost of living likely contributed to
many such moves.
The state continues to attract immigrants from
other countries. The foreign-born population more
than doubled between 1980 and 2010. According to
one estimate, New Jersey had the fifth largest immigrant population among states in 2015. About
62,000 foreigners moved into the state that year,
according to ACS. From 2010-2015 two-thirds of
total international immigration to the state settled in
four counties: Hudson, Middlesex, Bergen and Essex,
according to Census data. Many of these immigrants
have low incomes and depend on transit for daily
travel needs.
Racial composition  Following national trends, the
region’s population is increasingly composed of racial
and ethnic minorities (principally African-Americans
and Latinos). Together, these groups comprised
44 percent of the population from 2010-2014 as
compared to 36 percent in 2000. Ethnic and racial
minorities comprise more than half of the populations
of five counties: Hudson (70 percent), Essex (68 percent), Union (57 percent), Passaic (56 percent) and
Middlesex (53 percent). Like immigrant populations,
minority populations historically have had lower
incomes and have been concentrated in urban centers,
relying more on transit for day-to-day mobility, raising
equity concerns, as discussed below.

900
779

838

886

600

300

0

1990

2000

2010

2020

2030

2040

Source: U.S. Census, 1990-2010; NJTPA, 2017

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  31

BECKY LAI / FLICKR.COM

Game Changer—
The Future Workplace

C

hanges in the nature of work, brought about
by new technologies and business practices,

could drastically change commuting and travel
patterns —although it is difficult to predict exactly
how this would occur. While traditional commutes
between home and a centralized workplace may
decline, travel to other destinations, for other
purposes and at different times of day may increase.
Among the diving forces:
Gig economy—Companies are increasingly using
contingent workers—freelancers or contractors—
tapping into a marketplaces served by specialized
apps.
Remote work—Telecommuting and teleconferencing
—possibly augmented by virtual reality—are
breaking the proximity requirements for companies
and workers.
AI, Robotics—Computer systems and robots will
increasingly perform both physical and intellectual
work. While jobs will be lost, new ones will be
created in designing, building and maintaining the
systems. Future workers will have to be better
trained and adaptable. High tech jobs sites may
provide redevelopment opportunities.

32  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

facility in Bridgewater in Somerset County. Both are
undergoing repurposing with a mix of uses—including offices, retail, businesses and apartments—giving
them more of the features of favored downtown areas.
Merck shifted its operations to a more urban setting
in Union County. Meanwhile, in Monmouth County,
Bell Labs in Holmdel has transformed to Bell Works,
a mixed-use development that dubs itself a “metroburb” and is attracting a range of startup and established businesses. Efforts are underway to establish a
shuttle bus linking Bell Works and the Hazlet station
on NJ TRANSIT’s North Jersey Coast Line. This is
an example of the type of transit access that will need
to be considered as former corporate campuses are
transformed into mixed-use developments. In keeping
with the priorities of Together North Jersey, this plan
supports effective reuse and redevelopment of older
facilities in ways that will strengthen communities,
enhance the economy and protect the environment.
Meanwhile, jobs will continue to shift to the service sector, which now makes up 45 percent or more
of the workforce. Manufacturing employment fell
from 9 percent of total nonagricultural employment
in 2000 to just under 5 percent in 2015. In coming
decades, however, employment could expand in specialized high-tech manufacturing, such as robotics or
3-D printing, and undergo other technology-driven
changes (see Game Changer—The Future Workplace,
at left). Burgeoning services sector jobs will continue
to be split between low-wage, fast food type jobs and
well-paid jobs requiring specialized training, such as
teachers, nurses and managers. In the latter category,
financial sector jobs also grew from 9.6 percent in
2000 to 12 percent in 2010, partially due to the attractiveness of Jersey City for firms in the sector.
Projected forward, these trends point to the
importance of improving education and training for
workers. The NJTPA, through Together North Jersey,
is coordinating with Workforce Investment Boards
and other agencies to help workers adapt to new job
markets, including improving transportation access to
training programs and job sites.

Map 3: 
Employment Growth Forecast
2015-2045

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Source: NJOIT, 2008; NJTPA, 2016; Esri, 2017

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  33

Figure 3-2:
Change in Population, Jobs, VMT and Transit Use,
NJTPA Region (Compared to 2000)
n  NJTPA population    n  Salary jobs    n  Vehicle-miles traveled
n  Transit passengers    n  US recessions
120.0%

Base Year 2000 = 100%
115.0%
110.0%
105.0%
100.0%
95.0%
90.0%
85.0%

130 million vehicle miles traveled
3.1 million salary jobs
6.3 million people
312 million transit passengers

149 million vehicle miles traveled
3.0 million salary jobs
6.7 million people
358 million transit passengers

2000

2009

2003

2006

20012

2015

Source: U.S. Census, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, NJDOT, NJ TRANSIT, PANYNJ

Figure 3-3:
Travel Time to Work, NJTPA Region, ACS 2010-2014
(in minutes)

38.3

Sussex
Warren

34.8

Hudson

34.5

Hunterdon

33.5

Monmouth

33.4

Essex

33.2

Middlesex

32.7

Somerset

31.7

Bergen

31.4

Ocean

30.9

Union

30.1

Morris

30.0

Transportation Trends

26.6

Passaic
0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Source: Census 2010-2014 ACS 5-Year Estimates

Income

New Jersey’s median household income of $70,000 in
2010 was the second highest in the nation, with the
national median income at $52,000. The benefits to
residents, however, are somewhat offset by a higher
cost of living, estimated in 2014 to be 25 percent
greater than the national average.
Even with a higher than average median income,
about one-tenth of the residents in the region live
in poverty. In 2010, the counties whose poverty
rate exceeded the statewide average of 10.3 percent

34  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

were Essex (16.7 percent), Hudson (16.5 percent),
Passaic (15.7 percent), Ocean (11.2 percent) and
Union (11.1 percent). As noted, low- income residents—including a significant share of minority and
immigrant communities—are more likely to depend
on transit, particularly buses, for essential travel.
NJ TRANSIT’s extensive bus network serves communities across income levels, connecting lower income
areas with critical employment and educational opportunities, services and recreation.
This plan seeks to address the needs of low-income, minority and other underserved communities
with equitable transportation investments. This
includes supporting community redevelopment that
accommodates affordable housing, enhances transportation options and is inclusive of the region’s diverse
population. Improving transportation options can
make communities more “location efficient,” lowering
residents daily travel expenses while allowing them to
afford better housing and an improved quality of life.
This and other approaches to achieving equity for all
communities are being advanced through the NJTPA’s
cooperation on Together North Jersey initiatives.

As economic conditions improve and the region continues to grow, investments must be made to ensure
the network can accommodate a significant increase in
both local and regional trips being made by residents
and businesses.
Figure 3-2 shows the previously discussed relationship between population and employment trends
and the key transportation measures of vehicle miles
traveled (VMT)—a standard measure of the amount of
driving—and transit ridership. While VMT increased
at a faster rate than population before the Great
Recession, the rate of growth has decreased since the
recession, partly due to slow recovery in payroll jobs.
Over the life of this plan, VMT is expected to grow
moderately, by about 16 percent, roughly mirroring
population growth (17 percent). Maintaining this
modest rate of growth will depend on the success of
efforts to expand transit availability and reduce the
number and length of auto trips through more efficient
land use, in keeping with the priorities of Together
North Jersey.
Auto use will remain the dominant mode of travel

in the region, though autonomous vehicles and ride
▰ Passaic County has the shortest average commute
hailing may one day significantly alter how this travel
time of 26.6 minutes, and Sussex County has the
occurs (see Game Changers p. 37 and p. 40). A majorlongest average commute time of 38.3 minutes.
ity of commuters—70 percent—drive alone to work,
▰ 3 percent of work trips were made by foot. In
while 8 percent travel by auto with other people.
the region’s densest urban neighborhoods, such
At the same time, transit ridership grew fairly
as Hoboken, upwards of 30 percent of trips for
steadily post-recession, reflecting the continuing ecoall purposes are walking trips. In large-lot subnomic importance of the transit system. New Jersey
urban, exurban and rural areas, like portions of
has the second largest transit network in the nation
Monmouth, Hunterdon and Warren counties, auto
(behind New York). However, access to frequent bus
shares are over 90 percent.
and rail transit is limited to a relatively small geo▰ About 12 percent of NJTPA households did not
graphic area of the region and is directly influenced by
own a vehicle. Hudson (32 percent) and Essex
the land use development decisions discussed earlier.
(23 percent) counties contain the highest concentraData from ACS and a 2011 Household Travel
tion of households without vehicles. The reasons for
Survey conducted by the NJTPA provide additional
this may be due to better transit options and more
insight into the commuting trends across the region
compact, pedestrian-friendly land uses (especially
(Figure 3-4):
in the primary cities of Jersey City and Newark), as
▰ The percentage of commuters using public transportation increased from 11 percent in 2000 to 13 percent in 2010. Hudson County had the highest
rate at 40 percent, followed by Essex County
at 20 percent.
▰ Over 290,000 (or more than 9 percent) of the region’s residents
Commuters in North Jersey
A
commute to Manhattan for
P
T
work. Hudson had by far
NJ
the highest percentage
travel to Manhattan
(75% use transit)
of resident work trips
going to Manhattan at
26 percent (Bergen was second at 15
drive alone
percent).
(among the lowest
▰ Over 75 percent of
MORE THAN
% in the country)
Manhattan-bound commuters use transit, highlighting
an ongoing need to improve
walk to
DAILY
their job
trans-Hudson capacity.
NORTH JERSEY
▰ 70 percent of commuters
drove alone, a rate lower than
COMMUTERS
minutes is an average
most major metropolitan areas
commute time (6 minutes
across the country.
longer than the U.S. average)
▰ 34 percent of NJTPA residents work outside their
county of residence but within New Jersey, and an
of all trips are
additional 14 percent work outside the state.
related to work
▰ The mean travel time to work has remained approximately the same since 2000 at between 31-32 minutes, six minutes higher than the national average
(see Figure 3-3).
Figure 3-4

9%

3 MILLION

70%

3%

32

23%

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  35

Game Changer—Transportation Tech

I

n coming decades technology advances will transform the transportation system along with other aspects of
daily life—just as the internet and smart phones did over the past two decades. Beyond autonomous vehicles

(see related sidebar), there are a host of emerging and possible technologies that must be considered:
ED AND EDDIE / FLICKR.COM

Connected vehicles—Whether autonomous or human driven,
future vehicles will incorporate technologies to communicate with
one another and with the landscape they move through, improving
efficiency, responsiveness to users and eliminating up to 80 percent of
non-impaired vehicle crashes, according to one estimate.
Wired Roads—Networks of computerized traffic signals are already
being deployed. Roadside technologies will also relay information and
data to connected vehicles and aid centralized management.
Beyond Gasoline—All car companies are investing in electric and
hybrid vehicles, with hydrogen power systems a distinct prospect. The
vehicles will require investments in fueling and other infrastructure.
Drones—They are already being used for surveillance, surveying,
inspection and monitoring. Their use will expand, with adaptation for
deliveries, and even flying cars being explored.

THOROUGHLYREVIEWED.COM

Real time data—Data gathered from cell phones, roadside monitors
and other sources are used to help manage systems, provide travel info
and increasingly to predict travel patterns and guide planning.
Transit tech—Connected and automated vehicle technologies will
extend to buses and shuttles. NJ TRANSIT buses are already utilizing
signal pre-emption technology, and crash avoidance/detection
technology is becoming common around the country. Train systems
will get faster and more energy efficient. The future may include game
changing technologies such as maglev and hyperloop systems. An
upgraded Northeast Corridor, including the implementation of the Gateway Program, could underpin wide economic
expansion. Future transit tech may include automated, off-board fare collection and further creative use of mobile
apps and real-time data.

36  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Accessibility and Connectivity

When transportation works well, it puts travelers’
desired destinations within reasonable reach, making
them accessible—a key concept guiding informed
transportation decision making. Accessibility varies
greatly throughout North Jersey. By their nature,
denser areas offer greater accessibility and support a
wider mix of transportation modes. Yet, in all areas
residents need to be able to accomplish essential activities within reasonable times and at reasonable costs.
A key obstacle to accessibility is congestion.
Crashes, weather events, roadway construction and
capacity limitations are frequent causes of congestion.
Of increasing importance, however, is how predictable
or reliable travel times are. Travelers recognize that to
some degree traffic congestion is an intrinsic part of
life in a dynamic and active metropolitan area. What
can be more frustrating is when travel times vary
greatly from day to day, making it necessary to budget
significant extra time to ensure on-time arrival. New
traffic measurement technologies enable the NJTPA to
assess congestion and the predictability of travel. The
NJTPA applies such data within its federally mandated
Congestion Management Process (see CMP Appendix)
to systematically identify suitable strategies to address
needs.
As seen on Map 4, many of the region’s interstate
highways and state and county arterial roads have
sections with unreliable travel times. The map highlights road segments that exhibit the most unpredictable conditions, where speeds regularly drop far below
normal. Those segments shown take into account the
type of place and class of road. For instance, the levels
of unreliability are greatest on major corridors leading
to bridge and tunnel crossings into New York City

KRISTAIN BATY / FLICKR.COM

well as higher rates of poverty and the inability to
afford a private vehicle and the associated costs of
insurance, registration, maintenance and other fees.
▰ 54 percent of all trips are between home and destinations other than work (e.g., social/recreation,
shopping, school, etc.); on weekdays, 23 percent of
trips involve the workplace.
▰ Household composition plays a large role in determining how much people travel. Women in twoparent families with children make 1.5 more trips
than men.

Game Changer—Autonomous Vehicles
on the Cusp

B

y 2020, major car companies will begin rolling
out their autonomous vehicles for selective

use around the United States. It may take years
for them to be perfected. But through 2045, many
experts say, they will be fully integrated into the
transportation system and in widespread use.
Their impacts on the transportation system
are likely to be profound, though there are many
questions:

▰ Will they encourage people to take more auto
trips, enhancing personal mobility but further
clogging roadways and undermining transit?

▰ Will they provide new forms of transit—such as
on-call shuttles and buses—improving efficient
use of roads?

▰ Will they enhance the existing transit system by
providing more convenient access to stations and
transit hubs?

▰ Will they lead to further suburban sprawl or
support circulation in growing downtown areas?

▰ Will automated rides be affordable to all people?
▰ Will they be able to operate safely around all
travelers—pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists,
wheelchair users?

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  37

Map 4: 
Reliability

¥
I
(
h
&
%
$
a
"
!
¢
I

{
I
$
`
"
!

¤
I
p
I

1
0

Unreliable Travel Segment
Interstate/Toll Roads

6
5

w
I

US Highways
State Highways
Toll Road

LEGEND
Delay Ratio
> 75%
50% to 75%
25% to 50%
< 25%
County Boundaries

0

2.5

5

10
Miles

±

Source: NJOIT, 2008; NJ TRANSIT, 2013; NJDOT, 2014; NJTPA, 2016; Esri, 2014

38  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

to get them from their homes to their transit stops.
and those that serve important New Jersey business
Such access to the transit system (along with condistricts including those in Newark and Jersey City.
centrated development close to stops and stations)
(The highlighted roads in rural areas are relatively
helps to generate the ridership needed to support
unpredictable compared to other roads in rural areas,
transit service. For some stations, parking capacity
but are more reliable than urban roads.)
and restrictions may also be a factor. Importantly, as
Maps 5 and 6 show a key measure of accessibility,
discussed in Chapter 5, future growth in transit ridthe percentage of commute trips that are accomplished
ership faces significant capacity constraints, includwithin 45 minutes by car and 60 minutes by transit.
ing the need for expanded trans-Hudson capacity.
Overall, about 80 percent of auto commutes in the
region are less than 45 minutes, falling slightly from
▰ Unpredictable roadway travel and bottleneck con84 percent in 1990 (implying more long trips now
gestion are prevalent for auto trips to New York
and slightly lower overall accessibility). Commutes are
City, especially at bridge and tunnel crossings. This
longest for parts of Hunterdon, Warren and Sussex
also hampers bus travel. While the exclusive bus
counties, and shortest in older, denser suburbs in
lane (XBL) used on Route 495, for example, often
Passaic, Union and Bergen counties.
produces dramatic time savings for bus trips from
Transit commute trips tend to be longer than auto
the suburbs, the facility is at or near capacity, as is
trips, but time spent on public transit is generally more
the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.
acceptable to travelers who can work, read or socialize while traveling. About 50 percent of the region’s
U R BA N / D OW N TOW N CO N N E CT I V I T Y:
commuters who use public transit have work trips
▰ Rail transit connections are available among and
under an hour. But in the urban core that number is
between some of North Jersey’s urban areas and
much higher, topping 70 percent in transit-rich areas
denser downtowns that have train stations, but
of Hudson and Essex counties.
service can be infrequent. Bus service also varies,
A more detailed examination of accessibility
by route as well as by time and day of the week
highlights how the transportaMaps 5 and 6:
tion system connects people to
where they want to go. In 2016,
Percent Highway Work Trips, ACS 2011–2015
Less than 45 minutes
Less than 60 minutes
the NJTPA assessed the system’s
connectivity by analyzing 60 origins and destinations, identifying
accessibility needs, many of which
focused on the need for more
transit alternatives. The findings,
organized by place type and travel
markets, include:
CON N E CTIV ITY TO
NEW YO RK CITY
▰ On many direct bus and rail
transit routes to New York
City, travel times are competitive with auto. In some suburbs
and rural areas, access to existing bus and rail lines might be
improved. Commuters in these
areas rely on park and ride
lots, shuttles and other options

% of Highway
Trips
% of Work
Highway
Work Trips
Less ThanLess
45 Minutes
Than 45 Minutes
ACS 2011-2015
ACS 2011-2015
Municipality
Data
Municipality
Data
< 70%

% of Transit
Work
Trips
% of
Transit
Work Trips
Less ThanLess
60 Minutes
Than 60 Minutes
ACS 2011-2015
ACS 2011-2015
Municipality
Data
Municipality
Data
0%

< 70%
70%-75% 70%-75%
75%-80% 75%-80%

0%
0%-15% 0%-15%
15%-30% 15%-30%

80%-85% 80%-85%

30%-50% 30%-50%

85%-90% 85%-90%

50%-70% 50%-70%

> 90%

> 70%

> 90%
County Boundary
County Boundary
Surrounding
States States
Surrounding
Water Features
Water Features

> 70%
County Boundary
County Boundary
Surrounding
States States
Surrounding
Water Features
Water Features
Minimum 1 Minimum
25 Tra ns it1 T25
rips
Tra ns it T rips

0

5

0

10

5

10 20

20

Source: ACS, 2011-2015

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  39

and must be balanced with the need to accommodate walking and bicycling.

Figure 3-6:
NJ TRANSIT Ridership, Fiscal Year Ending
June 30 2008 to 2015
(Total annual in millions)
n  Bus   n  Commuter rail    n  Light rail
300

265.9
Total

269.7
Total

165.7

166.0

161.2

155.3

82.5

81.6

80.4

77.8

262.9
Total

253.8
Total

263.6
Total

260.6
Total

267.0
Total

272.3
Total

161.4

161.0

161.0

162.2

80.4

78.6

84.0

87.6

250

200

150

100

50

0

21.3

22.1

21.3

20.7

21.8

21.0

22.0

22.5

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Source: NJ TRANSIT’s Annual Reports

(weekday/weekend). Walkability contributes to the
attractiveness of using transit in these areas. Bus
access to these locations can be slow or infrequent
depending on the route and destination.
▰ While most of these areas are well served by highways and local roads, auto access can be problematic as most roadways experience increased travel
times due to unpredictable conditions and bottleneck congestion during peak hours. Automobile circulation in these areas requires active management

S U B U R BA N CO N N E CT I V I T Y
▰ County and municipal roads are important travel
routes in the suburbs. Highways often are major
economic corridors. In many suburban areas, severe
congestion and unpredictable travel times often
extend to off-peak hours and weekends, especially
in commercial arterial corridors and routes that
provide access to seasonal shore and recreational
locations.
▰ Transit access between many suburban areas is
available but often limited, with some exceptions
during peak hours and along densely populated and
commercially well-developed corridors that sustain
significant ridership. The ease of auto use and availability of free parking make suburban transit travel
less attractive. First/last mile access, particularly via
walking, can be challenging in less densely populated places. New on-demand and shared travel
services can improve connectivity for such areas.
R U R A L CO N N E CT I V I T Y
▰ Transit access in rural areas is limited in terms of
coverage and frequency. As in suburban areas, most
travel is by auto, which is supported by abundant
free parking. Limited population and employment

Game Changer—On-Demand/Shared Travel

A

growing number of travelers are hailing rides with smart phones
through companies such as Uber and Lyft. The taxi-like services

employ thousands of drivers throughout New Jersey, with particular
focus on areas along the Hudson River and the Jersey Shore. Among
transit, and giving mobility options for seniors and the disabled.
At the same time, car-sharing services—similar to car rental but for shorter time periods—are another option
gaining traction. And urban areas are implementing bike share programs with growing success. It all points to a future
in which many people can travel easily without owning a car, and the landscape devoted to accommodating all those
personal vehicles—two-car garages, acres of free parking and urban parking garages—is drastically altered.

40  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

SERGIO RUIZ /FLICKR.COM

other uses, they are helping bridge the first/last mile gap for accessing

w
Ne
FY

2006

y Annual Daily Ridership 2006–2016
se
r
Je
Bus
Light
Rail

Rail

FY

2016

74

91

Million

Million

+

+

23%

50%

160
Million

densities work against the viability of transit
services in these markets. However, transit still
plays an important role for low-income and older
residents and those with disabilities. On-demand
and shared travel services can contribute as well.
▰ By their nature, rural areas are generally less accessible than other parts of the region. Highway,
arterial, county and local roadways provide core
travel routes between rural and suburban areas. But
as with the rest of the region, unpredictable travel
and bottleneck congestion occur both during peak
and off-peak hours. The road network serving rural
areas tends to have fewer alternative routes than in
suburban and urban areas, which can increase travel
times and make auto trips less reliable.

Transit

Transit ridership saw an uptick as the economic
recovery gained strength. As shown in Figure 3-6,
ridership fell 6 percent during the recession, from a
high of 269 million passengers in 2008 to 254 million
in 2011. In 2015, it rebounded to 272 million—the
highest in eight years, mostly due to increases in rail
use consistent with the longer trend (Figure 3-7).
While a stronger economy is the main factor in
increasing ridership, land use policies are supporting the trend. Ongoing efforts by the NJTPA, NJ
TRANSIT and partner agencies—many coordinated
through Together North Jersey—are encouraging

160
Million

16

Million

24

Million

Figure 3-7

No
change

transit use by improving access to transit
facilities and facilitating transit-supportive
land use around them. As noted above, this type
of development is in high demand by the millennial generation. Overall, systemwide rail ridership is
expected to grow by 31 percent by 2045. As discussed
elsewhere in this plan, the increase in transit demand
raises the need for adequate funding to support longterm transit capital and operating needs while keeping
fares affordable.
Funding in particular is needed to expand capacity
across the Hudson River (see Trans-Hudson p. 57).
The Hudson Tunnel Project initially will allow the
shut down and repair of the existing 100-plus-year old
tunnels, but also supports the larger Gateway Program
that would increase trans-Hudson rail capacity and
allow possible rail expansions in North Jersey. Also
needed are new or upgraded bus facilities and systems,
including the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Figure 3-8 underscores the importance of the
trans-Hudson market for the region. This market
accounts for 46 percent of all weekday transit trips in
North Jersey and the demand for trans-Hudson travel
continues to grow. NJ TRANSIT expects to see 30 percent growth in trans-Hudson rail ridership by 2045. It
should be noted that the 17,000 daily light rail riders
that are making trans-Hudson trips are crossing the
river either using a NJ TRANSIT bus or rail service or
PATH service.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  41

Map 7:
NJ Transportation Management Associations (TMAs)

Sussex

Passaic
Bergen

Warren

Morris

Essex

NJ Transportation Management
Associations (TMAs)

Hudson

Union
Hunterdon

Hudson TMA
EZ Ride (Meadowlink)

Somerset

Keep Middlesex Moving

Middlesex
Mercer

Greater Mercer TMA

Mommouth

Cross County Connection
Ridewise
Burlington
Gloucester

Ocean

TransOptions

Camden

HART Commuter
Information Services

Salem
Atlantic
Cumberland
Cape
May

Figure 3-8:
NJ TRANSIT Ridership by Market
(Trips in thousands, average weekday)

% of NJ TRANSIT Riders: Trans-Hudson, 46%; Urban Core, 34%; Smaller Urban, 4%;
Suburb to Suburb, 16%
n Commuter rail    n  Bus   n  Light rail
400
350
300

17

158

250

45

200
150
100

200

106

50
0

1

200

34
Trans-Hudson

Urban Core

1
26
4
Smaller Urban

23
Suburb to Suburb

Source: NJ TRANSIT, 2010
NOTE: Trans-Hudson = all travel destined east of the Hudson River; Urban Core = all travel
destined to Hudson County, Newark, and Newark Airport; Smaller Urban = all travel destined to
Elizabeth, Paterson, Hackensack, New Brunswick and Trenton; Suburb = all remaining travel.

High levels of both residential and employment
growth are expected in Hudson County, especially
in areas that provide access to employment opportunities both in New York and along the Hudson

42  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

River waterfront in New Jersey. Accommodating
this growth in demand will be a critical component
of planning in the coming years for NJ TRANSIT
Hudson Bergen Light Rail (HBLR), the PATH system,
and NJ TRANSIT and privately-operated bus services.
NJ TRANSIT has and will continue to
advance capacity improvement projects to support
increased HBLR service, which now serves more
than 50,000 daily trips. The PATH system plays an
important role in regional and trans-Hudson commuting. It serves about 288,000 trips daily, including
259,000 trans-Hudson trips and about 29,000 intrastate trips within Newark and Hudson County. The
PATH system is adding capacity to address robust
growth in demand, but this new capacity is projected to be used up by the mid-2020s, primarily due
to rapid development around key stations such as
Journal Square and Grove Street in Jersey City.
The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
predicts that weekday passenger trips traveling
through the Port Authority Bus Terminal could
increase from 260,000 in 2015 to 337,000 in 2040.
During the morning peak, access to the bus terminal
is enhanced by the XBL leading to the Lincoln Tunnel.
It is the most efficient highway lane in the country,
with 66,000 passengers on 1,850 buses each weekday,
including 650 buses in the peak-hour. The infrastructure supporting the critical trans-Hudson bus system
has reached capacity, and the bus terminal will require
structural replacement within 15 years. Solutions to
protect and expand the network serving trans-Hudson
bus travel will be vital to the region’s economy.
More than half the bus riders to Manhattan come
from two counties, Bergen and Hudson. Private bus
carriers enhance the availability of bus service to
Manhattan, providing more than 37 million annual
trips in North Jersey.
In addition, transit is a lifeline for those older
adults, veterans, low-income persons and individuals with disabilities who have special transportation needs, as outlined in the NJTPA’s Regional
Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan
(CHSTP), discussed in Chapter 2 and Chapter 5. The
plan, Go Farther, is required to address any special
transportation needs of these groups. Suburban and
rural parts of Sussex, Warren, Morris, Hunterdon and
Ocean counties that are likely to see a growing senior

citizen population are faced with limited rail and
bus transit. These older residents will be increasingly
reliant on community transportation services provided
by county transportation agencies and Transportation
Management Associations (TMAs)(Map 7). Ride
hailing services such as Uber and Lyft could also play
a role.
Ferries are an important supplement to the region’s
rail and bus services with private operators providing
direct service to Manhattan from Hudson, Bergen,
and Monmouth counties. Approximately 8.7 million
trips were made on ferries in 2016, with 30 percent
expected growth by 2045.

Freight

gateway for imports and exports. Port cargo tonnage
increased by 30 percent over the last 10 years, and
the number of containers handled increased by 33
percent during the same period. In 2016, the port
industry supported 200,350 direct jobs, 344,470 total
jobs, $21 billion in personal income, more than $53.8
billion in business income and nearly $7 billion in
federal, state and local tax revenues in the state. Port
traffic is anticipated to grow at 3 to 5 percent annually. Neo-Panamax vessels, with capacities well in
excess of 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs)
and ultra-large container vessels with capacities of at
least 18,000 TEUs, are anticipated to increasingly call
on the port with the completion of the Panama Canal
expansion, increased use of the Suez Canal and the
2017 completion of work to raise the Bayonne Bridge.
The increase in containers being handled at one time
with these larger vessels will require enhanced terminal

Freight is critical to North Jersey’s economy, with
about a third of the region’s 3 million jobs highly
dependent on goods movement. The freight sector’s
strength is based on the region’s location in the center
of a major consumer market; its extensive marine, rail
Figure 3-8
and highway infrastructure; and its extensive warehouse and distribution facilities—over 800 million
Newark Liberty
square feet in the region (Figure 3-8).
International Airport's
Commodities handled (in order by tonnage)
rank among air cargo
airports in
include consumer goods; nonmetallic minNorth America.
erals; petroleum or coal products;
Freight by Numbers
A
P
chemicals; clay/concrete/glass/
T
stone; food; and municipal
NJ
solid waste. The domestic
freight handled in North
million tons of goods
North Jersey is home to
Jersey is projected to grow
move through the
the largest container
region
predominately
by more than 40 percent to
port on the
by truck.
Atlantic seaboard.
719 million tons in 2045.
As this growth occurs,
the freight sector will
undergo major changes,
many of them driven by technology advances including
continued expansion of
million tons of rail
e-commerce, 3D printing
freight moved through
million square feet of
New Jersey in 2014.
and truck platooning (see
industrial properties
Game Changer—Freight Logistics p. 44).
are in North Jersey.
Among the current challenges and trends
affecting freight are the following:
Marine Freight—North Jersey hosts the
largest seaport on the East Coast (and third
largest in the United States). It serves as a global

11

508

46

1

815

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  43

Game Changer—Freight Logistics

T

he way freight moves throughout our region will be transformed by technological changes, shifts in consumer
habits and other factors. Among the issues that must be considered in planning for the future of freight:

Truck Platooning—Tests are underway on systems to allow trucks to travel in closely spaced platoons, increasing
efficiency and conserving fuel. The technology could one day mean driverless trucks. Other software allows truckers
to find freight along their route, so they fill as much of their cargo space as possible, reducing the number of mostly
JEREMY VANDEL /FLICKR.COM

empty vehicles on the road.
Changing Retail—E-commerce has put some brick and mortar stores out of business and forced others to shift to
meet the demands of a growing online consumer base. This means more delivery trucks on the road. And companies
are opening smaller warehouse operations closer to consumers in order to meet shipping demands.
Delivery Drones—Some companies are testing drones as a delivery
method. Others, like UPS, have turned to delivery bikes or storage
lockers where customers can pick up items. These methods will have to
be considered in policy changes as some communities have moved to
restrict truck traffic and warehouse hours of operation.
3-D Printing—This emerging technology could revolutionize supply
chains. Companies will no longer have to rely on parts suppliers in far off
places. They can manufacture their own parts or buy them from local
firms or regional facilities specializing in custom products.

operations, as well as new strategies and investments
for accommodating the additional truck, rail freight
and domestic waterborne movements.
Rail Freight—Rail yards in the region not only
directly serve the port, Bayway Refinery and other
area businesses, they are also end points for rail lines
carrying large volumes of consumer and other goods
from across the country. Rail freight traffic has undergone significant swings with periods of increased
movement of petrochemicals and containers and
reductions in shipments such as coal.
Nevertheless, most of the major freight rail lines in
North Jersey, including the Lehigh Line and the River
Line, will be at or over capacity by 2045.
Trucking—Nearly all goods moved in the region
travel by truck for at least part of their journey,

44  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

especially short haul and time-sensitive deliveries. In
all, more than 80 percent of domestic freight traveling to, from or within North Jersey moves by truck.
Congestion over key highways and at ports and terminals hampers timely freight movements. As discussed
elsewhere in this plan, the industry also faces driver
shortages and a lack of parking.
Air Freight—While air cargo tonnage had been
declining as more freight was moved by land and sea,
Newark Liberty International Airport has experienced
a consistent year-over-year uptick in tonnage growth
since 2013. The airport is a major domestic and international hub for express carriers, as well as an important market for domestic and international commercial
carriers, including a major hub for United Airlines. In
2016, the airport handled 746,800 tons of air freight

and 45,800 tons of air mail. The airport ranked 11th
nationally and 37th internationally in air freight activity. With air cargo tonnage levels remaining consistently strong, this mode continues to represent a key
means for moving time sensitive and extremely high
value goods.

Figure 3-9:
NJTPA Crashes 2011–2015
n  Property Damage      n  Injury 
200,000

179,001

171,329

179,308

176,248

163,420

150,000

Safety Trends

Improving safety is a top priority at the NJTPA and
is factored into all aspects of transportation investment decision-making. Each year, there are more than
200,000 motor vehicle crashes in North Jersey, resulting in more than 300 fatalities and 40,000 injuries. It
is important to note that the number of crashes has
steadily declined—with the exception of an uptick in
2014—despite the fact that the region’s population
and VMT have grown.
The NJTPA works in partnership with NJDOT,
NJ TRANSIT, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority,
the Port Authority, and the New Jersey Division of
Highway Traffic Safety, as well as with engineers,
planners, local elected officials, New Jersey’s other
metropolitan planning organizations and various
stakeholders to improve safety on the region’s multimodal transportation system.
Investment in safety improvements and policy
direction for road safety is guided by the statewide
Strategic Highway Safety Plan adopted in 2015 to
meet federal requirements. New Jersey has adopted
“Towards Zero Deaths” as a goal of eliminating
fatalities. Chapter 5 outlines the many strategies being
pursued towards this goal. Among the plan’s emphasis areas are reducing lane departures, intersection
crashes, drowsy and distracted driving, crashes involving drivers over the age of 65, aggressive or impaired
driving and protecting bicyclists and pedestrians.
Figures 3-9 through 3-11 below illustrate regional
safety trends. The crash rate has mostly declined from
2011 to 2015, mirroring what is happening at both
the state and national level. Pedestrian injury crashes
in the region steadily decreased between 2011 and
2015. Fatal crashes have also been on the decline since
2011, though there was an uptick in 2015. Pedestrian
fatalities, however, have fluctuated during the same
period—with an increase in 2014 and 2015—an issue
which has prompted more focus on identifying and
addressing potential contributing circumstances such

100,000

47,580

50,000

0

46,601

2011

45,503

2012

45,167

44,335

2013

2014

2015

Source: NJDOT Data Warehouse

Figure 3-10:
2011–2015 NJTPA Regional Fatal Crashes
n  Pedestrian fatalities       n  Total fatalities 
400

371

357

350

346
319

314

300
250
200
150
100

107

103

130

109

87

50
0
2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Source: NJDOT Data Warehouse

Figure 3-11:
2011–2015 NJTPA Region
Pedestrian Involved Crashes and Injuries
n  Pedestrian involved crashes       n  Pedestrian involved injuries 
6,000

5,529
5,142

5,000

5,102

4,735
4,288

4,000

3,914
3,369

3,403

3,212

3,279

3,000
2,000
1,000
0

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Source: NJDOT Data Warehouse

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  45

as driver or pedestrian distraction.
Crash statistics indicate that the most vulnerable
travelers—pedestrians and bicycle riders—are disproportionately at risk. Targeted safety investments have
improved pedestrian safety, but there is more to be
done. Of the region’s 346 crash-related deaths in 2015,
more than 35 percent were pedestrians, although

Aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, Belmar, Monmouth County

walking accounts for about 9 percent of all trips. The
uptick in 2014 and 2015 points to the urgent need to
address the causes in pedestrian and cyclist fatalities.
Working toward zero deaths remains a top priority of
the NJTPA’s safety improvement work.
In response to the FHWA designation of Newark
as a focus city and New Jersey as a focus state, the
NJTPA developed Street Smart NJ, a pedestrian safety
education campaign launched in 2013 in cooperation
with NJDOT and the New Jersey Division of Highway
Traffic Safety. Since the initial pilot in five communities, the program has grown annually to now include
more than 60 municipalities (see Street Smart NJ
p. 95).
Analysis of regional crashes identifies many
contributing factors, including age, impaired driving,
distracted driving, lighting, vehicle speed and road
design. Continued partnerships with NJDHTS, the
subregions, other government agencies and traffic
safety related organizations is crucial to improving
safety through 2045, coupled with investment in
proven safety countermeasures at priority locations.

Air Quality

Game Changer—
Weather, Cyber, and Other Threats

S

uperstorm Sandy and the events of
September 11, 2001 have given people in the

region first-hand experience with the importance of
preparing for potentially catastrophic events. For the
future, the possibility of increased extreme weather
due to climate change, rising sea levels along the
region’s extensive coastal areas and cyber threats are
particular concerns.
This plan calls for building resilience into all
future and ongoing transportation investments and
programs to prevent and minimize impacts and aid
in recovery. This includes improved coordination on
security issues among agencies at the state, regional
and local levels and contingency planning for events.

46  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Transportation is a major source of air pollution,
which can exacerbate asthma and other serious health
conditions. Many factors affect the level of pollution, including the number of car and truck trips, trip
length, time spent idling in congestion, vehicle technology and more.
Portions of the NJTPA region continue to suffer
from unhealthy air quality. The NJTPA is charged
with using its plans and programs to help the state
meet federal standards and improve air quality, and
the agency is making strides to reach these goals. To
demonstrate conformity with the goals, the NJTPA
uses computer modeling to estimate the emissions
impacts of approved projects.
Parts of the NJTPA region are in nonattainment
for failing to meet standards for ozone. But in recent
years, parts of the region previously in nonattainment
for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) have advanced
to an initial 10-year maintenance designation for
meeting the standards. These standards must be met
for 20 years to reach a designation of attainment. In
addition, areas previously in the initial 10-year maintenance phase for carbon (CO) have advanced to the

Figure 3-12: Annual Violations of the 8-Hour Ozone Standard in New Jersey
n 8-Hour Ozone Standard     n  8-Hour Ozone Standard (New NAAQS Standard)

50
47

46

44

40
36

Violations

36

30

20

35

33

19

35

22

20

24
21

20

23

17
14

10

0

9

10

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Source: NJDEP

final 10-year maintenance phase. When these maintenance phases are completed, the region will advance to
attainment for both PM2.5 and CO.
As seen in Figure 3-12, there has been an overall
reduction in air pollution in recent decades, including
from transportation. While ozone days have steadily
declined, it must be noted that in 2016, the federal
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised its
air quality standards, which increased the number
of ozone days from 13 under the old standard to 25
under the new standard.

Changes in technology have made vehicles cleaner,
and the use of public transit and shared rides have
helped to reduce emissions. The NJTPA, through its
funding programs, investments and partnerships in
Together North Jersey supports continued air quality
progress. One example is NJTPA’s Transportation
Clean Air Measures program (see Chapter 5), funded
with federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
dollars, which focuses on projects that reduce
emissions.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  47

4

Scenarios & Inves

Little Falls, Passaic County

48 

T

he assessment of trends described in the previous
chapter sets the stage for how the NJTPA faces decisions
that can shape the region’s future. This plan anticipates
substantial growth in population and employment over
the coming decades, but also recognizes that unknown

opportunities and challenges will arise along the way. In response, this
chapter presents policy guidance for transportation investments in
the form of an updated Regional Capital Investment Strategy (RCIS),
a statement of principles and guidelines, along with desired spending
allocations for different types of transportation projects.  ●  The RCIS

tment Priorities
is performance-based, meaning that it considers desired outcomes for
the region’s future. Regional outcomes will depend on many factors,
including funding levels and how funding is allocated for investments.
To update the RCIS, the NJTPA formulated scenarios and assessed their
ramifications. This drew upon the results of technical analysis and
modeling and consultations with NJTPA Board members, subregional
staff, planners, engineers, stakeholders, researchers and others at
various forums and workshops. The updated RCIS also reflects input
gathered through the extensive public outreach (chapter 2) and draws
upon NJTPA’s work with partners in preparing and implementing the
Together North Jersey plan. Ultimately, the RCIS reflects the NJTPA
Board of Trustees’ policy directions and choices for transportation
investment.

49

Guttenberg, Hudson County

The RCIS consists of 12 principles (right) and
associated guidelines (plan addendum) which set the
overall direction for NJTPA investments over the long
term. The principles are translated into more specific
strategies and actions, as presented in Chapter 5, for
addressing transportation needs on various modes and
facilities in the region. The RCIS desired outcomes
and associated performance measures inform planning. Related criteria are used to prioritize funding
for proposed projects (through the NJTPA Project
Prioritization process). These uses of the RCIS ensure
a consistent performance based and asset management
approach to transportation investments.
The RCIS provides the foundation for charting the
region’s future amid the “game-changers” discussed in
Chapter 3 as well as fiscal uncertainties. Four exploratory scenarios were identified and analyzed for outcomes tied to the Plan 2045 vision of a Competitive,
Efficient, Livable and Resilient, region. While funding
issues are dealt with in detail in Chapter 6, three
funding scenarios are also discussed in this chapter—Plan 2045 (reasonably anticipated), limited, and
aspirational—showing how different funding levels
would meet regional needs, in keeping with the RCIS

50  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

principles. This chapter also addresses performance
measures, which are used to assess impacts of investments and will be used to set targets for how well the
transportation system functions and is maintained.

Scenarios and Updating the RCIS

The RCIS was first created in 2005 and is modified as
part of updates to the NJTPA Regional Transportation
Plan every four years. The key elements of the RCIS
have remained largely unchanged. In particular, the
Fix it First principle continues to drive most NJTPA
investments and receives the largest share of funding—73 percent—which is devoted to maintenance
and preservation categories. As discussed later in this
chapter, this and other allocations have been adjusted
based on current and historical investment levels.
Despite the general continuity of most elements of the
RCIS, modifications must be made to meet changing
conditions and needs.
In preparing an updated RCIS for Plan 2045,
it was important to consider not only underlying
population and demographic trends, but also uncertainties and possible developments that could affect
the region (as discussed in Chapter 3). Based on the
themes and topics repeatedly raised in outreach events,
forums, and workshops conducted for Plan 2045,

Regional Capital Investment Strategy (RCIS) Principles

E

ach principle is further refined with guidelines (listed in addendum).

Help Northern New Jersey Grow Wisely  Transportation investments should encourage economic growth while
protecting the environment and minimizing sprawl in accordance with the State Development and Redevelopment
Plan, Energy Master Plan, and Greenhouse Gas Plan.
Make Travel Safer  Improving safety and security should be explicitly incorporated in the planning, design and
implementation of all investments.
Fix it First  The existing transportation system requires large expenditures for maintenance, preservation, and repair,
and its stewardship should be the region’s highest priority.
Expand Public Transit  Investment to improve the region’s extensive transit network should be a high priority,
including strategic expansions to increase capacity and to serve new markets.
Improve Roads but Add Few  Road investments should focus on making the existing system work better, and
road expansion should be very limited without compromising the tremendous accessibility provided by the existing
highway system.
Move Freight More Efficiently  Investments should be made

Fort Lee, Bergen County

to improve the efficiency of goods movement because of its
importance to the region’s economy and quality of life.
Manage Incidents and Apply Transportation
Technology  Investments should be made to transportation
systems management and operations to improve information flow,
operational coordination, energy use, and other technological
advances that can make the transportation system work smarter and
more efficiently.
Support Walking and Bicycling  All transportation projects should

Bayonne Bridge, Hudson County

promote walking and bicycling wherever possible.
Increase Regional Resiliency  Investments should be made to
mitigate risks associated with sea level rise, extreme weather,
homeland security, and other potential threats. Investments should
consider criticality of infrastructure, vulnerability, and level of risk.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  51

four exploratory scenarios were assessed: Regional
Challenges (including resiliency), Communities Focus
(including community design, development patterns,
walking, biking and transit access), High Technology
(including automation, energy and information technology) and Economic Opportunities (including those
identified in the NJTPA’s North Jersey Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy and investments in
public transit capacity and roadway reliability). Each
was the subject of computer modeling and qualitative
analysis to assess possible impacts of different possible futures. The following summarizes updates to the
RCIS based on consideration of these scenarios:
R EGI O N AL CHAL L E NG ES
Heeding the lessons of Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane
Irene and the 9/11 tragedy before it—as well as
national examples of hurricanes Katrina and Harvey—
the NJTPA must bolster efforts to help the region
prepare for unforeseen and potentially catastrophic
events. During outreach for this plan, people in the
region repeatedly expressed concern that their communities needed to do more to prepare for a repeat of
Sandy or similar threats. Above all, public agencies
including the NJTPA must help preserve and maintain
the functioning of the transportation system and the
well-being of the region’s residents. Challenges may
arise from increased extreme weather due to climate
change, rising sea levels, or malicious physical or
cyber-attacks.
In response—and following direction of the
NJTPA Board of Trustees—a new investment principle has been added to the RCIS, Increase Regional
Resiliency (see page 51).
A number of guidelines were added relating to
this principle including calling for improving system
redundancy and incorporating vulnerability and risk
assessments into project development. This applies to
system preservation as well as system upgrades and
expansion. Also in keeping with this principle, Plan
2045 advances strategies for mitigating the impacts
of extreme weather and improving the environment
through clean air programs and alternate fuel technologies, as discussed in Chapter 5.
Investments in resiliency, in addition to upgrading infrastructure in preparation for extreme events,
should improve day-to-day travel reliability by

52  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

offering more route and mode options. Cleaner air
and alternate fuels should be associated with health,
quality-of-life and energy efficiency benefits.
Even with increased resiliency investments, coastal
storm surge with sea level rise could seriously threaten
population and infrastructure. Agencies at all levels of
government will continue to grapple with investments
in places highly vulnerable to potential coastal or riverine flooding. Individuals and businesses will consider
these challenges in deciding where to locate or develop
properties. Both the public and private sector must
engage in asset-based planning to manage these future
challenges. For some communities in vulnerable locations, issues of equity and environment justice must be
considered.
COM M U N I T I ES F O C U S
The changing demographic trends described in
Chapter 3 include shifts in preferences and needs of
different segments of the population, which favor
the urban core and more densely populated centers
around the region, where walking, biking and transit
are viable travel options. This includes millennials
seeking out walkable neighborhoods with less need for
driving; an aging population with seniors in need of
improved access to essential services; and employers
looking for creative, collaborative environments and
to attract the new generation of workers.
The NJTPA and its partners support the growth
and development of places that meet these needs,
including through Transit Supportive Development
focused on the region’s many older downtowns
already served by bus and rail and towns planning
new development that could support future transit
services. Based on outreach for this plan, much of the
public are enthusiastic about this type of development
in their communities. This support is reflected in the
RCIS principles of Help the Region Grow Wisely,
Support Walking and Biking, and Expand Transit.
It also fits with key objectives of the Together North
Jersey plan, in particular its livability theme. To reference recent initiatives in this area, language was added
to the RCIS guidelines on the importance of Complete
Streets, recreation, open space and the arts in community development.
Benefits of these types of investments should
include reduced driving, along with associated

reductions in transportation-related fatalities, injuries
and air pollution. Positive health outcomes should
also emerge from more physical activity, walking and
biking.
T ECHN O LO GY
The march of technology advancement is unrelenting.
NJTPA planning programs and studies continue to
explore technology’s potential not only to produce a
more efficient transportation system but also to support broader regional goals in innovative ways. Future
technology may include any or all of the developments
noted in Chapter 3—autonomous cars, 3-D printing,
responsive signal systems—or, as likely, features that
are yet to be imagined.
Scenario analysis of a “high tech” future pointed
to the potential of technology for maximizing the use
of existing infrastructure, creating a more reliable
system across travel modes. Public input to this plan
was broadly supportive of such technologies that can
reduce congestion, provide users (roadway, transit and
freight) with more real-time information, lessen capital
outlays on projects and reduce reliance on cars. But
many people were wary of costs and negative impacts,
particularly of autonomous vehicles, with some people
questioning their safety and whether they would make

Roxbury, Morris County

congestion and air quality worse by putting more cars
on the road. Transportation experts cautioned that
technology developments must be carefully managed
to ensure they serve the public and stressed the need
for cooperation among government agencies and the
private sector. Resiliency of new technology infrastructure will also be an issue as its operation will need to
be preserved and maintained.
To address these and related issues, a number of
modifications and additions were made to the Manage
Incidents and Apply Transportation Technology RCIS
principle and associated guidelines. This includes
language emphasizing the need for cooperative planning and coordination, the need to assess and avoid
unwanted impacts and ensuring support for public
transit and the environment.
E CO N OM I C O P P O RT U N I T I ES
As discussed in Chapter 3, the region’s economy and
prosperity are closely tied to the effective functioning of the transportation system. The capacity of
the system to support growth and economic activity
is critical. To this end, NJTPA planning activities,
particularly as part of Together North Jersey, support

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  53

Weehawken, Hudson County

better coordinating transportation investments and
economic development throughout the region. One
notable effort, touching on all RCIS principles, was
the development of the North Jersey Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) in cooperation with local governments (see p. 14). The
importance of implementing CEDS recommendations
was added to the RCIS, noting the need for “special
attention to facilitating access to jobs for all residents
and communities.”
At the regional level, investments guided by the
RCIS principles should result in continued economic
progress. The project index includes a host of major
highway, bridge and transit improvements. Language
was added to the RCIS calling for streamlining of project delivery to ensure these projects are delivered in a
timely manner and make cost effective use of available
funding.
Public transit capacity is a crucial element of
supporting the region’s economic attractiveness. While
comments from the public generally favored communities with more travel options, many residents outside
of the urban core expressed frustration with the lack
of transit (especially rail) options and the difficulty of

54  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

accessing the transit system. Creating new rail services,
however, will depend on addressing the bottleneck
in rail capacity crossing the Hudson River. The RCIS
supports the Hudson Tunnel Project, which will maintain capacity while repairs are made to the old tunnels.
Language was also added calling for “new capacity
for expanded service,” which is part of the larger
Gateway program (see page 58). (Note, however, that
funding for these large transit projects will need to be
identified outside of NJ’s typical funding sources, and
therefore is not reflected in the allocation objectives
contained in the RCIS.)
The RCIS was also updated to acknowledge
the role of region’s Transportation Management
Associations whose coordination of programs such
as shuttle buses and employer subsidized travel services can facilitate access to transit and provide travel
alternatives, including carpooling, particularly in the
suburbs.
Also of importance for the regional economy is
attending to needs on the road network, both for
people and goods. Under the Improve Roads but Add
Few principle, a guideline was modified to call for
using “the NJTPA congestion management process
and context-sensitive criteria to target roadway investments that improve travel time reliability and address

bottlenecks and hotspots.” To implement this guideline, Chapter 5 includes numerous proposed strategies
for the road network including Complete Streets.
Additional references were added to the RCIS regarding the importance of improving the region’s freight
system including connectivity of roadway, freight rail
and waterborne facilities—critical supports for the
regional economy.
The range of factors discussed for other scenarios should support the region’s economic prosperity,
with benefits throughout the region’s communities.
Increased resiliency, stronger communities, and smart
application of technology should all serve to make
northern New Jersey more competitive.

RCIS Allocation Objectives

The long-term RCIS allocation objectives (Table 4.1)
describe as a percentage how funding should be allotted to the various categories of transportation projects
over time. The process of formulating and assigning
new allocation objectives took into account specific
NJTPA Board of Trustees preferences, historical
programming expenditures in the transportation
improvement programs (TIPs), currently programmed
expenditures, and the scenario analysis discussed
above. Transportation investment according to the
RCIS should help the region achieve its favored
outcomes.
The allocation objectives are not intended to
dictate year-to-year spending, but to provide a general guide over the life of Plan 2045. The objectives
largely mirror current spending patterns (with some
adjustments for emerging priorities), thus looking
forward while also reinforcing past NJTPA investment
decisions. The allocation objectives exclude special
large-scale investments such as the Gateway Program
(including the Hudson Tunnel Project and Portal
Bridge North) for which dedicated funding should be
sought.
As noted, the RCIS provides for the majority of
funding to be allocated toward maintaining, preserving, and hardening the existing transportation network, but the investment strategy also builds upon the
region’s commitment to expanding transit, improving
safety, enhancing transportation efficiency, optimizing
the system, improving freight facilities, augmenting
bicycle and pedestrian travel, increasing regional

resiliency, and encouraging sustainable growth and
prosperity. Below is a summary of the allocations by
category. It is important to recognize that the investment strategy allocations described are long-term
objectives.
▰ Maintenance and preservation for roads, bridges,
and public transit facilities—73 percent of total
investment. The intention is to invest more in the
near term in order to bring the system to a sustainable state of good repair, allowing for relatively
lower future needs.
▰ Investment in enhancing and expanding public
transit—8 percent. This level recognizes the limited opportunities for significant expansions to the
existing robust transit network; it does not include
additional dedicated funding as noted above.
▰ Investment in road enhancements—3 percent. This
includes physical upgrades, such as adding turning lanes or renovating intersections. Technology,
incident management, safety and pedestrian/bicycle
investments will improve road operations as well.
Table 4.1:
Plan 2045 RCIS Allocation Objectives
Category of Investment

Objective

Bridges

20%

Road Preservation

17%

Road Enhancement

3%

Road Expansion

1%
Subtotal: Roads & Bridges

41%

Transit Preservation

36%

Transit Enhancement

4%

Transit Expansion

4%
Subtotal: Transit

44%

Dedicated Freight

3%

Direct ITS

4%

TDM

2%

Direct Safety

4%

Direct Bike/Ped

2%
Subtotal: Other

TOTAL

15%
100%

Other Subtotals
73%

Preservation†
Direct ITS, Safety, Bike/Ped

10%
† 

Bridges, Road Preservation, and Transit Preservation

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  55

▰ Investment in roadway expansion-—1 percent. This

recognizes that more cost-effective benefits are to be
found from other types of improvements.
▰ Investment in direct safety improvements—4 percent. In addition to this direct investment, safety is a
priority to incorporate in all investments.
▰ Investment in dedicated freight facilities—3 percent.
This focuses on improving connections for serving
critical markets and optimizing the system. Other
roadway investments will benefit freight movement
as well.
▰ Investment in intelligent transportation systems
(transportation technology) and incident management projects—4 percent. This supports the
potential for major advances in technology while
also including these elements appropriately in other
types of projects.
▰ Investment in bicycle and pedestrian facilities—2
percent. In addition to these investments, non-motorized elements will be incorporated in other types
of projects.
▰ Investment in reducing motor vehicle trips with
Transportation Demand Management—2 percent.
This includes funding for programs supporting
efforts to reduce vehicle trips, such as through NJ’s
transportation management agencies (TMAs).

Lakewood, Ocean County

56  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Funding Scenarios

The recommended mix of investments in the RCIS is
intended to provide a host of regional benefits: support for the economy; stronger community centers;
better health through increased walking and biking;
increased traveler satisfaction through transportation
choices and better information flow; greater resilience
to natural and human-caused challenges; and a cleaner
environment. But much will depend on the level of
funding available.
To assess potential outcomes and provide the
foundation for the financing element of Plan 2045,
three distinct funding scenarios were analyzed:
▰ Plan 2045 (Reasonably Anticipated Funding)
Scenario
▰ Limited Funding Scenario
▰ Aspirational Funding Scenario
How these funding levels were arrived at and their
relation to meeting the federal requirement for fiscal
constraint is addressed in Chapter 6. Briefly, the Plan
2045 scenario will provide a sound fiscal basis for
planning future investments over the next 28 years;
the Limited Funding Scenario would provide a smaller
amount, making it more challenging to maintain
current system performance and meet increasing travel
demands; and the Aspirational Scenario would provide
for additional investments such as expansion of rail
capacity with the Gateway program of trans-Hudson
transit expansion (and the intrastate transit options
that the Gateway program enables) that would provide vital support for regional progress.
The Plan 2045 scenario would likely lead to a
continued high level of accessibility for the region’s
travelers and goods movement, although without an
increase in trans-Hudson capacity, congestion and
crowding on the transit and roadway systems are to be
expected. It is anticipated that the focus on investing
in preservation will allow the existing infrastructure to
be brought to a state of good repair, reducing future
costs. Qualitatively, expected outcomes in the different
scenarios track with funding levels, affirming the value
of transportation investments in fostering desired
outcomes.

Performance Measures and
Performance-Based Planning

The NJTPA has long practiced performance based
planning in which the performance of the transportation system is monitored and assessed to see how
well policies, projects and programs are accomplishing what they are intended to. Performance measures
offer information on the region’s challenges and
opportunities to decision-makers, planning partners,
and the public. Performance measures such as travel
time, transit ridership and vehicle miles traveled are
cited throughout Plan 2045 and are used in a variety
of contexts in the NJTPA planning process. Studies
sponsored and conducted by the NJTPA provide
assessments of current conditions using measures and
indicators. The region’s Congestion Management
Process (see Appendix) applies measures to identify
transportation needs and to recommend improvements
for various modes. In scenario planning for the RCIS
and other forward-looking analyses, performance
outcomes are estimated through study and computer
simulations. In prioritizing projects to be programmed
for funding, performance measures serve as criteria to
score and compare project benefits.
Performance-based planning is a growing federal
emphasis area. New federal regulations are beginning

Asbury Park, Monmouth County

to require states and MPOs to use established national
measures. The measures concern transportation safety
(on roadways and public transit); state-of-good-repair of infrastructure (roads, bridges, public transit);
and system performance (including reliability, freight
movement, traffic congestion, and air pollution). The
NJTPA is engaged in setting regional targets and supporting state targets in these areas.
Given constrained resources, these and other
performance-based planning efforts are critical for
helping decision-makers weigh competing priorities
and giving the public assurances that funds are being
spent cost-effectively to meet regional needs. They will
be important tools for implementing Plan 2045.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  57

Trans-Hudson Travel

T

he Hudson River rail tunnels are in desperate need of repair. Built more than a
century ago, the tunnels sustained damage during Superstorm Sandy and are
reaching the end of their life expectancy.

Shutting down one tube for repairs would reduce passenger rail capacity by as much
as 75 percent. At the same time, demand is expected to grow. Transportation agencies
throughout the region recognize the need to upgrade existing transit systems and add
trans-Hudson capacity to meet demands. The NJTPA is committed to working with partner
agencies to address this critical need and has made trans-Hudson improvements a top longterm priority, referenced in the RCIS.
Several planning initiatives are underway to increase rail access across the Hudson
River. The Hudson Tunnel Project, a partnership among NJ TRANSIT, Amtrak and the Port
Authority, would add a new rail tunnel and rehabilitate the existing North River Tunnel.

AMTRAK

The tunnel project is undergoing an environmental review process, which is being led
by NJ TRANSIT, Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration, that is expected to be
completed in 2018. Funding sources to complete the project have not yet been identified.

58  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

The new tunnel supports the larger Gateway Program
being led by Amtrak, a long-term plan to improve rail
service along the Northeast Corridor. In addition to
the tunnel, Gateway calls for expanding New York
Penn Station for passengers and trains, new rail storage
capacity in New Jersey, replacing the Portal Bridge over
the Hackensack River and installation of the Bergen Loop,
additional track that would allow for one-seat rides to
Manhattan on NJ TRANSIT’s Pascack Valley and MainBergen lines.
The Federal Railroad Administration is overseeing a
companion effort, NEC Future (see sidebar).
The Port Authority has several infrastructure efforts
underway, including planning and environmental review
to replace the Port Authority Bus Terminal, which is

Rail Investment Plan for the
Northeast Corridor
P L A N S A R E U N D E RWAY to make improvements to
the Northeast Corridor, from Washington, D.C. to Boston,
MA, that would keep the rail corridor in a state of good
repair and support growth in intercity and commuter rail
service.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released

approaching the end of its useful life by 2030. The

a Record of Decision in July 2017, choosing a selected

Authority’s Board of Commissioners allocated $3.5 billion

alternative for the NEC Future investment program. The

toward the project in its 10-year capital plan approved

decision does not approve construction, but provides

in 2017. The capital plan also included extending PATH

a framework, allowing individual environmental and

service to the Rail Link Station at Newark Liberty

engineering project studies to move forward. The timing

International Airport, connecting to the World Trade

of these projects will depend on a number of factors,

Center hub in lower Manhattan and augmenting transit

including decisions by the railroads that operate along the

options for commuters and local residents.

corridor and Northeast states, the availability of funding,

The agency is also exploring emerging technologies
including connected and automated vehicles to increase

market conditions, and practical operating constraints.
The selected alternative offers a vision for the

the capacity of the exclusive bus lane at the Lincoln

corridor, which includes increased capacity and service

Tunnel, the busiest bus lane in the country. A recent Port

to support the economic vitality of the Northeast, with

Authority study also suggests coping with growing trans-

expanded access to jobs, better connections between

Hudson demand by exploring expanded bus service at

urban centers, and a more resilient rail network.

other crossings, targeted expansion of commuter
ferries and investments in PATH capacity.
It is anticipated that as these initiatives

This plan modernizes infrastructure corridor-wide,
increasing reliability. It also expands rail capacity with
additional infrastructure between Washington, D.C., and

progress, an effort to form a workable partnership

New Haven, CT, and between Providence, RI, and Boston,

of the right stakeholders will be initiated to fund

MA, as needed to achieve the plan’s service and

and advance the implementation of one or more

performance objectives, including investments that increase

of these projects over the coming years.

speeds and eliminate chokepoints.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  59

5

Needs, Strategies

New Brunswick, Middlesex County

60 

P

lan 2045 focuses on making balanced and cost-effective
investment choices for North Jersey. To accomplish this,
the NJTPA’s metropolitan planning process is guided
by the Regional Capital Investment Strategy (RCIS),
which provides investment principles and allocation

objectives for various categories of funding (Chapter 4). Computer
modeling of future funding scenarios guided by the RCIS found that
the region would be able to meet current and future transportation
demands with reasonably anticipated funding. More funding would
allow an expanded list of investments, meeting more of our aspirations

& Implementation
for the next 28 years. ● This chapter presents a fuller picture of
how the region can maintain and improve its sprawling and complex
transportation network through 2045. It looks at needs, strategies
and implementation steps (including investments) for major modes
and facilities—roads, bridges, rail, freight, pedestrian and bicycle—
and key policies, including safety, technology, demand management
and air quality. The full list of investments is in the Project Index (see
Addendum).  ●  Across all these areas, the NJTPA seeks to advance the
vision of the Together North Jersey plan. Throughout this chapter, icons

4 Vision Themes

Competitive ●

Efficient ●

Livable ●

Resilient ●
  61

Fort Lee, Bergen County

indicate the connections between Plan 2045 and Together North Jersey’s four
themes and 15 focus areas (see Addendum). The aim is to ensure that transportation
supports and is coordinated with broader regional objectives regarding land use, environment, economic development, education and a host of other factors (see Together
North Jersey p. 14). In this way, Plan 2045 becomes a guide and resource for all
organizations—public and private—working towards regional progress.

Table 5-1: Change in Pavement Conditions
from 2012 to 2015
Pavement Rating

2012

2015

Good

22.3%

25.5%

Fair or Mediocre

27.0%

27.6%

Deficient - Roughness

10.9%

10.2%

Deficient - Distress

25.5%

24.4%

Deficient - Both

14.3%

12.3%

100.0%

100.0%

Total

Source: NJDOT 2012 and 2015 Pavement Management System

62  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

ROADS
Needs & Strategies

New Jersey’s economy is highly dependent on the state’s
extensive road network. Yet heavy daily traffic imposes
constant wear on roadways and causes often crippling
congestion in some locations, threatening continued
growth throughout the region. This can be seen particularly in employment centers such as Newark and
Jersey City.

The NJTPA seeks to use investments to improve the speed, reliability and safety
of auto and truck trips. At the same time, it encourages road designs that are sensitive to community character and accommodate walking, biking and transit where
possible. It is a balanced approach that advances Together North Jersey’s livability
and economic vitality goals, among others.
For all roadways, regardless of type and function, “Fix It First” remains a guiding investment principle. Many of the key roadways in the region were built decades
ago and are due for reconstruction. Others must undergo resurfacing or other
maintenance to keep up with heavy wear. Roads that show the most deterioration
generally get the highest priority for funding. Where possible, efforts are made to
perform cost-effective preventive maintenance to extend the life of a roadway and to
limit long-term financial impact.
According to the Pavement Management System, which assesses the condition of roads and offers strategies for maintaining and preserving them,
almost half (46.9 percent) of the NJDOT-maintained system is deficient.
This represents an 8 percent improvement in pavement conditions since 2012 (Table
5-1). With VMT projected to increase by 16 percent and freight traffic by more than
40 percent by 2045, the wear and tear on the roadway system add to maintenance

Efficient ●
ƒ 
Maintain
transportation
infrastructure in a
state of good repair
(Strategy 7.1)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  63

Newton, Sussex County

Efficient ●
„ 
Use technology to
improve transportation
operations (Strategy 7.7)

needs; however, the financing of this plan (Chapter 6) allocates sufficient resources
to maintain pavement in acceptable condition through 2045.
At the same time, NJTPA funds well-targeted investments to enhance and
improve the road network. Expanding or adding new roads is a limited option due
to high costs, environmental impacts, and the likelihood that capacity expansion
may provide only temporary congestion relief, inducing additional traffic over the
long term. After careful study, some expansions may be found justified, particularly,
those addressing critical “missing links,” such as the completion of access between
Interstate 278 and Route 1&9 in eastern Union County.
Another way to improve traffic flow and safety is to address highway and bridge
access bottlenecks. The Port Authority is looking to realign and extend the existing
George Washington Bridge high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane on I-95 by strengthening the shoulder lane to make it usable for this purpose. This improvement would
provide an uninterrupted trip for HOVs and buses approaching the bridge from U.S.
Route 46. It would also establish direct access for trucks and eliminate the need for
trucks to weave through passenger vehicles and an active bus stop in the Borough of
Fort Lee.
The NJTPA seeks many additional improvements to roads and intersections to speed traffic flow and allow them to operate more efficiently. This
includes removing bottlenecks, improving traffic signal controls and timing,
installing left turn lanes, creating modern roundabouts (see sidebar), controlling
road access (such as limiting driveways and curb cuts) and other strategies. In addition, new intelligent technologies, such as centrally controlled traffic signal systems
that respond to traffic levels and real time information to allow travelers to make
informed route or mode decisions, are increasingly important.
In recent years, the NJTPA and its partner agencies have also recognized the
need for roads—particularly those serving residential, downtown and commercial

64  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

areas—to better accommodate all modes and all users, including walkers and
cyclists and the young and old. This inclusive Complete Streets approach has garnered support from a growing number of communities (see sidebar next page).
Among the strategies consistent with Complete Streets are traffic calming measures, such as creating curb extensions at corners and traffic islands for pedestrians,
narrowing or converting auto lanes to create bike lanes, and upgrading crosswalks
and sidewalks. In downtown areas, these measures, combined with streetscaping,
public art, pedestrian malls and other amenities, can create distinctive public spaces
conducive to Transit Oriented Development—a particular focus of Together North
Jersey grants and pilot projects (see Together North Jersey p. 14).
Road diet, or lane reduction, concepts­—and other measures such as adding
signalized intersections, creating separate travel lanes for local traffic and
buses and improving parallel routes—can also be applied to create multimodal boulevards along corridors targeted for residential and retail growth, such as
along Route 440 in Jersey City. Also needed are signage upgrades, including wayfinding related to tourism—an important economic development strategy—and larger,
brighter signage to help older drivers.
However, much of the costs for these and other
potential road improvements fall to county and local
governments, which face serious budget constraints

Livable ● 
ƒ 
Design places that
meet the diverse needs
of people in all age
groups (Strategy 6.1)

Roundabouts

M

odern roundabouts are one key strategy
for making streets safer for all users.
  These roundabouts are smaller, safer
and more efficient than older traffic

circles. They reduce the speed of traffic and the number

Lincroft, Monmouth County

of potential points of conflict. The Federal Highway
Administration says modern roundabouts are one of the
most effective proven safety countermeasures.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation and
Federal Highway Administration are working together

These pilot projects, which are slated to be completed
within two years, will serve as models for future safety
improvements in the region.
Roundabouts reduce the types of crashes where

to implement modern roundabouts to reduce severe

people are seriously hurt or killed by about 80 percent

and fatal crashes. NJDOT offered federal Highway Safety

when compared to conventional intersections controlled

Improvement Program funding for one roundabout project

by stop signs or traffic signals, according to the AASHTO

in each county as part of a pilot program. The NJTPA Board

Highway Safety Manual. Roundabouts can address a variety

approved projects in six subregions in January 2017: Essex,

of safety concerns, such as helping to improve flow at a

Hunterdon, Monmouth, Morris and Passaic counties and

traditional four-way intersection or making it easier to

the City of Newark.

traverse a complex five-point crossing.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  65

Newark, Essex County

Complete Streets

C

omplete Streets are designed to safely

adoption and implementation of Complete Streets

accommodate all roadway users—

policies, including appropriate accommodation for freight

pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, transit

movement.

providers and freight movement where

Communities can implement Complete Streets in a

needed, including parcel deliveries and truck deliveries

variety of ways. Examples include installing wider sidewalks,

to local stores in mixed use locations. They help connect

narrowing traffic lanes to slow vehicles, adding bicycle

people with the places they want and need to go to,

lanes, adding dedicated bus lanes and constructing median

allowing them to access jobs, healthcare, education,

islands and additional crosswalks. Technical resources such

affordable healthy food and more. They also can improve

as the 2017 State of New Jersey Complete Streets Design

health by encouraging walking and cycling.

Guide are available to inform communities on design

The NJDOT adopted a Complete Streets policy in
2009, incorporating it into their greenhouse gas reduction

standards and best practices.
Research shows that investments in active

plan. As of late 2016, eight NJTPA subregions—Essex,

transportation infrastructure, like bicycle lanes and

Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Passaic and Somerset

sidewalks, can bolster local economies. When people feel

counties and the cities of Newark and Jersey City—

safe walking a street, they are more likely to patronize local

had adopted their own policies, as well as another 84

businesses. This makes walkable and bikeable downtowns

municipalities in the region. Statewide, eight counties and

more attractive to potential residents.

135 municipalities have policies. Some jurisdictions have

Together North Jersey supports Complete Streets

extensively implemented their policies, improving sidewalk

policies and implementation because they make

connectivity and street crossings, and striping bike lanes

transportation more safe, convenient and reliable.

or providing other bicycle accommodation. The NJTPA

Implementing Complete Streets policies requires public

encourages all counties and municipalities to consider

education and active consideration of changes to road
design.

66  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

maintaining existing road networks. While federal funding is available for some
improvements, and NJTPA has a number of programs available to assist counties
with the improvements, obtaining the funding involves following a complicated and
lengthy process to meet federal requirements.
In the NJTPA region, counties own more than 3,700 centerline miles (56 percent
of all county roads in the state). This represents 14.5 percent of all roadway miles
in the NJTPA region. Municipal roads constitute the largest share of the roadway
miles, at almost 20,000 miles or 76 percent of roads in the region. Beginning in
FY 2018, Local Aid to counties increased to $400 million per year (up from $190
million each year). However, counties and municipalities will continue to confront
a growing backlog of road projects. This plan supports expanded state funding for
county and local road and bridge needs.
The NJTPA also seeks to prepare roads for new vehicle technologies. In particular, support for electric vehicle charging stations will encourage greater use of
these vehicles, which reduces air pollution and greenhouse gases, a goal of resiliency
strategies. In the long term, hydrogen fueling infrastructure may be needed. The
NJTPA will continue to work with communities and organizations to encourage use
of alternate fuel vehicles. At the same time, roads must be adapted to provide the
communications infrastructure needed for connected and autonomous vehicles, as
discussed in this chapter’s technology section. These efforts will involve close coordination with companies that are leading the development of new vehicle technologies.
This plan also seeks to support the road network’s vital role in accommodating many thousands of bus trips each day through a variety of improvements akin
to those used for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). To facilitate bus travel, project designs
can incorporate bus pull-outs, park-and-ride access and other features. In addition,
bus travel can be enhanced by “bus on shoulder” operations as seen in Middlesex
County along Route 9 and under study on Route 1. Bus signal priority makes for
faster bus trips that are more competitive with auto travel.
The road system also accommodates heavy truck volume. As discussed in the
freight section, improvement strategies can include partnerships with the private sector to shift truck deliveries to off-peak hours, helping lessen congestion and reduce
business costs. Plan 2045 supports these and other approaches to more efficient use
of roads by all modes and users.

Implementation

In the near- to mid-term, the region can expect to see significant progress
in addressing its maintenance needs and reducing road project backlogs.
Through 2045, it is anticipated that approximately $22 billion will be
invested in preserving, repairing and reconstructing the road network. This represents approximately 17 percent of all investment, in accordance with the RCIS,
discussed in more detail in Chapter 4.
There are several larger roadway improvement projects included in Plan 2045 in
the near to mid-term, as follows:
▰ Route 3, Route 46, Valley Road and Notch/Rifle Camp Road Interchange,
Contract B, Passaic County, $136 million. Construction in 2019
▰ Route 80, WB Rockfall Mitigation, Warren County, $59 million. Construction
in 2020

Efficient ●
ƒ 
Maintain
transportation
infrastructure in a
state of good repair
(Strategy 7.1)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  67

Phillipsburg, Warren County

▰ Route 34, CR 537 to Washington Avenue Pavement, Monmouth County,

$90 million. Construction in 2025
▰ Route 9, Indian Head Road to Central Avenue/Hurley Avenue Pavement, Ocean
County, $53 million. Construction in 2019
▰ Route 3 and Route 495 Interchange, Hudson County, $53 million. Construction
in 2026
▰ Route 80, Route 15 Interchange, Morris County, $64 million. Construction in 2022
▰ Route 7, Kearny, Drainage Improvements, Hudson County, $81 million.
Construction in 2020
▰ Route 1&9 Interchange at Route I-278, Union County, $65 million. Construction
in 2019
▰ Route 206 Projects, Somerset County, $438 million. Construction in 2018
NJDOT management systems, which help guide road and bridge maintenance,
and the use of performance measures discussed in Chapter 4, will help identify
cost-effective projects to enhance or expand roads and other infrastructure. These
projects will implement the numerous strategies identified above—intersection
upgrades, improved access management, centralized traffic signals, connected vehicle technologies and more.

68  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

The projects will be developed, evaluated and funded through the NJTPA planning and capital programming process, which will include continued cooperation
between the NJTPA and its partner agencies to streamline project delivery and make
more cost-effective use of available funding.
Project development will be guided by the principles in the RCIS, including
advancing Complete Streets, supporting resiliency to potential natural and
man-made disasters, facilitating freight movement, supporting regional
transit and making travel safer for all users, including bicyclists and pedestrians (see
Chapter 4).

Livable ● 
ƒ 
Design places that
meet the diverse needs
of people in all age
groups (Strategy 6.1)

BRIDGES
Needs & Strategies

Repair and replacement of bridges still requires a large share of available funding,
ranging from 20 to 30 percent per year. The RCIS goal is for a 20 percent allocation over the life of the plan, with the amount falling as the most critical needs are
addressed. This funding is used to maintain the region’s nearly 4,800 bridges, large
and small. Many bridges were built decades ago. Each year, many come due for

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  69

Pulsaki Skyway between
Jersey City, Hudson County and
Newark, Essex County

Efficient ●
„ 
Maintain
transportation
infrastructure in a
state of good repair
(Strategy 7.1)

repair, improvement or replacement, and others must be continually maintained.
Responsibility for this work falls mostly to the State or county governments, which
have jurisdiction over most bridges (Table 5-2). The Bridge Management System,
administered by NJDOT in coordination with the NJTPA, helps prioritize these
projects by systematically assessing bridge conditions, life cycle costs and other
factors.
About 26.2 percent of the region’s bridges under the jurisdiction of NJDOT
(Table 5-3) are functionally obsolete, which means they do not meet current design
standards for clearance, lane and shoulder width, and/or road geometry. Another
8.6 percent are structurally deficient, meaning their deck or bridge structure is deteriorated (though such bridges may remain safe to use for many years). Investments
made since 2012 have maintained and slightly improved the overall condition of the
region’s state-owned bridges, despite the yearly accrual of new repair and replacement needs.
In addition, NJ TRANSIT owns 525 rail bridges in the NJTPA region and 575
across all of New Jersey.
Investments in recent years have included work on several major NJDOT
bridges, totaling over $3 billion including the following, which are complete or nearing completion:
▰ Route 1 & 9, Pulaski Skyway, Essex / Hudson Counties, $1.5 billion
▰ Route 7, Wittpenn Bridge, Hudson County, $700 million
▰ Route 72, Manahawkin Bay Bridges, Ocean County, $331 million
▰ Route 280/Route 21 Interchange Improvements, City of Newark, $137 million
▰ Route 37, Mathis Bridge EB over Barnegat Bay, Ocean County, $79 million
▰ Route 495, Route 1 & 9/Paterson Plank Road Bridge, Hudson County,
$68 million

70  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Other major NJDOT bridges are slated for future repair or replacement, as
noted in the Implementation section below.
The region’s counties face growing costs for the more than 2,100 major bridges
and 4,100 county-owned minor bridges under their jurisdiction. Almost 200 major
bridges are structurally deficient and 450 are functionally obsolete. Approximately
600 minor bridges are also in need of repair or replacement. Meeting the region’s
existing county bridge basic repair needs is estimated to cost almost $650 million. This does not include resources needed for bridge replacement or associated approaches, and may be vastly under-estimated. The renewal of the State’s
Transportation Trust Fund in 2016 provided some help in meeting these needs. It
increased the statewide County Aid program to $400 million annually, more than
doubling the previous level of $190 million per year. Nevertheless, funding will need
to increase over the long term to meet growing needs.
For bigger, more expensive county bridge projects (and selected road projects),
the NJTPA’s Local Capital Delivery Program offers a means to access federal funding
for repair or replacement. Balanced with safety, multimodal, community and other
needs, maintaining the historic character of local bridges is a strong consideration
of this program. Initial competitive grants support concept development studies
in which counties and cities investigate all aspects of a potential project, including
environmental, right of way, access, design, and feasibility issues. During Fiscal Year
2017, nearly $3 million in funding was awarded for five such studies to investigate
options for replacing or rehabilitating aging bridges and a sixth to explore reconfiguring a busy corridor.
The next phase is typically the Preliminary Engineering phase, in which projects
are further developed and refined to a level of detail necessary to receive federal
environmental approval under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This
work enables a project to be considered for inclusion
in the NJTPA’s annual Transportation Improvement
Table 5-2:
Bridges in NJTPA Region by Ownership
Program (TIP).

Implementation

Maintaining and improving bridges is critical to
strengthening the region’s economy and providing safe
and convenient travel for people and goods.
In the near- to mid-term, this plan calls for continued efforts to reduce the backlog of needed bridge
investments and improve preventative maintenance.
These will help moderate future investment needs.
Additional costs savings may be realized through continued exploration of new materials, engineering techniques and project streamlining. These savings could
allow for additional funding for municipal and county
aid, expansion of the Local Capital Project Delivery
Program or similar programs.
Major bridges slated to be addressed over the next
several years include:

Bridge Owner

Quantity

Major County Bridges

1960

NJDOT

1720

NJ TRANSIT

153

City / Town

9

Turnpike

855

All Other

96

Total for NJTPA Region

4793

Source: NJDOT 2012 Bridge Management System

Table 5-3:
NJDOT-owned Bridges in the NJTPA Region
NJDOT Bridge Conditions

2012

2015

Not Deficient or Obsolete

64.8%

65.2%

Structurally Deficient

9.2%

8.6%

Functionally Obsolete

26.0%

26.2%

Source: NJDOT 2012 and 2015 Pavement Management System

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  71

▰ Route 80 WB, 8-mile corridor with multiple bridges between McBride Avenue

Resilient● 
„ 
Adapt infrastructure
to be resilient to extreme
weather events and to
the impacts of climate
change (Strategy 10.2)

(CR 639) and Polify Road (CR 55), Bergen / Passaic Counties, $340 million.
Construction in 2022
▰ Route 3, EB, Bridge over Hackensack River and Meadowlands Parkway, Bergen /
Hudson Counties, $90 million. Construction in 2023
▰ Route 4, Hackensack River Bridge, Bergen County, $84 million. Construction in
2025
▰ Route 80, Bridge over Passaic River, River View Drive, and McBride Avenue,
Passaic County, $61 million. Construction in 2022
▰ Rumson Road over the Shrewsbury River, CR 520, Monmouth County, $66 million. Construction in 2020
In the long term, new funding will be needed to meet the demands of an
ever-growing population and economy and the wear from increased travel
and goods movement. The impacts of climate change are a critical concern
as bridges are particularly vulnerable to storms and flooding even as they are needed
for evacuation and movement of critical supplies in an emergency. Funding should
be prioritized to improve resiliency of the region’s bridges. Bridge repair or replacement projects must address resiliency concerns in design and engineering.

72  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

TRANSIT
Needs & Strategies

Newark, Essex County

Every weekday, travelers make more than 928,000 trips on the region’s extensive
public transportation system. Transit contributes greatly to the region’s quality of
life and provides essential travel options, particularly for the disabled and those
without cars. Transit usage diverts thousands of trips from roads, helping reduce
congestion, safeguard air quality and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The NJTPA seeks to support the RCIS Principle to “Expand Public Transit” by
supporting investment to improve the transit network and expand services to new
markets while ensuring that transit service continues to be provided at robust levels
to existing markets, as demand warrants. Plan 2045 calls for continuing strategic
investment to make transit a viable alternative for an increasing share of residents.
The current funding priorities are maintaining the system in a state of good
repair and operating it in a safe and secure manner. This includes replacing
buses, railcars and locomotives as they age, as well as attending to more than
600 rail bridges, 500-plus miles of track, signal systems, stations, and other infrastructure. The Transit Needs Appendix provides details of the region’s long-term
transit investment priorities. Among the key needs and strategies are the following:

Efficient ●
ƒ 
Enhance and improve
existing public and
private transit services
(Strategy 7.4)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  73

Efficient ●
„ 
Maintain
transportation
infrastructure in a
state of good repair
(Strategy 7.1)
„ 
Increase transit system
capacity at strategic
locations (Strategy 7.5)

Efficient ●
„ 
Use technology to
improve transportation
operations (Strategy 7.7)

Jersey City, Hudson County

The Hudson Tunnel Project/Gateway Program  The highest priority transit rail project is constructing a new trans-Hudson tunnel to maintain the
current level of service while repairs are made to the existing century-old
tunnel. There are also plans to replace the Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack
River, which carries about 450 trains a day from Newark to New York Penn
Station. In addition, the Hudson Yards Right-of-Way Preservation Project/Concrete
Casing Section No. 3 would complete protective ROW construction beneath ongoing West Midtown development.
Amtrak’s larger Gateway Program, which will provide additional capacity, reliability and resiliency improvements, as well as expansion of New York Penn Station,
is a longer-term priority. It will be needed to meet the expected 31 percent increase
in rail ridership by 2045 (see Trans-Hudson Travel p. 58). Additional capacity gained through the Gateway program is necessary for trans-Hudson services
increases, such as institution of the one seat ride to New York City on the Raritan
Valley line, which would also likely require additional investments in New Jersey.
Other Commuter Rail Needs—The region also needs to invest in technology to improve safety and efficiency, such as Positive Train Control (PTC) and
bus signal priority, as well as improvements to the rail system, including
the Midline Loop near the Jersey Avenue station on the Northeast Corridor, track
improvements along the Northeast Corridor, adding tracks to other heavily used
lines, upgrading signals and upgrading stations to ADA standards.
Future forecasts anticipate continued growth in demand, and indicate that
existing train volumes will need to be supplemented through the selective (re)introduction of capacity in the core rail system to enable increased levels of rail service.
Investments now being made in projects such as County Yard on the Northeast
Corridor or the pocket track in Summit on the Morris & Essex Line are examples of
what will be needed as rail service is increased.
The Hunter Flyover is among the new connections needed. It would enable
eastbound Raritan Valley trains to travel from the Lehigh Line to the Northeast
Corridor eastbound tracks without crossing at-grade in front of other westbound
trains. The current eastbound train movement at-grade slows train services and
reduces the Northeast Corridor’s capacity south of Newark Penn Station. Amtrak’s
plans for more intercity and faster train services require the
elimination of this at-grade crossing. NJ TRANSIT also needs
to add trains on the Northeast Corridor to accommodate the
projected growth in ridership on that line.
Light Rail—The region has two light rail systems: the Hudson
Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) and the Newark Light Rail. Each
system requires ongoing maintenance, and two proposed
extensions to the HBLR line will require a major capital investment. The first is a .7-mile elevated extension across Route
440 in Jersey City to connect to a large mixed-use brownfield
redevelopment project underway along the Hackensack River
waterfront. The other project is the Northern Branch, which
would extend the line from its terminus in North Bergen,

74  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Hudson County, through four communities into Englewood in Bergen County. NJ
TRANSIT has taken steps to increase capacity on the existing lines, by purchasing
larger vehicles. However, as the system grows and capacity is added, maintenance
and train storage facilities may need to be expanded.

Hoboken, Hudson County

PATH—The PATH system, operated by the Port Authority of NY & NJ, has seen
more riders in recent years. This growing ridership is expected to continue in coming
decades. In response, the Port Authority is replacing the PATH signal system, allowing trains to safely run closer together, improving stations, upgrading power substations and considering a possible extension to Newark Liberty International Airport.
New development in the Journal Square and Grove Street station areas in Jersey
City is pointing to the need to expand PATH station and fleet capacity to meet new
demand.
Resiliency—Both NJ TRANSIT and the Port Authority have committed to improving the resiliency of their systems to prevent future damage and to prepare for
possible future extreme weather events and security threats. This includes significant
new investments in a series of hardening projects such as new rail vehicle storage,
upgraded power systems, maintenance facilities, emergency control centers, security
improvements and signal and communications systems resilience upgrades.
Bus Upgrades—About two-thirds of transit trips are made on buses.
NJ TRANSIT and private companies provide intra-state and interstate services. There will be an ongoing need for additional bus garages and layover
locations to meet projected future transit demand. The Port Authority Bus Terminal in
midtown Manhattan is the largest in the nation—and busiest in the world. It served
more than 66 million passenger trips in 2014. The Port Authority recognizes that

Efficient ●
ƒ 
Increase transit
system capacity at
strategic locations
(Strategy 7.5)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  75

the terminal has become functionally obsolete and needs to be replaced to accommodate growing demand. The agency included $3.5 billion in funding in its 20172027 Capital Plan to begin the process of designing and ultimately constructing a
replacement facility. The Port Authority recently completed extensive renovations of
its George Washington Bridge Bus Station.
Also important is investment in bus terminals and facilities in New Jersey.
NJ TRANSIT is partnering with the City of Passaic and Passaic County to implement a new bus terminal in downtown Passaic. NJ TRANSIT, Passaic County
and the City of Passaic successfully partnered to win a competitive Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) grant to relocate and improve the existing bus facility. Other
terminals, such as the Journal Square Transportation Center, one of the busiest bus
terminals in the country, provide critical local and regional service (through transfer
to the PATH system).
Other Bus Investments—NJ TRANSIT continues to explore BRT services, which
offer speed and efficiency similar to light rail but at lower costs. Bus system
improvements include implementing bus signal priority, allowing buses to use shoulder lanes, and other efficiencies. The NJTPA has worked closely with NJ TRANSIT
to examine potential BRT applications and other bus enhancement. Investments in
alternative fuel vehicles, “smart bus” technologies and improved traveler information (on both bus and rail systems) are also needed.
Operating Funding—Although transit ridership is expected to continue growing,
capital funding for expanding the bus and rail system is very limited in both the
short and long term. NJ TRANSIT also faces constraints on its operating budget.
There is a critical need for stable operating resources to supplement fare box collections and existing operating subsidies, as discussed in Chapter 6.

Efficient ●
„ 
Enhance and improve
existing public and
private transit services
(Strategy 7.4)

Livable ●
„ 
Locate development
in areas that are
walkable, bikeable, and
accessible by public
transit (Strategy 6.4)

Private bus carriers—Several carriers such as Academy, Lakeland, TransBridge, DeCamp and Coach USA provide critical long-haul transit service
from Monmouth, Somerset, Morris, Bergen Sussex, Hunterdon and Ocean
counties to Newark, Jersey City and New York City. There is continued need to
identify park and ride opportunities for their passengers, as well as bus storage facilities close to the urban core. Other private operators use smaller bus vehicles commonly known as jitneys that supplement NJ TRANSIT service primarily in Bergen,
Hudson and Passaic counties, mainly providing service to New York City. Local and
state government must continue efforts to insure safe and responsible jitney operations that supplement but do not compete with NJ TRANSIT.
Ferries—Private ferries operated by NY Waterway, Seastreak and Liberty
Landing Ferry link Bergen, Hudson and Monmouth counties with New
York City. Ferries have proven to be critical linkages during disruptions to
the transit and road networks—seen most dramatically in the days after September
11, 2001. Some ferry services include convenient shuttle bus connections on both
sides of the river. There is a continued need for support for ferry terminals and landside access. The NJTPA supports efforts to facilitate multi-modal access to bus stops
and ferry terminals through improved access for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well

76  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

as through transit-supportive land use near ferry terminals. The NJTPA completed
an Inventory and Assessment of Waterborne Transportation Resources in December
2016, which identified several opportunity sites for future passenger and freight
waterborne transportation across the region.
Transit Access—The NJTPA encourages and supports measures that make
it easier for travelers to access transit to connect to a wide range of destinations in the region and beyond. Such an intermodal system encourages
people to use transit for a part or all of their trips. Methods for accomplishing
this that must be explored include: expanding park-and-rides and developing new
transit hubs; supporting local shuttles and last-mile connection services; encouraging expansion of bicycle and pedestrian access to transit, and accommodations at
stations; implementing seamless and user-friendly fare integration across modes,
systems and carriers; facilitating automated and off-board fare collection and
expanding real-time transit information for riders; and supporting Transportation
Management Associations, which provide a host of transit access programs and
services (see Transportation Demand Management section). Some Transportation
Management Associations are exploring partnerships with ride-hailing services such
as Uber or Lyft as flexible last mile connections.

Livable ●
ƒ 
Locate development
in areas that are
walkable, bikeable, and
accessible by public
transit (Strategy 6.4)

Implementation

North Jersey’s transit system faces the difficult challenge of maintaining a state of
good repair on its extensive, heavily used existing infrastructure while also expanding capacity to prepare for anticipated growing ridership. To do so, the NJTPA and
its partners over the long term must address the need for sufficient funding to support expanded capital investments and operations. Notably this includes the need
for additional trans-Hudson rail capacity, which must be addressed cooperatively by
New York, New Jersey, Amtrak and federal partners.
There are numerous proposals to expand rail capacity, but funding has not
been fully identified. While some studies have been completed, some of these projects need further assessment before moving forward to determine their feasibility
and potential for attracting the ridership needed to sustain operations. The project
index at the back of this plan includes several rail expansions, such as the previously
mentioned extensions of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail, which
are recommended for implementation as funding becomes
available.
Expansion of the rail system must be accompanied
by transit-supportive land use measures. This includes
creating walkable neighborhoods that can support
development near train stations and bus hubs. Together North
Jersey promotes transit-oriented development and transit-supportive development and encourages local officials, planning
boards and developers to support mixed-use developments
around rail and bus transit. Such developments can foster
job growth, bolster the local economy and support public
transit by providing enough riders to fiscally sustain services
The NJTPA’s Planning for Emerging Centers program offers

Livable ●
ƒ 
Locate development
in areas that are
walkable, bikeable, and
accessible by public
transit (Strategy 6.4)
Hoboken, Hudson County

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  77

„ 
Efficient ●
Use technology to improve
transportation operations
(Strategy 7.7)
competitive grants for technical assistance to support municipalities in creating more
sustainable, transit-supportive and walkable communities.
The NJTPA is also committed to investing capital and planning funds that support improved access to and sustainable land use development around PATH, ferry
and private bus carrier facilities. Public sector capital investments in ferry terminals,
vessels and supporting facilities should be considered over the long term to ensure
their viability to meet daily travel needs, as well as the need for redundant services
when other trans-Hudson transportation service is disrupted.
While the advent of automated vehicles over the next decade is expected to
provide new options for personal (non-transit) travel, it may also offer opportunities
for new feeder systems for transit in low density areas—possibly even through automated, on-demand bus circulation systems. The NJTPA, working with NJ TRANSIT
and other partners, must assess the development and potential of future vehicle
technologies to ensure wide public benefits.

78  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY
Needs and Strategies

Union County

Transportation technology is poised to dramatically alter transportation in the
region. Self-driving and connected vehicles, new freight systems built around 3-D
printing, changes in how people work and much more (see chapter 2) will affect
the future of travel. There is great uncertainty about just when and how potentially
transformative technologies will arise.
Yet many recent technology advances are already offering great benefit to the
region. In particular, technologies collectively known as Intelligent Transportation
Systems (ITS) are making the existing transportation system more efficient. These
include centralized traffic signal systems that adapt to traffic flows; variable message
signs to direct travelers; systems to coordinate incident management to clear crashes
and incidents more quickly; integration of transit fares through smart cards; and the
use of real-time data to inform travelers, manage road and transit systems and assess
facility operational needs.
The NJTPA and its partner agencies are actively coordinating the adoption
and application of these and other ITS systems as a means to make more
efficient use of existing capacity and improve safety. One key initiative

Efficient ●
ƒ 
Use technology to
improve transportation
operations (Strategy 7.7)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  79

Livable ●
„ 
Use public investment
programs to create,
connect and strengthen
access to opportunity
(Strategy 8AB.3)

is the joint development and updating of an ITS guidance document called The
Connected Corridor. It includes technology standards and protocols—called the state
ITS architecture—and addresses strategies for improved management of transportation systems and their operation. The Connected Corridor and other efforts to
advance ITS must continue and broaden in coming years to keep pace with the
expected acceleration in technology development.
The application of ITS must also be coordinated and integrated with
wider technology systems. A growing number of cities, including Newark
and Paterson, are beginning to implement “Smart City” programs that
use technology to better manage and operate key civic functions including public
safety, health care, public services, water, sewer systems and more. Transportation
is integral to connecting all elements of Smart Cities, becoming part of the so-called
“internet of things,” in which people increasingly interact with connected machines
on a daily basis. If managed effectively, this will open many new opportunities for
realize the livability, accessibility and other goals embodied in the Together North
Jersey plan.
However, achieving effective use of technology will not solely be a responsibility
of public agencies. Many ITS and Smart City technology systems are under development by private companies and are being looked to as the foundation for profitable
new industries. Public-private partnerships will play an important role in ensuring
investments are coordinated and equitably serve all segments of the population.
Ultimately, new legal and policy frameworks must be put in place to ensure that the
deployment of the most advanced technologies—including autonomous vehicles—
serves the public interest. Of concern is not only investments in infrastructure and
physical systems but the management, ownership and use of vast amounts of data
generated by and required for the operation of many technologies. The NJTPA and
MPOs around the country will play an important role serving as data repositories,
assessing technology advances, and coordinating public and private interests in
addressing emerging issues.

JEFF SWENSEN / GETTY IMAGES

Implementation

The region invests capital funds through the TIP each year in ITS-related projects
and programs in keeping with the 4 percent investment target in the RCIS (see
chapter 4). The region must be prepared to increase these
investments as technologies advance. This includes upgrading infrastructure to accommodate autonomous or connected
vehicles (which, among other features, depend on data from
beacons and other wired roadway elements). Transit vehicles
and operations must also be upgraded for new systems.
As noted, public-private partnership must be pursued
where feasible to share costs and speed implementation of
needed investments. In all ITS deployments, designers and
operators must take measures to ensure cyber security and
resilience to weather and unforeseen emergencies.
In addition to capital investments, among the key measures
the NJTPA will pursue over the life of this plan for effectively
implementing ITS are the following:

80  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Updating ITS architecture  As noted, the Connected Corridor will be an ongoing
effort to ensure all public agencies in the state coordinate technology standards and
deployment.
Planning tools and data  The NJTPA will work with its subregions, partner
agencies, the private sector and other MPOs and organizations nationally
to make effective use of the large volume of real-time data being generated
about transportation system conditions and operations. Tools using the data will
assist in providing traveler information, measuring system performance, planning
investments and other applications.
Corridor Management  NJTPA will cooperate with subregions and partner agencies
in assessing needs along major corridors and applying technologies to aid operations. Integrated Corridor Management projects, some in cooperation with New
York transportation agencies, will be supported.

Secaucus, Hudson County

Efficient ●
ƒ 
Expand the use of
innovative planning
tools that promote
smart development
(Strategy 5.4)

Incident management  NJTPA will continue to work with other agencies, principally
TRANSCOM, a coalition of the 16 major traffic, transit and public safety agencies
in the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut region, to improve the region’s ability to
detect, respond to, and clear traffic incidents to improve traffic flow and highway
safety.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  81

Competitive●
„ 
Leverage the region’s
role as a major freight
distribution hub
(Strategy 3.2)

FREIGHT
Needs & Strategies

The region’s good movement system is an integrated multimodal network of
roads, freight rail lines and terminals, port facilities, air cargo facilities, and
warehouses/distribution centers. The region’s role as a freight hub for the
northeastern United States is a key advantage in retaining and attracting businesses,
and in supporting the region’s overall economy.
But leveraging this key competitive asset, as called for in the Together North
Jersey plan, requires addressing a host of freight infrastructure needs and issues. In
particular, the region must make investments in and optimize the operations of the
following modes and facilities:
Truck movements  Both long distance and local truck trips are particularly important as nearly all freight moves via truck for at least part of its journey. Five of the
six major truck corridors in the state are located in North Jersey—the New Jersey
Turnpike, I-78, I-80, I-287 and NJ 17. With overall freight volumes in the region
expected to grow by 40 percent through 2045, the busiest roads will see even higher
truck volumes. Pavement and bridges along key trucking routes must be maintained

82  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

to meet these demands and to ensure safe, efficient truck travel. In addition, highway improvements must be supported that could improve truck flow, such as separating trucks from general purpose lanes where applicable. Over the next decade,
autonomous trucks and platooning technology will require careful planning and
oversight.
Local roads are also vital. They are often the only available connections between
freight facilities and major highways. To enhance access to all port and airport facilities, improvements on these local connector roads are needed. These include turning lanes, increased bridge clearance, upgraded pavement, improved signal timing,
improved and enhanced rail access, and upgraded intermodal transfer facilities.
For example, the Port Authority’s proposed Port Street and Corbin Street
Improvement Project could significantly improve the only northern access points
in the regional roadway system connecting to the Port Newark/Elizabeth Marine
Terminal, the largest container-handling complex in the bi-state harbor. It could
improve traffic safety and travel time and reduce congestion and terminal-related
intermodal truck queuing. The project also would incorporate ITS technology to
reduce congestion and improve the safety of the port’s roads.

Port Newark, Essex County

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  83

Engelwood, Bergen County

Efficient ●
„ 
Adopt and implement
“Complete Street”
policies (Strategy 7.2)

Competitive●
„ 
Leverage the region’s
role as a major freight
distribution hub
(Strategy 3.2)

Efficient ●

Working to ensure that local roads accommodate appropriate locally focused
freight needs in a way that is safe for all users—particularly in residential
neighborhoods—is a priority of the NJTPA and vital for the continued
economic growth of the region. Where possible, freight facilities (and ancillary users
of heavy freight such as industry and warehousing) should be located proximate to
major roadways and designated truck routes.
Another important need is for additional secure parking facilities for truck
drivers—primarily to accommodate overnight parking to meet federal driver rest
requirements. Without adequate parking, trucks park on highway shoulders creating
a serious safety hazard.
The Port District  This district encompasses publicly owned Port Authority
facilities as well as privately owned marine terminals. The completion of
the project to increase clearance under the Bayonne Bridge, together with
cooperation between the public sector and private freight companies to improve
on-dock rail yards, express rail, chassis handing and other operations, will ensure
the port’s long-term viability. This includes providing and maintaining adequate
channel depth and landside road and rail infrastructure to support larger ships that
are passing through the expanded Panama Canal and are capable of carrying nearly
three times the amount of cargo as older vessels. Over the long term, the region will
need expanded port capacity and waterside sites to handle the projected increase in
freight and port activity. Expanded capacity should also include short-sea shipping
lines, which have the potential to remove trucks from regional roads.

„ 
Prioritize brownfields
for redevelopment
(Strategy 5.3)

84  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Warehouse and distribution center  Development of these facilities has
intensified throughout the region, including construction in existing clusters
and in-fill locations in more urbanized areas. Brownfield redevelopment

presents a great opportunity to locate distribution centers closer to the region’s core
thereby minimizing the miles traveled by trucks. Additionally, with vacancy rates at
all-time lows and lease rates increasing, redeveloping brownfield sites may be an
economically viable way to meet the need for more distribution facilities. In addition,
improved truck traffic management, off-peak delivery and truck parking must be
explored to accommodate these changing patterns. Communities throughout the region
must advance best practices in truck management, support needed truck parking
and find balanced approaches to accommodate off-peak delivery as part of complete
streets programs as deliveries and warehouses increasingly become 24/7 activities.
Freight rail  The freight rail system faces capacity constraints and issues related
to legacy infrastructure. Capacity constraints include the shared passenger/freight
service segment of the Lehigh Line and North-South rail connectivity. Legacy infrastructure physical constraints are most evident in the movement of freight rail industry national standard rail cars with Plate “F” dimensions (17 feet high and 10.5 feet
wide) and loaded car weights of up to 286,000 pounds. As discussed in the implementation section, the NJTPA is supporting efforts to address these operational and
physical constraints.
Air Cargo  Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is the region’s air cargo
hub. It hosts significant Federal Express and UPS facilities. There are many needs
associated with moving freight to and from EWR, including improved access to air
cargo facilities, improved connections between the air terminal and offsite warehouse and distribution centers and improved signage for freight-related access and
facilities.
Building on these and other existing freight assets is essential to support
and strengthen the region’s economy. Changes in the nature of freight
commerce stemming from technology and growth of e-commerce represent
major challenges and uncertainties for the future. Technologies that will greatly
impact freight systems include truck platooning, autonomous vehicles, 3-D-printing
and more (see Chapter 3). As with other aspects of the regional transportation network, resiliency must continue to be addressed in all freight investment. The NJTPA
and its partner agencies must work closely with the private
sector to accommodate the changes and safeguard the region’s
freight assets.

Efficient ●
ƒ 
Use technology to
improve transportation
operations (Strategy 7.7)
Bayonne, Hudson County

Implementation

The NJTPA’s efforts to address freight needs and implement the
strategies discussed above are overseen by the NJTPA Freight
Initiatives Committee (FIC), composed of local elected officials
and agency representatives from the NJTPA Board. The committee’s bimonthly meetings serve as a forum for discussion of
regional freight issues.
Important guidance for the FIC and NJTPA’s ongoing
freight planning is provided by the New Jersey Statewide
Freight Plan, a federally required document, developed by a

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  85

Competitive●
„ 
Connect regional
priorities/strategies.
(Strategy 3.4)

Efficient ●
„ 
Use technology to
improve transportation
operations (Strategy 7.7)

wide range of partner agencies in the state, with input from the private sector and
other interests. It was finalized in fall 2017 and addresses the full range of freight
issues facing the state and region.
The NJTPA continues to expand its freight planning efforts. This includes
supporting the work of its subregions. One key effort is the NJTPA’s Freight
Rail Industrial Opportunity (FRIO) Corridors Program, which focuses on systematically identifying and addressing impediments to national standard (286,000
pound, Plate F) rail freight car access and physical constraints. Another initiative
is the Freight Concept Development program, which investigates project concepts
for eventual funding. Activities include data collection, community outreach, development of potential alternatives to address identified problems and selection of a
preferred alternative and a National Environmental Policy Act classification.
Freight is integral to all aspects of the region’s economy and is considered in all transportation planning and investment decision making at the
NJTPA. In particular, The Connected Corridor document, discussed in the
technology section, will seek to support the application of new and existing technology to improve freight flow, operations, safety and security. Freight issues will also
be important to resiliency efforts discussed in this chapter to sustain supply chains

86  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

through major disruptive event. Safety planning must consider reducing crashes
involving trucks and ensure that both autos and trucks can move in a safe and efficient manner.

TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT
Needs & Strategies

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) encompasses a set of strategies that increase transportation system efficiency by emphasizing the
movement of people rather than vehicles. By promoting transportation
choices (including transit, carpooling, walking, and biking), enhancing connections
between transportation modes and providing travelers with comprehensive information, the volume of traffic on roadways can be reduced Reducing congestion can also
improve air quality and health and the system can become more resilient in the face of
short-term disruptions. These benefits keep the region competitive in attracting and
retaining employers and the high-quality workforce they rely on.

Secaucus, Hudson County

Livable ●
ƒ 
Improve health
outcomes for the region’s
residents (Focus Area 12)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  87

Efficient ●
„Enhance and improve
existing public and
improve transit services
(Strategy 7.4)

Efficient ●
„ 
Reduce ransportation
petroleum use
(Strategy 11.4)

Livable ●
„ 
Use public investment
programs to create,
connect and strengthen
access to opportunity
(Strategy 8B.3)
Asbury Park, Monmouth County

A particular focus of TDM strategies is improving access to the transit
system, including getting people to and from transit stations, bus stops
and park-and-rides—known as “first-mile” and “last-mile” connections.
Strategies include shuttle buses and accommodations for walking and biking.
Increasingly ride hailing services such as Uber or Lyft are being looked to as an
option for these connections, sometimes subsidized by employers or local governments, particularly for elderly and special needs populations, as discussed below.
The City of Summit partnered with Uber to launch the state’s first commuter ridesharing program. The program offers rides in lieu of parking to city residents with
commuter parking permits and subsidized rides to residents and visitors without
permits to address a parking shortage around the NJ TRANSIT station. Other TDM
strategies include facilitating car- and van-pools and promoting telecommuting,
flextime, pre-tax transit passes and other work-related policies. Carpool matching is
provided through a statewide website, njrideshare.com.
New Jersey’s eight Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) are
dedicated to advancing these and other TDM strategies by working with
local governments and companies throughout the region. TMAs also work
with residents to provide trip planning assistance, whether by transit, car, bike, or
walk; travel training on how to use the transit system for seniors and people with
disabilities; and a wide range of pedestrian and bicycle safety programs, including
the Street Smart pedestrian safety campaigns and Safe Routes to School. TMAs also
work with employers to promote teleworking, flextime, and other workplace policies
that reduce congestion. They also work with employers new to the NJTPA region or
relocating within the region to help their employees reduce their need to commute
alone.
Another focus of TDM strategies is helping address the special mobility challenges facing seniors, low-income people, veterans and people with
disabilities. Lack of the right systems, services and policies can make it
difficult for these populations to access employment, health care, education and
social support. The NJTPA and its partners throughout the region have prepared
a Regional Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan (CHSTP) that identifies transportation service priorities for meeting the needs of these residents. This
plan will help guide NJTPA’s long-term TDM priorities. Recommendations include
expanding and coordinating customer information sources,
providing travel training for customers and social service providers, investing in infrastructure for ADA and pedestrian accessibility, providing increased service to critical destinations like
Veterans Administration medical facilities and increasing night
and weekend hours for human service shuttles where feasible.
The plan will help advance the goals of USDOT’s Ladders of
Opportunity initiatives, a FAST Act emphasis on increased
access to essential services for all residents, particularly traditionally underserved communities.

88  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Implementation

Newton, Sussex County

Plan 2045 is committed to advancing TDM strategies through NJTPA planning
activities and programs. In particular, the NJTPA administers and coordinates the
statewide TMA program, and the agency will continue to support and promote
TMA work. In addition, NJTPA’s programs for supporting subregional planning
emphasize advancing mobility solutions that will improve system efficiency, including locally appropriate TDM strategies. Other support for TDM is provided through
NJTPA’s ongoing leadership in Together North Jersey, which lays the ground work
for community-based development that incorporates TDM strategies.
Funding support for shuttle buses is another focus. The NJTPA, in cooperation with NJ TRANSIT, provides federal Congestion Management and Air
Quality (CMAQ) funds for a variety of shuttle services across the region.
These shuttles play an important role for local mobility in locations that do not have
fixed-route, scheduled transit service, providing first mile and last mile connections.
Shuttles are operated by county and municipal agencies, non-profit organizations,
and by the TMAs. Continued efforts to explore use of ride-hailing services to supplement or replace shuttles and provide on-demand services should be pursued.
Exploring new mobility options will be important in meeting the recommendations of the Regional CHSTP, which, as discussed previously, seeks to address
the needs of seniors, low-income people, veterans, and people with disabilities. The
NJTPA will work with its partners to advance these recommendations.
It will also seek to coordinate TDM activities with initiatives to improve
transportation systems management and operations that employ Intelligent
Transportation Systems (ITS) to manage travel demand, as discussed elsewhere in
this chapter.

Livable ●
ƒ 
Use public investment
programs to create,
connect and strengthen
access to opportunity
(Strategy 8B.3)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  89

Red Bank, Monmouth County

SAFETY
Needs and Strategies

Transportation safety is among the NJTPA’s highest priorities. As part of the development of Plan 2045, the NJTPA Board added “Make Travel Safer” to the list of
broad goals guiding the NJTPA planning process (see NJTPA Goals p. 8). This goal
seeks to “Improve overall system safety, reducing serious injuries and fatalities for
all travelers on all modes.” To fulfill the goal, Plan 2045 commits to continuing
safety investments and support for safety programs in cooperation with partners
throughout the region.
But addressing safety issues presents great challenges. Transportation safety
involves a complex interaction of human behavior, technology, engineering, education and enforcement as well as the natural environment. And the stakes are high for
finding effective solutions. In addition to the tragic human toll of injuries and fatalities, crashes can cause disruptions and delays with far-reaching economic impacts.
Progress is being made. The region’s overall crash rates have been steadily
declining, even amid growth in both population and vehicle miles traveled.
However, crashes resulting in pedestrian injuries and fatalities make up a larger
share of the crashes that do occur. Distractions—notably from smart phone use—are

90  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

on the rise for drivers and pedestrians alike. Nationally, about 10 percent of fatalities can be attributed to distraction. As mentioned in Chapter 3, FHWA has classified New Jersey as a pedestrian “focus” state and the City of Newark a pedestrian
“focus” city because of the high rate of pedestrian fatalities and injuries. The state is
also a “focus” state for intersection crashes.
The strategies being pursued by NJTPA to improve safety include the following:
Improving Local Roads  Sixty percent of serious crashes and fatalities occur
on local county and municipal roads, according to the State’s Strategic
Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). The NJTPA helps subregions reduce crashes
on county and municipal roadways through the Local Safety Program, which uses federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding to support high-impact
safety improvements (map, next page). Since 2005, the NJTPA has allocated nearly
$100 million for motorist, bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements on local and
county roads including installation of upgraded traffic control and pedestrian countdown signals, new signage and crosswalks, reflective striping, and other measures.
To address crashes in rural areas, the NJTPA launched its High Risk Rural
Roads Program in 2009. Since then, the NJTPA has allocated more than $16 million

Efficient ●
ƒ 
Use New Jersey’s
Strategic Highway
Safety Plan to improve
transportation safety
(Strategy 7.6)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  91

Efficient ●

in federal funds to improve safety on crash-prone rural roads. Work supported
by this program includes skid-resistant surface treatments, guiderails, reflective
pavement markings, rumbles strips and advanced warning signs. The NJTPA also
provides planning support to its subregions to meet national standards for signage
and road safety and to conduct studies of corridors and high-crash locations. These
programs will continue and expand under Plan 2045.

„ 
Use New Jersey’s
Strategic Highway
Safety Plan to improve
transportation safety
(Strategy 7.6)
„ 

Adopt and implement
“Complete Streets”
policies (Strategy 7.2)

Livable ●
„ 
Create safe and
healthy buildings,

New Jersey’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan  The NJTPA and a broad
coalition of state agencies and safety stakeholders partnered with NJDOT
to develop this plan, which was completed in 2015. The plan used a datadriven approach to identify the following priority emphasis areas: lane departures,
aggressive driving, drowsy and distracted driving, intersections, mature drivers,
and pedestrians and bicycles. Infrastructure improvements prioritized in the SHSP
include rumble strips to reduce lane departure crashes; roundabouts and high visibility traffic signals to improve intersection safety, particularly for older drivers; traffic
calming or road diets to address aggressive driving and better accommodate pedestrians; and sidewalks or curb extensions to address pedestrian safety needs. The
Safety Plan guides all NJTPA safety planning efforts.

neighborhoods and
Pedestrian education and enforcement The Street Smart NJ pedestrian
safety education and enforcement campaign is supported by the NJTPA
in cooperation with the Transportation Management Associations, law
enforcement, community groups, local elected officials and schools. Participating
communities have grown to more than 60 in 2017. The campaign works to raise
awareness of pedestrian and motorist laws and change behaviors that cause crashes,
injuries and fatalities (see Street Smart NJ p. 95).

communities through
planning and design
(Strat 12.5)
„ 
Expand the use
of Crime Prevention

Youth safety  The NJTPA, in coordination with the NJTPA and other
MPOs in the state, administers the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program,
which allocates federal funds to enable and encourage children, including
those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school. The program
funds physical safety improvements (such as crosswalks) as well as
pedestrian and bicycle safety education for elementary school children.
The TMAs are instrumental in these educational efforts. Street Smart
NJ campaigns also include activities at schools and youth centers.

Through Environmental
Design (CPTED)
strategies (Strategy 12.6)
m&
Local Safety Progra
ds
High Risk Rural Roa
FY 2005–2018
Total Projects: 131
Program
Total Local Safety
on
Funding: $144.6 milli
l
Total High Risk Rura
ing:
Roads Program Fund
$19.6 million
FY

SUSSEX

PASSAIC
BERG EN

MORRIS
WARREN

ESSE X
Jersey City

Newa rk

HUDSON
UNIO N

2017-2018 Projects

See Detail Area

ts
Local Safety Projec
Projects
High Risk Rural Road

HUNTERDON

LEGE
ND
LEGEND
cts ral
cts
Proje
Projects
Past
Roadss Proje
Ru ral Road
High
RiskRu
HighRisk

SOMERSET
MIDD LESE X

Safety Projects

Local
cts
Safet
Projects
Local
SafetyyProje
Projects
Local
High Risk Rural Road
s
County Boundarie

MONMOU TH

Detail Area
DETAIL AREA

PASSAIC

PASSAIC

MORRIS

BERG EN

BERG EN

MORRIS
ESSEX

ESSE X

OCEA N

HUDS ON
Newark

Jersey City

HUDSON
UNIO N

Newa rk

Jersey City

92  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

0

2.5

5

10
Miles

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
(CPTED)  This is a set of principles and strategies that enable
inter-disciplinary community teams to reduce actual and perceived opportunities for criminal activity by integrating safety considerations into community planning and design. Together North Jersey
supported two CPTED initiatives, offering training to community
teams in Paterson and Newark that resulted in evaluations and recommendations for enhancing community safety, including potential
improvements to pedestrian and transit facilities. NJTPA will seek to
expand CPTED training opportunities to other communities.

System Security  In conjunction with safety programs, NJTPA will continue to work
with its partners to fund new strategies, technologies and projects that help prevent
and better prepare the region for possible security threats. NJTPA will also work to
advance projects that address transportation security; to disseminate information
on transportation security; to coordinate with state, county and local emergency
operations agencies; and to conduct transportation network analyses to determine
the most effective recovery investment strategies.

Asbury Park, Monmouth County

Implementation

The NJTPA is committed to the ongoing funding of transportation safety programs, projects, studies and educational campaigns that make transportation safer
for all users. The RCIS includes investment principles to “Make Travel Safer” and
“Support Walking and Bicycling” (see Chapter 4) and calls for NJTPA to allocate
approximately 3 percent of overall spending to direct safety improvements, while
also fully incorporating safety enhancements in other investments. Safe travel,
particularly for walking and biking, are key components of making the region more
livable and resilient.
In making safety investments and implementing the safety strategies discussed
above, the NJTPA will seek to:
▰ Expand the capabilities of county and local governments to develop and implement projects through the Local Safety and High Risk Rural Roads programs.
▰ Follow the recommended priority improvements identified in New Jersey’s
Strategic Highway Safety Plan
▰  Reduce the region’s high rate of pedestrian injuries and fatalities,
 including by continually recruiting and expanding regional partners in the Street
Smart NJ pedestrian safety campaign and related initiatives to improve education
and enforcement.

Efficient ●
ƒ 
Use New Jersey’s
Strategic Highway
Safety Plan to improve
transportation safety
(Strategy 7.6)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  93

Sparta, Sussex County

Efficient ●
„ 
Use technology to
improve transportation
operations (Strategy 7.7)

▰ Encourage and support implementation of Complete Streets policies (see sidebar

p. 66)
▰ Integrate safety analysis and design considerations into project concept development studies, subregional planning and TMA work programs.
▰ Encourage and support safety-related planning through Together North Jersey
initiatives including CPTED and other efforts involving arts, housing and other
areas.
▰ Consider freight movement in safety planning studies and programs, including
addressing the need for additional truck parking, safeguards at railroad crossings
and measures to reduce auto-truck conflicts.
▰ Take advantage of the latest technologies to enhance transportation
safety, including working with the private
 sector to ensure new technologies (including autonomous vehicles)
  adequately address public safety.
In all these implementation efforts, the NJTPA will work to bolster its ability to
monitor and analyze safety conditions on the transportation system. This will allow
it to better fine tune its programs and ensure investments are cost-effective. Already,
the NJTPA and its partners collect and make extensive use of crash and other safety
data in developing and evaluating Street Smart NJ campaigns, Local Safety/High
Risk Rural Roads programs and other efforts. This data-oriented approach to safety
is becoming more systematic now that federal requirements for safety performance
measures have been implemented.
FHWA recently established five national performance measures for the purpose
of carrying out the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and for State
DOTs and MPOs to use in assessing serious injuries and fatalities, and are discussed
in the sidebar.

94  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Street Smart

P

edestrian safety has become a growing

The campaign has five core messages. Motorists are

concern not only in New Jersey, but across

told to Stop for Pedestrians and Obey Speed Limits, while

the country. The number of pedestrians

pedestrians are reminded to Wait for the Walk and Use

killed in vehicle crashes in the United

Crosswalks. A fifth message, Heads Up, Phones Down,

States jumped 11 percent to nearly 6,000 in 2016, according

encourages both motorists and pedestrians to avoid

to the Governors Highway Safety Association. And traffic

distractions.

deaths overall—including drivers and passengers—were up

The campaign uses street signs, posters, banners,

6 percent nationwide that year, according to the National

safety tip cards, coasters, cup sleeves and other materials,

Safety Council.

along with advertising and social media to encourage

The FHWA has designated New Jersey a pedestrian
safety focus state and Newark as a focus city due to high
rates of pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
Engineering—like the NJTPA’s Local Safety and High

pedestrians and motorists to practice these safe behaviors.
Street Smart NJ has proven successful. An analysis of
pre- and post-campaign data in 2016 found a 28 percent
reduction in pedestrians jaywalking or crossing against the

Risk Rural Roads Program—and enforcement can make

signal and a 40 percent reduction in drivers failing to yield

roads safer for all users, but education is also critical. The

to crossing pedestrians or cyclists.

NJTPA’s Street Smart NJ campaign, first piloted in 2013,
is a public education, awareness and behavioral change

Morristown, Morris County

campaign focused on pedestrian safety. It complements
law enforcement efforts in communities throughout New
Jersey. Since its inception, more than 60 communities have
participated in Street Smart NJ, with the goal of increasing
that number to 100 in the coming years.

Toward Zero Deaths

E

ach year, hundreds of people die in crashes

if the right mix of leadership, policies, engineering

on New Jersey’s roads. The state’s Strategic

improvements, education and enforcement are applied

Highway Safety Plan adopted a “Towards

together. In 2016, the National Safety Council, the National

Zero Deaths” approach to safety, which

Highway Traffic Safety Administration, FHWA and the

states that even one traffic-related death is unacceptable.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced

USDOT promotes a “Toward Zero Deaths” approach, while

their partnership in the “Road to Zero” initiative, which

New York City, Boston and other cities have adopted

aims to eliminate traffic fatalities within 30 years. The

“Vision Zero.”

“Road to Zero” partnership expands beyond transportation

The idea of “zero deaths” may seem highly ambitious,
but it is based on the idea that all crashes are preventable

agencies to include non-profit groups and technology
companies in this coordinated approach to highway safety.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  95

Newark, Essex County

These safety measure target-setting efforts, together with technologies providing
new sources of real time data, will allow NJTPA its regional partners to continue the
progress being made ensuring a safe and reliable transportation network for all users.

BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN SAFETY & CONNECTIVITY
Needs and Strategies

Walking and biking are integral to regional mobility and contribute to quality of life,
economic vitality, healthy living and environmental protection. The NJTPA continues to make increasing the share of walking or bicycling trips a priority, as reflected
in the RCIS Investment Principle to “Support Walking and Biking.”
Less than 4 percent of work trips and only 10 percent of non-work trips in the
region are made by foot or bicycle. This varies significantly around the region. For
example, 9 percent of work trips in Hudson County are made by cycling or walking,
while only 1 percent of people in more rural areas like Sussex County walk or bike
to work.
Walking and biking are becoming more popular each year, and the demand
for safer bicycle and pedestrian facilities is growing. Across all age groups, fewer

96  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

ƒ 
Efficient ●

E Adopt and implemen
“Complete Street”
policies (Strat 7.2)

Americans are getting drivers licenses, according to a recent study by the University
of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. Upgrading facilities to allow bicyclists and pedestrians to safely and conveniently reach transit, shopping, employment, entertainment, and service locations is a NJTPA priority. This supports overall
economic development and is particularly important for low-income communities
where many people depend on walking and biking for transportation.
Streets with good bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure strengthen
communities by enhancing safety, equity and civic life. As discussed previously, this plan supports Complete Streets policies, which encourage
making walking and biking an attractive mode for short trips and recreation, and
creating transportation independence for those who do not drive, such as children,
elderly and disabled populations.
Bike share programs are a promising new strategy in densely populated areas.
Bike sharing is an innovative way for people wanting to make bicycle trips to simply pick up a bike, use it, and return it within the share system’s service area. Bike
shares are often combined with other transportation modes (e.g. transit). In Hudson
County, Hoboken and Jersey City have bike share programs and Rutgers University
is in the process of launching a bike share program concentrated around its New

Livable ●
ƒ 
Create safe and healthy
buildings, neighborhoods
and communities through
planning and design
(Stratregy 12.5)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  97

Livable ●
„ 
Improve health
outcomes for the
region’s residents (Focus
Area 12)
„ 
Create vibrant places
and neighborhoods that
will attract and retain
residents, workers, and
visitors (Focus Area 6)
„ 
Create vibrant places
and neighborhoods that
will attract and retain
residents, workers, and
visitors (Focus Area 6)

Efficient ●
„ 
Reduce ransportation
petroleum use
(Strategy 11.4)
Montclair, Essex County

Brunswick campus. Asbury Park in Monmouth County also has a bike share
programs.
Residents throughout the region are increasingly walking and biking as
part of active, healthy lifestyles. Plan 2045 supports development of trails
that provide opportunities for walking and cycling. Such facilities can link
communities, provide recreation and create alternatives to driving. Better connections among modes of transportation, such as transit with cycling, enable residents
to get the benefits of walking and bicycling through their daily activities. Moreover,
as zero-emission transportation modes, walking and biking contribute to improved
air quality and help protect the environment.

Implementation

The NJTPA will continue to support infrastructure improvements that make biking and walking safer and to improve access to transit for cyclists and pedestrians.
Efforts are also underway to create more walking and cycling trails throughout the
region, and to create connections between trails and to recreational, employment,
residential and other destinations.
The NJTPA will pursue various measures to support walking and biking,
including:
• Assisting counties and municipalities with Complete Streets policy development and implementation. This includes land use policies that support
walking and biking through mixed-use development, particularly in
  downtown areas and at transit hubs.
▰ Working with subregions to incorporate bicycle and pedestrian projects into the
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
▰ Providing funding for subregional bicycle and pedestrian planning studies.
• Continuing the Planning for Emerging Centers program, which assists
municipalities in planning for more sustainable, transit-supportive and
walkable communities.
▰ Encouraging expansion of bicycle and pedestrian access to transit, including the
installation of bike racks and lockers at stations and other accommodations.
▰ Supporting expanded bicycle trails and designated bicycle routes including the
East Coast Greenway, Morris Canal Greenway (see Morris Canal Greenway p. 105),
  Union Transportation Trail and 9/11 Memorial Trail.
▰ Working with partner agencies to ensure improvement projects are designed to enhance walking and
biking opportunities whenever feasible.
▰  Continuing to work with partners in Together North Jersey
  to coordinate efforts to improve walking and biking around
  the region.
As discussed in the safety section, the NJTPA is also
actively engaged in the Street Smart NJ pedestrian safety
public education campaign, which aims to improve driver and
pedestrian behaviors to make streets safer for everyone. (See
Street Smart page 95). The NJTPA will seek to expand this
and other educational activities to enhance walking and biking
opportunities.

98  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Street Smart

Ringoes, Hunterdon County

Safety Performance Measures

F

HWA established five national performance

Highway Traffic Safety, set annual targets for each of

measures for State DOTs and MPOs to use

these measures for 2018. The 2018 targets were set after

in assessing serious injuries and fatalities.

analyzing past trends in crash data and are consistent

These performance measures are the five-year rolling

with the New Jersey Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP)

averages, on all public roads, of: number of fatalities; rate

long-term Towards Zero Deaths goal of reducing serious

of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT);

injuries and fatalities by 2.5 percent each year. These

number of serious injuries; rate of serious injuries per

targets, together with technologies providing new sources

100 million VMT; and number of non-motorized fatalities

of real time data, will allow NJTPA and its regional partners

and non-motorized serious injuries.

to continue the progress being made ensuring a safe and

NJDOT, in collaboration with NJTPA, the two other

reliable transportation network for all users.

MPOs in the state and the New Jersey Division of

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  99

Aftermath of Superstorm
Storm in Lake Como,
Monmouth County

RESILIENCY, CLIMATE CHANGE & AIR QUALITY
Needs and Strategies

The changes in global climate that are projected to occur in coming decades will
have a significant impact on the region’s transportation infrastructure. The region is
expected to see more frequent and intense extreme weather events, rising sea level,
record rainfalls, frequent inland and coastal flooding, above average temperatures
and more frequent “ozone alert” days. This must all be considered when planning
for the future.
The crippling effects of Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy highlighted the
need for improved resiliency for the entire multi-modal transportation system. Sandy
left a great swath of damage to homes, businesses, the electrical grid and transportation systems across the region. The damage to transportation infrastructure was
in many cases unprecedented, severing links critical to the region’s mobility, economy and way of life. Years later, the region continues to recover and rebuild from
Sandy. The region has also experienced nor’easters that flooded roads, making them
impassable and forcing evacuations.
Infrastructure needs to be able to withstand environmental and other disruptions and to quickly resume normal operations. In addition to the impacts of major

100  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

storms, more frequent lesser storms and sea level rise will make inundated roads and
nuisance flooding more common in the future, leading to regular road closures and
ongoing damage and disruption.
The NJTPA will continue to work with partner agencies to assess vulnerabilities
and prepare investments and emergency plans to ensure resiliency. Coordinating
across state and regional lines is particularly important given the potential for
widespread impacts. One notable effort is NJTPA’s participation in FHWA’s Post
Hurricane Sandy Transportation Resilience Study in NY, NJ and CT conducted
through a partnership with agencies in the three states, including NJ TRANSIT and
the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. Recommendations of this study
must be addressed in ongoing planning and investments. Example strategies include
climate-risk-adjusted benefit-cost analyses during the planning phases for adaptation
strategies and programming adaptation strategies at appropriate time frames given
the possible pace of climate change.
Study of vulnerabilities and resiliency strategies within the region are also
important. For example, the NJTPA is coordinating a study to develop
a climate resilience and adaptation plan for the New Jersey portion of the
Passaic River Basin. Other study and planning efforts have been undertaken along

Resilient● 
ƒ 
Identify the region’s
vulnerabilities to extreme
weather and climate
change (Strategy 10.1)

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  101

Resilient ● 
„ 
Improve management
of stormwater
runoff and use green
infrastructure solutions
to mitigate the impacts
of extreme weather
and climate change
(Strategies 10.4 and 14.1)

Mantaloking, Ocean County

the Jersey Shore and flood-prone areas with involvement of NJTPA subregions.
Together North Jersey has also sponsored local studies to explore resiliency, such as
in Jersey City and Hoboken. Similar systematic study efforts must continue and be
expanded to other areas with greater involvement of local officials and the private
sector.
Strategies to address vulnerabilities identified through resiliency studies must be
adapted to the circumstances in each locale and on specific facilities. Strategies include:
▰ Engineering solutions to retrofit bridges and other infrastructure such as the
installation of berms and raising of walls to protect the approaches to Route 37 in
Ocean County and Route 7 in Hudson County from flooding, as examined during
the FHWA resiliency study.
▰ Building projects with design standards that provide greater protection. For example, protecting roadway embankments from failures due to high winds and flooding and using pavement materials that can withstand extended high temperatures
▰ Enhancing systems operations, which involves incident management with emergency alerts and messaging about transportation alternatives.
▰ Collaborating and coordinating among transportation providers, including
Transportation Management Associations that operate shuttles and vanpools.
▰ Addressing roadway flooding with gray infrastructure, such as porous
pavement; green infrastructure, such as bioswales, which are landscaped
areas that collect stormwater; and streetscapes that minimize pavement
and use street-tree pits to facilitate infiltration and detention of runoff.
A larger regional strategy involves planning and building system redundancy.
This may take the form of emergency management plans that designate alternative
evacuation routes or physical upgrades to parallel routes and facilities. The latter
can be expensive but may be justified on heavily traveled corridors. One high priority example is the need for redundant rail access to New York City, which would be
achieved by the Hudson Tunnel Project, which supports the Gateway Program (see
Trans-Hudson Travel p. 58).
Air quality is another key area of concern in the region. The NJTPA has responsibility under federal law for overseeing and supporting efforts to reduce emissions
from the transportation sector. This includes using computer modeling to demonstrate that projects in its Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and long-range
transportation plans, like this one, have a net positive impact
on air quality and conform to the state goals for achieving
its federally mandated standards (called air quality conformity). The NJTPA also has responsibility for allocating federal
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding for
projects that reduce emissions and work to improve air quality.
Numerous strategies discussed elsewhere in this chapter
can reduce regional emissions, particularly by cutting the
number, length and duration of vehicle trips. They include:
encouraging the use of public transit and ridesharing; addressing congestion with upgraded road designs, adaptive traffic
signals and other improvements; encouraging development
that accommodates walking and biking; and many others. In
addition, new technologies discussed in this chapter also can

102  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Transportation Clean Air Measures
he NJTPA continues to fund innovative

Livable ●

similar pieces of cargo

projects to reduce transportation-

ƒ 
Improve conditions

handling equipment at the

related emissions through its

for communities that

Port Authority’s Marine

Transportation Clean Air Measures

are disproportionately

Terminals with cleaner

(TCAMs) Program supported by federal Congestion

burdened by air

equipment versions,

Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds. With guidance

pollution

including alternative powered

from the NJTPA Board and a Technical Advisory Committee,

(Strategy 12.7)

equipment.

T

and working closely with regional and local partners, the
NJTPA has advanced many priority TCAMS including:

Marine Vessel Repower Program 
This program replaces older marine diesel engines

Local Traffic Signal Optimization/Adaptive Project 

with new cleaner versions. Currently this New Jersey

By more efficiently managing traffic, the systems—as

Department of Environmental Protection program includes

implemented in Ocean County and slated for Newark

two high-speed catamaran ferries, one excursion vessel,

and Hackensack—have realized significant reductions in

and three commercial fishing vessels.

congestion, travel time and emissions.
Ridgefield, Bergen County

North Jersey Regional Truck Replacement Program 
Identified in the PANYNJ’s Clean Air Strategy, this
program replaces older, polluting drayage trucks
(service from an ocean port to a rail ramp, warehouse,
or other destination) that serve marine terminals with
newer cleaner models. All old trucks are scrapped.
Fleet Modernization & Replacement Program for
Cargo Handling Equipment 
Identified in the PANYNJ’s Clean Air Strategy, this
program is replacing about 100 yard tractors and

improve air quality, including encouraging use of alternative fuel vehicles and systems to achieve more efficient freight distribution. All these efforts also are valuable
in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which must remain a regional priority in cooperation with state and local agencies.
The NJTPA is working with communities and organizations in the region to
encourage use of alternate fuel vehicles. The NJTPA is partnering with three pilot
municipalities (Montclair, Secaucus and Woodbridge) to develop local readiness
plans to facilitate the use of electric and natural gas vehicles in those communities.
The plans will consider how municipal regulations and infrastructure can be improved

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  103

to advance the use of alternative fuel vehicles, including a review of local zoning and
land use ordinances, permitting requirements and potential locations for infrastructure. In addition, some general guidance is being developed for any town to use.

Implementation

Livable ●
„ 
Improve conditions
for communities that
are disproportionately
burdened by air
pollution (Strategy 12.7)
Franklin Township,
Somerset County

The recognition of regional vulnerabilities after Sandy resulted in greater commitments by the NJTPA and its partner agencies to integrate resiliency into all transportation planning and programming activities. For Plan 2045, the NJTPA added
an RCIS resiliency principle which states, “Investments should be made to mitigate
risks associated with climate change, extreme weather, homeland security, and other
threats. Investments should consider criticality of infrastructure, vulnerability and
level of risk.”
In keeping with this principle, the NJTPA will pursue the following measures to
implement the resiliency strategies discussed above:
▰ Continue to fund capital projects to address damage from Sandy and prepare
roads, the transit system and other infrastructure for future events;
▰ Work with partners to address recommendations of the FHWA study following
Sandy and other resiliency studies.
▰ Support and assist efforts to address the resiliency recommendations of the
Together North Jersey plan, including working with partners through the
Together North Jersey resiliency task force.
▰ Encourage resiliency to be considered in all subregional and TMA grant and study
programs administered by the NJTPA.
▰ Work with state and local emergency management agencies to assist in preparing
plans for disruptive events and minimizing impacts.
▰ Advance the use of alternative fuel vehicles by encouraging communities to adopt
compatible local zoning and land use requirements and install fueling infrastructure, following guidance drawn from NJTPA’s alternative fuel pilot projects.
• Continue funding projects that reduce emissions and improve air
quality through the Transportation Clean Air Measures Program (see
Transportation Clean Air Measures p. 103). These have included replace ment of trucks and construction vehicles with lower-emissions equipment; installation of cleaner-burning ferry engines; and installation of adaptive traffic signal
 systems.
▰ Update the Regional Greenhouse Gas Inventory and
Mitigation Plan. This data can assist in evaluating strategies
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all phases of transportation project development.
For all these measures, the NJTPA will seek to involve
a wide range of public and private partners in keeping with
NJTPA’s role as coordinating body, forum for information
exchange and data repository. Additionally, certain Sandy
recovery projects will be completed in the near term by the
Port Authority and NJ TRANSIT, including repair, restoration
and replacement of damaged facilities, replacement of damaged
equipment, hardening of certain facilities, backup equipment
purchases and creation of a microgrid for NJ TRANSIT.

104  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Little Falls, Passaic County

Morris Canal Greenway

P

edestrians and cyclists could one day be
able to closely follow the route of the

Clifton, Passaic County

historic Morris Canal, winding their way
from Liberty State Park along the Hudson

River to the Delaware Water Gap.
The NJTPA launched a year-long study in July 2017 to

brings together a broad group of stakeholders, including
local, county and state officials, non-profit organizations,
community groups and members of the diverse Morris

explore the steps necessary to create a public greenway

Canal Working Group, which is dedicated to preserving and

that spans six counties in North Jersey.

celebrating the historic canal.

Some portions of the canal have been preserved,

The canal was a technological marvel when it opened

like Waterloo Village in Byram Township, Sussex County.

in the early 1830s. Through a series of 23 lift locks and

Visitors can explore the restored buildings and walk along

inclined planes, the canal overcame an elevation change of

the canal path, getting an idea of what life was like in a 19th

1,674 feet, carrying coal 102 miles across North Jersey from

century canal town. In other places along the canal’s route,

the Delaware River to New York Harbor.

county and local officials have worked to create parks and

By the early 1900s trains made the canal obsolete.

trails. But these trails lack linkages and much of the canal

Although it shut down in 1924, the canal remains an

pathway remains incomplete and inaccessible.

important part of the region’s history. Segments of the

The Morris Canal Greenway Corridor Study will build
on past planning studies supported by the NJTPA. It

canal have also found new life as a popular recreational
greenway in several communities.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  105

6

Financing the Lon  

Jersey City, Hudson County

106 

P

lan 2045 describes the substantial transportation infrastructure needs facing the NJTPA region and identifies
a comprehensive range of highway, transit, freight,
pedestrian, bicycle and other multimodal improvement
projects and programs to address those needs. This

chapter provides a financial plan for implementing these projects
and programs. ●  Plan 2045’s financial assumptions and identified

improvements were developed in part through an analysis of two
sets of possible future scenarios, as discussed in Chapter 4. One set
of exploratory scenarios considered emerging trends and potential

g-Range Plan

game

changers

in

demographics, economics, the environment, behavior, and
technology to inform

an update to the Regional Capital Investment Strategy (RCIS), which
identifies priorities for allocating resources across modes and among
categories of projects and programs, including system preservation,
management and targeted expansion. A second set applied the RCIS
and identified the affects of three funding levels—Plan 2045 Scenario,
Limited Funding Scenario and Aspirational Funding Scenario.  ●  The
Plan 2045 Scenario relies upon reasonably anticipated funding over
the life of the plan, and the level of investment is consistent with
historical trends in federal and state transportation funding. The
funding levels in the Plan 2045 Scenario fall between annual increases
less than projected inflation (the Limited Funding Scenario) and
substantially greater funding that could be used for a larger set of

  107

Wanaque Reservoir, Passaic County

projects (the Aspirational Funding Scenario).
This chapter explains the assumptions and strategies, and projected revenues and expenditures within
the Plan 2045 Scenario, which serve as the financial
element underpinning this plan. Under this scenario,
the plan primarily targets achieving and maintaining
a state of good repair for North Jersey’s vast multimodal transportation network. It includes select
capacity and operational improvements to accommodate future growth and anticipates use of new technologies that improve system efficiency. The Plan 2045
Scenario was developed following the guidance of the
NJTPA Board of Trustees, in collaboration with planning partners, and in keeping with the transportation
priorities of the Together North Jersey plan. It identifies traditional and non-traditional revenue sources to
implement a program of infrastructure improvements
to keep freight and people moving. It also calls for
streamlining project delivery.
This chapter also includes discussion of the
Limited and Aspirational funding scenarios as potential alternative financial futures for the region.

108  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Regional Outlook

Historic and current economic trends play a large role
in estimating the revenues available for transportation
through 2045. This financial plan takes a conservative
approach when forecasting the latter years of the planning horizon by basing revenue growth on projected
inflation and within the historical average annual
revenue growth rate, with additional funds for anticipated critical projects. The approach reflects historical
growth trends and reasonable future expectations for
key revenue sources, including state and federal gas
excise tax revenues, which are historically the major
source of revenue for transportation infrastructure.
Existing fuel taxes do not keep pace with increasing transportation needs. In addition, as vehicles
become more fuel efficient, they consume less gasoline, reducing revenues from fuel taxes. These factors
combined will necessitate, over time, either an increase
in the tax rate against those sources, the identification
of new revenues, or both. Potential alternative revenue
sources are provided at the end of this chapter.
New Jersey derives economic strength from its
position as a focal point for international trade and
domestic goods movement, its appeal to corporate and
financial services sectors tied to the larger New YorkNew Jersey-Connecticut metropolitan region, and its

tourism sector. New Jersey’s beaches are a major contributor to the tourism sector. A robust regional transportation network, many high quality colleges and
universities, and access to abundant and diverse lifestyle amenities such as parks and open space, cultural
and entertainment venues, and retail and restaurant
districts support New Jersey’s economic strength, despite
tax and cost of living challenges. These factors should
continue to contribute to sustained revenue growth
that can support the investment needs in this plan.
As discussed in Chapter 3, projections for population and employment in Plan 2045 point to increases
in travel demand on all aspects of the transportation
network. The NJTPA forecasts that total non-agricultural employment in North Jersey will increase by
about 0.4 percent annually, or about 14,000 jobs per
year, while population growth will average about 0.5
percent annually, adding about one million residents
by 2045.
Technological advances such as Intelligent
Transportation Systems (ITS) and autonomous vehicles will make the system more efficient and able to
accommodate some increased demand. However, the
region will still need to address potentially greater
congestion, wear to roads and bridges, inadequate
transit capacity, and other challenges. These increasing
needs provide the context for the scenarios discussed
in this chapter—that is, any level of future funding will
have to address a steadily growing agenda of needed
investments.
Long-term economic projections are particularly
important in preparing the financial plan because of
federal requirements that the plan be based on year
of expenditure dollars (YOE $). This means future
expenditures and revenues must be adjusted to reflect
the impact of inflation. As measured by Rutgers
University’s R/ECON forecasts, the annual rate of
consumer inflation for New Jersey is expected to be
2.5 percent over the life of Plan 2045.
Although the financial plan is largely informed
by economic and demographic projections, there are
many factors that could impact funding levels and
transportation investment needs. The exploratory
scenarios discussed in Chapter 4 considered emerging trends and potential game changers in demographics, the economy, climate, location and travel
decisions, and technology to inform the RCIS that is

incorporated into this financial element. However, the
timing and nature of changes over a 28-year forecast
period is highly uncertain. Monitoring these changes
over time will inform future long range regional transportation plans.

Revenue Challenges and Opportunities

Federal and state motor fuel taxes are the primary
revenue sources for the region’s transportation investment. Federal motor fuel taxes, along with other taxes
and federal general fund contributions, are deposited
into the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) and the Mass
Transit Account (MTA). North Jersey receives a
portion of these funds pursuant to the federal surface transportation program currently authorized by
the FAST Act, which was adopted in 2015 and runs
through 2020.
While the five-year FAST Act provided predictable federal transportation funding for the first
time in many years, the federal program still faces
significant revenue challenges. Motor fuel tax collections have not kept up with the program’s needs.
Among the reasons: the federal gasoline tax has not
been raised since 1997; and motor fuel consumption
continues to fall due to more fuel efficient vehicles,
the use of alternative fuels and less driving associated
with changing lifestyles and an older population, as
described in Chapter 3. In recent years, Congress
Newton, Sussex County

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  109

has used appropriations from the general fund and
selected non-transportation revenue sources to cover
the federal funding gap.
State transportation funding also principally
relies on motor fuel taxes, along with the petroleum
products gross receipts tax, a portion of the sales
tax, and contributions from the New Jersey Turnpike
Authority, all of which are deposited into the New
Jersey Transportation Trust Fund (TTF). State legislation enacted in 2016 raised the motor fuels tax and
petroleum products gross receipts tax from a combined 14.5 cents per gallon to 37.1 cents per gallon.
This represents a significant funding increase that
helps the state and the NJTPA region to put resources
towards much-needed investments to address the
backlog of needs over the next eight years. In addition, by voter approval, all motor fuels tax revenues
are now constitutionally dedicated for transportation purposes. Tolls from the Port Authority of New
York & New Jersey’s interstate crossings as well as
the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike
support these critical regional facilities, which do not
typically receive state or federal transportation funding
for improvements.
The period to 2045 will include multiple reauthorizations for federal and state transportation funds.
It is anticipated that federal and state elected officials
will continue to support funding for the vast majority
Cranford, Union County

of the region’s transportation needs given the longterm history of support for these projects and programs. It is also likely that, over the long run, project
delivery methods and revenue sources will evolve to
include more public-private partnerships. There will
be less reliance on fossil fuel based revenues, and other
creative ways will be instituted to meet critical transportation needs.

Revenue Assumptions and Projections

The state’s FY 2018 Transportation Capital Program
(TCP) allocates $29.5 billion in state and federal funding to the NJTPA region over ten years. The region
receives about $1.4 billion in additional funds from
various sources to support its portion of NJ TRANSIT
operating costs.
The NJTPA has worked closely with NJDOT, NJ
TRANSIT, the Port Authority of New York & New
Jersey, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, and other
partner agencies to assess the long-term funding and
expenditure needs for the region and to determine the
appropriate assumptions about future transportation
funding.
As part of the financial planning process, the three
revenue scenarios mentioned above were developed to
examine impacts of various potential capital funding
levels.
The impact of these scenarios on various initiatives—such as trans-Hudson rail improvements and
reducing the backlog of road and bridge needs—is
addressed in the expenditures section later in the chapter. The results of scenario analysis, including both
computer modeling and qualitative assessment to estimate regional impacts, were addressed in Chapter 4.

Common Funding Assumptions

The revenue forecast covers the period from FY
2018 through FY 2045. For the FY 2018—FY 2027
period all three scenarios incorporate the funding
assumptions from the TCP. The combination of state
and federal funding in the TCP averages $2.9 billion
annually over the 10 year period, and includes funding
for initial work to replace the Portal North Bridge.
However, on top of the TCP, there is additional funding in the Plan and Aspirational scenarios to continue
work on the Portal North Bridge and initial funding
for advancement of a new Hudson River rail tunnel.

110  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

In addition, all three scenarios include the near-term
completion of certain Superstorm Sandy recovery
projects.
Beginning with FY 2028, revenues and expenditures differ for each scenario based on assumed
revenue growth rates and special large-scale investments. Allocations are in accordance with the RCIS
for all three scenarios, excluding special large-scale
investments.
The forecast utilizes three different time periods to
illustrate changes throughout the duration of the 2045
plan. The time periods are:
▰ Near-Term (FY 2018-FY 2021)
▰ Mid-Term (FY 2022-FY 2027)
▰ Long-Term (FY 2028-FY 2045)
The near- and mid-term elements of the capital
funding projections are largely based on NJDOT and
NJ TRANSIT revenue assumptions for the NJTPA
region. Federal and state funds will continue to provide most of the resources for the region’s transportation needs. A small portion of funding is made up of
other funding sources, including programmed contributions from the Port Authority, New Jersey Turnpike
Authority and Metro-North, which provides funding support for shared commuter rail services with
NJ TRANSIT. To meet projected revenue increases

Driscoll Bridge, Middlesex County

over the long term in each of the three scenarios, as
stated previously, the federal and state governments
will need to address the declining funding power and
actual revenue stream from per-gallon fuel taxes and
replace or supplement them with new and sustainable
revenue sources.

Plan 2045 Scenario Capital Funding Assumptions

The average annual funding increases in the Plan 2045
Scenario are intended to be substantial but reasonable, fulfilling critical regional requirements while
remaining politically feasible. In this scenario, state
and federal funding levels are based on the FY 2018FY F2027 TCP, and funding increases at an average
rate of 2.5 percent annually between FY 2028 and
FY 2045 (Table 6-1), with funding for large projects
layered on top of this base. This annual rate is consistent with the long-term inflation forecast for New
Jersey over the Plan 2045 period, taking into account
population and employment growth. Additional funding above the base is assumed to come from sources
identified in the Portal North Bridge Core Capacity
Financial Plan in the short- and medium term, as
well as significant Federal Transit Administration

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  111

Capital Investment Grant funding of $100 million per
year beginning in FY 2028, which grows with inflation. This level of Capital Investment Grant funding
is matched with an equivalent amount of state or
non-federal funds. Including additional federal, state
and other funding anticipated for replacement of the
Portal North Bridge, construction of a new Hudson
Tunnel (for commuter and regional rail) and rehabilitation of the existing Hudson Tunnel, the total capital
funding available under the Plan 2045 Scenario (for
the period FY 2018 to FY 2045) is YOE $112.8 billion (Table 6-2). To summarize, the revenue assumptions underlying the Plan 2045 Scenario are as follows:
▰ Near- to mid- term revenues are based on the
FY 2018-FY 2027 NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT
10-year capital plans. These plans are based on
average annual federal funding level of $1.1 billion-$1.5 billion, and average annual state funding
level of $1.5 billion through FY 2027. Funding for
Sandy recovery projects, Portal North Bridge and a
new Hudson Tunnel is layered on top of this base.

Table 6-1:
Summary of Capital Funding Assumptions
Base Average Annual Revenue Growth Rates FY 2028—
FY 2045*
Plan 2045

2.5%

Limited funding scenarios

2.0%

Aspirational funding scenarios

3.5%

Deflation Factor

2.5%

*In addition to the base average annual revenue growth rate noted above, the Plan 2045 Scenario
includes $100 million in CIG funding with an equivalent match from non-federal sources that grows by
2.5% annually and funding for Sandy recover projects, Portal North Bridge and Hudson Tunnels. The
Aspirational Funding Scenario also includes $150 million CIG funding and equivalent non-federal match
beginning in 2028 that grows by 3.5% annually and funding for Sandy recovery projects, Portal North
Bridge, Hudson Tunnels and the full Gateway Program. Deflation factor is used to convert year of expenditure revenues and costs to base year dollars.

Table 6-2:
Summary of Capital Funding Assumptions
Total Revenues (millions, year of expenditure dollars)
Year-of-Expenditure Dollars

Plan 2045

Limited

▰ Long term (FY 2028-FY 2045) baseline federal and

state funds combined increase annually by 2.5 percent. Funding for a new Hudson Tunnel are layered
on top of this base.
▰ $100 million Capital Investment Grant funding and
non-federal match starting in FY 2028, which grow
by 2.5 percent per year.

Limited Funding Scenario Capital Funding
Assumptions

The Limited Funding Scenario assumes state and
federal funding levels consistent with the FY 20182027 TCP. Beginning in FY 2028, state and federal
funds grow annually at an assumed rate of 2.0 percent
(Table 6-1). This rate falls below the forecasted rate
of long-term inflation and approximates the inflation
rate observed during the 2005-2015 period, which
included historically low rates during and after the
Great Recession, followed by a period of economic
recovery. No Capital Investment Grant (CIG) funding
is assumed in the long term for this scenario.
As discussed in the expenditures section below,
this constrained funding in the near- and mid-term will
be sufficient to support a maintenance-oriented mix
of projects and programs. However, funding will fall
short in meeting the demands of regional growth, particularly in funding potential transit system expansion.
Total capital funding over the Plan 2045 period
(FY 2018-FY 2045) in the Limited Funding Scenario
is estimated to be $94.3 billion, which is 16.4 percent
less than the Plan 2045 level (Table 6-2). To summarize, the revenue assumptions underlying the Limited
Scenario are as follows:
▰ Near- to mid- term revenues are based on the
FY 2018-FY 2027 NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT
10-year capital plans and completion of Sandy
recovery projects.
▰ Long term (FY 2028-FY 2045) baseline federal
and state funds combined increase annually by
2.0 percent.
Aspirational
▰ No CIG funding is assumed in
the long term.
67,434

Federal

56,142

43,983

State

55,698

49,357

73,762

Other

950

930

993

Total

112,790

94,270

142,189

(16.42%)

26.07%

Increase (or decrease) over Plan 2045 Scenario

*Other includes Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Metro-North contributions

112  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Aspirational Funding Scenario Capital
Funding Assumptions

The Aspirational Funding Scenario assumes the
same funding level as the Plan 2045 Scenario for the
FY 2018-FY 2027 period, and a substantial increase
starting in FY 2028 with a 3.5 percent annual rate
of revenue growth for the base funding amount
(Table 6-1). Although higher than in the previous
two scenarios, this rate is nonetheless a reasonably
conservative figure, in between the pure inflation
rate of 2.5 percent and the historical transportation
revenue (including federal and state funding sources)
growth rate of 4.5 percent observed between 1998 and
2015. Layered on top of this base, the NJTPA region
receives $150 million per year in federal CIG funding
beginning in FY 2028, which grows by 3.5 percent
annually. This level of CIG funding is matched with
an equivalent amount of state funds also growing by
3.5 percent annually. Additional federal, state and/
or other non-federal funding is also received over the
course of the Aspirational Scenario time period for
completion of Sandy recovery projects, the Portal
North Bridge replacement, a new Hudson Tunnel,
rehabilitation of the existing Hudson Tunnel, and
the full Gateway Program, which calls for a series
of improvements between Newark Penn Station and

Morristown, Morris County

Penn Station New York (see Trans-Hudson Travel
p. 58). The total capital funding available under the
Aspirational Funding Scenario is $142.2 billion, which
is 26.1 percent greater than the Plan 2045 Scenario
funding level (Table 6-2). The cost of the full Gateway
Program is subject to refinement, which may impact
this total.
Achieving this substantial increase is not unprecedented. Legislation underwriting the interstate
highway system and the creation of state and federal
transportation trust funds occurred during periods
of economic expansion when elected officials and
the public recognized the importance of providing
adequate and stable funding sources for transportation. Future economic expansion could reasonably
underwrite a new era of state and federal commitments to transportation investment at the level of the
Aspirational Funding Scenario. To summarize, the revenue assumptions underlying the Aspirational Funding
Scenario are as follows:
▰ Near- to mid- term revenues are based on the
FY 2018-FY 2027 NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT
10-year capital plans. These plans are based on
average annual federal funding level of $1.1 billion

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  113

to $1.5 billion, and average annual state funding
level of $1.5 billion through FY 2027. Funding for
completion of Sandy recovery projects, Portal North
Bridge and a new Hudson Tunnel are layered on top
of this base.
▰ Long term (FY 2028-FY 2045) baseline federal
and state funds combined increase annually by
3.5 percent. Funding for a new Hudson Tunnel, and
the full Gateway Program are layered on top of this
base.
▰ $150 million CIG funding and non-federal match
starting in FY 2028, which grow by 3.5 percent
per year.

New Jersey Operating Funding Assumptions

While capital funding is critical for the repair and
upgrade of the existing transportation network and
targeted capacity increases, NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT
also require and receive appropriations from the state
general fund for ongoing operations.
State general fund appropriations cover NJDOT’s
direct maintenance and operations expenses, including snow removal, pothole filling, maintenance of
roadside lighting, vegetation, inspections, technical
studies and general and administrative services. The
FY 2018 appropriation is $43.8 million. If adjusted
at 2.5 percent annually to keep pace with inflation,
the appropriation for NJDOT’s annual operating
expenses would total $85 million by 2045. Actual
Table 6-3:
NJ TRANSIT Operating Budget Projections
(millions, year of expenditure dollars)
Expenses
Proposed Budget
Budget Projection*

FY 2018
Proposed Budget

FY 2045
Budget Projection*

1,346.5

2,318.3

317.7

572.9

Services Other Than Personnel

142.9

301.0

Purchased Transportation

243.6

594.3

Insurance & Claims

33.2

301.0

Tolls, Taxes & Other
Operating Expenses

133.9

594.3

2,217.8

4,306.3

Total

*The budget projection provides for growth in labor and services expenses at a rate averaging approximately 3 percent per year over the life of the long range plan. Costs for energy is expected to grow at
approximately 2 to 3 percent per year, as are costs for purchased transportation. Other expenses, such
as utilities, claims and insurance are expected to grow at approximately 2 to 3 percent. Overall, total
expenses are expected to grow at approximately 2.6 percent per year on average.

114  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

appropriations have declined in recent years due to
ongoing constraints on the state budget. For example,
the NJDOT appropriation for operations in FY 2008
was $88.7 million. Continued reductions in funds
to cover operating expenses over time could affect
NJDOT’s ability to monitor and maintain the roadway
and bridge network and lead to higher capital costs,
longer-term capital costs, or both.
NJ TRANSIT is the nation’s largest public transit system by service area, creating substantial needs
for operating funds. NJ TRANSIT pursues a variety
of initiatives to maximize system-generated revenue
and reduce expenses to allow it to provide cost-effective service while keeping the transit system in a
state-of-good-repair.
NJ TRANSIT’s FY 2018 operating budget projects
an expenditure of about $2.2 billion to provide public
transit services on the current system (Table 6-3). The
NJTPA region accounts for approximately 80 percent
of these costs, or almost $1.8 billion. Approximately
51 percent of NJ TRANSIT’s operating budget is
supported by passenger fares and other system-generated revenues (such as parking fees and advertising
payments). The balance is supported by various state
and federal funding sources. State sources include the
general fund, capital-to-operating transfer, the New
Jersey Turnpike Authority, the State Clean Energy
Fund, and others.
It is projected that annual operation costs will
more than double and reach over $4.3 billion by 2045.
This projection is based on operating funding requirements for existing services and anticipated future
funding required to support growth in those services
to accommodate future demands. These projections
include allowances for inflation, and growth in service
to accommodate a moderate rate of growth in ridership demand and limited initiation of new services
beyond the current system. The Plan 2045 Scenario
does not account for additional operating costs associated with increases in trans-Hudson capacity and
rail service that will be enabled by completion of the
full Gateway Program under the Aspirational Funding
Scenario. In order to fund the projected increase under
the Plan 2045 Scenario, NJ TRANSIT will continue to
place emphasis on future partnerships and efficiencies
to control expenses.
Use of capital funding for operations must also be

addressed. As of FY 2018, a total of $460.8 million in
state and federal capital funding is used each year to
support NJ TRANSIT operations, principally involving major repair and rehabilitation projects for bus
and rail vehicles. Over the long term, this plan calls for
the adoption of state policies and funding mechanisms
that would allow this practice to be phased out, with
the diverted capital funding redirected to other needs.

Expenditures and Investments

The state and federal funding that NJTPA projects
to be available under the Plan 2045 Scenario will
provide the means to implement the transportation
investments identified in this plan to enhance mobility, economic development, quality of life and resiliency. Expenditures under the Limited Scenario will
fall short of addressing the region’s needs. Under the
Aspirational Funding Scenario, the region could invest
in an expanded agenda of projects to address critical
multi-modal capacity constraints. This section summarizes the investment levels for each scenario.
Decisions about how most funding will be allocated among investments are guided by the RCIS
(Chapter 4), with the exception of special large-scale
investments such as the Portal North Bridge and
Hudson Tunnel that are layered over base funding

Sixth Avenue bridge, Hawthorne, Passaic County

amounts. In addition, this plan takes into account
state investment priorities and strategies, which are
well aligned with the RCIS.
For all scenarios, cost-effective use of funds will
depend on continuing efforts to streamline project
delivery from the planning stage to construction,
including reducing unnecessary regulatory delays and
exploring new approaches to project implementation,
such as design-build and design-build-operate-maintain contracts. In addition, effective use of the latest
technologies (including advanced materials) will maximize the benefits achieved. Over the life of the plan,
new technologies, if applied effectively, may contribute
to increased efficiencies and cost reduction.

Plan 2045 Capital Expenditures

The Plan 2045 Scenario is intended as a realistic
approach for guiding future transportation investments. To match revenues, total Plan 2045 expenditures are projected to be YOE $112.8 billion (shown
in total in Table 6-4 and on an average annual basis
in Table 6-5). While most investments are focused on
maintaining the existing transportation network in a
state of good repair, the Plan 2045 Scenario includes

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  115

Table 6-4:
Plan 2045 Scenario, Total Sources and Uses (millions, year of expenditure dollars)
NEAR TERM
(FY 2018-FY 2021)

REVENUES

MID TERM
(FY 2022-FY 2027)

LONG TERM
(FY 2028-FY 2045)

TOTAL

All Federal

8,427

12,436

35,279

56,142

All State

7,159

10,646

37,894

55,698

Other*

376

161

413

950

TOTAL

15,962

23,243

73,585

112,790

NEAR TERM
(FY 2018-FY 2021)

MID TERM
(FY 2022-FY 2027)

LONG TERM
(FY 2028-FY 2045)

TOTAL

Bridges

1,843

3,803

13,377

19,024

Road Preservation

2,165

3,751

15,713

21,628

Road Enhancement

443

438

752

1,632

Road Expansion

230

197

614

1,041

4,944

6,402

24,671

36,017

372

520

2,057

2,949

Transit Expansion

4,132

5,664

6,551

16,346

Dedicated Freight

469

617

2,815

3,900

Direct ITS

389

568

2,199

3,155

TDM

184

298

1,187

1,668

Direct Safety

513

652

2,465

3,630

Direct Bike/Ped

279

335

1,184

1,799

15,962

23,243

73,585

112,790

EXPENDITURES (RCIS CATEGORIES)

Transit Preservation
Transit Enhancement

TOTAL

*Other includes Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Metro-North contributions. Overhead expenses are proportionally allocated across Uses.

Table 6-5:
Plan 2045 Average Annual Revenues (millions of year of expenditure dollars)
REVENUES

NEAR TERM
(2014-2017)

MID TERM
(2018-2023)

All Federal

2,107

2,073

1,960

All State

1,790

1,774

2,105

Other*

94

27

23

TOTAL

3,990

3,874

LONG TERM
(2024-2040)

4,088

*Other includes Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Metro-North contributions.

funding to implement selected upgrades and improvements to enhance system capacity, performance and
resiliency. It includes the implementation of projects
and programs included in the Project Index over the
near-, mid- and long-term.
In addition, to replacement of the Portal North

116  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Bridge and a new Hudson River tunnel, the Plan 2045
Scenario includes a number of future rail projects in
the region that are now undergoing planning and environmental analysis and may be candidates for federal
funding. A few initial operating segments, if found to
be justified and feasible through detailed study, could

Table 6-6:
Limited Funding Scenario, Total Sources and Uses (millions, year of expenditure dollars)
NEAR TERM
(FY 2018-FY 2021)

REVENUES

MID TERM
(FY 2022-FY 2027)

LONG TERM
(FY 2028-FY 2045)

TOTAL

All Federal

5,716

8,427

29,840

43,983

All State

6,103

9,316

33,938

49,357

Other*

376

161

393

930

TOTAL

12,195

17,905

64,170

94,270

NEAR TERM
(FY 2018-FY 2021)

MID TERM
(FY 2022-FY 2027)

LONG TERM
(FY 2028-FY 2045)

TOTAL

Bridges

1,843

3,803

12,438

18,085

Road Preservation

2,165

3,751

14,288

20,203

Road Enhancement

443

438

715

1,596

Road Expansion

230

197

584

1,011

4,944

6,402

23,483

34,828

Transit Enhancement

372

520

1,958

2,850

Transit Expansion

365

326

1,331

2,022

Dedicated Freight

469

617

2,679

3,764

Direct ITS

389

568

2,093

3,049

TDM

184

298

1,129

1,611

Direct Safety

513

652

2,346

3,511

Direct Bike/Ped

279

335

1,127

1,742

12,195

17,905

64,170

94,270

EXPENDITURES (RCIS CATEGORIES)

Transit Preservation

TOTAL

*Other includes Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Metro-North contributions. Overhead expenses are proportionally allocated across Uses.

be accomplished under the level of funding assumed
for the Plan 2045 Scenario, namely through CIG funding of $100 million per year with matching state funds
or other non-federal funds starting in FY 2028 and
growing annually with inflation. However, most rail
expansion projects cannot proceed until additional rail
capacity is created through the Gateway Program.
Additionally, under this scenario, highway pavement and bridges are maintained at a state of good
repair, and there is investment in modest capacity
enhancements on the highway network as well as
increases in system efficiency through technological
advances.

Limited Funding Scenario Capital Expenditures

long-term inflation. Expenditures for FY 2018-2027
reflect the near- and mid-term projects and programs
in the FY 2018-2027 TCP. Long term project and program expenditures are assumed to increase by 2 percent annually after FY 2027.
As a result, the Limited Funding Scenario supports total investments equal to YOE $94.3 billion
(Table 6-6). This scenario provides sufficient funding to support a maintenance-oriented mix of projects and programs, but also reflects no new bus or
fixed guideway transit services, or highway capacity
improvements other than those already programmed.
As a result, under this scenario, the region will be less
prepared to meet the demands on the transportation
system of a growing population and economy.

The Limited Funding Scenario assumes long-term
revenue growth that falls below the forecasted rate of

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  117

Table 6.4:
Aspirational Funding Scenario, Total Sources and Uses (millions, year of expenditure dollars)
NEAR TERM
(FY 2018-FY 2021)

REVENUES

MID TERM
(FY 2022-FY 2027)

LONG TERM
(FY 2028-FY 2045)

TOTAL

All Federal

8,427

12,436

46,570

67,434

All State

7,159

10,646

55,958

73,762

Other*

376

161

456

993

TOTAL

15,962

23,243

102,984

142,189

NEAR TERM
(FY 2018-FY 2021)

MID TERM
(FY 2022-FY 2027)

LONG TERM
(FY 2028-FY 2045)

TOTAL

Bridges

1,843

3,803

14,782

20,429

Road Preservation

2,165

3,751

17,364

23,279

Road Enhancement

443

438

830

1,711

Road Expansion

230

197

678

1,105

4,944

6,402

27,264

38,609

372

520

2,273

3,165

Transit Expansion

4,132

5,664

28,910

38,705

Dedicated Freight

469

617

3,110

4,196

Direct ITS

389

568

2,430

3,386

TDM

184

298

1,311

1,793

Direct Safety

513

652

2,723

3,889

Direct Bike/Ped

279

335

1,308

1,923

15,962

23,243

102,984

142,189

EXPENDITURES (RCIS CATEGORIES)

Transit Preservation
Transit Enhancement

TOTAL

*Other includes Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Metro-North contributions. Overhead expenses are proportionally allocated across Uses.

Aspirational Scenario Capital Expenditures

The Aspirational Funding Scenario sets a more
aggressive yet feasible goal for the region. It identifies
transportation investments that could potentially be
made if significant new funding were realized. Capital
expenditures total YOE $142.2 billion. This scenario
includes all of the investments assumed in the Plan
2045 Scenario, as well as greater expenditures on
projects and programs across all categories. Notably,
$38.7 billion in transit expansion (Table 6-7) supports
the Gateway Program, creating needed trans-Hudson
passenger rail capacity, as well as additional new mass
transit services that are under study in New Jersey, and
in part a new Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT).
Transit expansion is funded by various federal funding
sources as well as with CIG and matching state funds
or other non-federal funds. Under this scenario, the

118  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

region is better prepared to meet the transportation
demands of the future.

Other Funding for Transportation

The state and federal investments discussed in this
chapter are supplemented by additional investments
by other transportation agencies—principally, the Port
Authority of New York & New Jersey, New Jersey
Turnpike Authority and Delaware River Joint Toll
Bridge Commission. Their investments will continue
over the life of this plan. Key projects planned by the
authorities are included in the Project Index. The jurisdiction of these authorities is as follows:

Port Authority of NY & NJ

Key facilities operated by the Port Authority
within the NJTPA region include Newark Liberty
International Airport, Teterboro Airport, the PATH
rail system, the port complex in Newark and Elizabeth
and major New York-New Jersey crossings—the
Outerbridge Crossing, Goethals Bridge, Bayonne
Bridge, Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel and George
Washington Bridge. The agency has built passenger
ferry facilities, maintains roadways within its facilities,
provides on dock and cross-harbor rail freight service,
and contributes to other key infrastructure elements
that access its facilities and aid the movement of goods
and people throughout the region. Port Authority
facilities and financial resources are not included
within the definition of the federally supported surface
transportation system used to establish the fiscally
constrained Regional Transportation Plan.
The Port Authority’s 2017-2026 $32.2 billion
capital plan features investments spread over a
broad portfolio of assets and facilities with the goal
of keeping them efficient, safe, secure and reliable.
In addition to investing in its own assets, the Port
Authority’s capital plan allocates up to $2.7 billion in
debt service support for the Gateway Program. Major
projects include essential state-of-good-repair investments at the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln
Tunnel Helix Replacement Program, Port Wharf
and Berth Replacement Program, the PABT Interim
Improvement Program and further development of the
PABT Replacement Program, PATH Rail Extension to
Newark Liberty Rail Link Station and PATH Car Fleet
Expansion and Sandy recovery and resiliency investments. The Port Authority’s 10-year plan notes that
the agency may seek to leverage its capital investments
to secure additional discretionary federal funding and
financing assistance and public-private partnership
financing for major projects that enhance the region’s
surface transportation capacity.

the NJTPA region) and includes 90 interchanges,
approximately 300 entrance and exit ramps and
nearly 500 bridges. The Turnpike Authority’s funding comes from toll revenues, which it uses to meet
operations and maintenance expenses, finance capital
needs, and to contribute to the TTF. The Turnpike
Authority’s $7 billion 2009-2018 capital improvement
program focused on widening the Turnpike between
Interchanges 6 and 9, which was completed in 2014.
On-going investments include bridge, road, facility
and interchange improvements. The authority raised
tolls in 2008 and 2012 to finance its 10 year capital
program. In addition, it provides approximately $22
million per year to the TTF, plus additional funds for
feeder road maintenance (approximately $4.5 million
in CY 2018, approximately $3.5 million in CY 2019,
and approximately $2.5 million annually starting in
CY 2020) and an additional funds per prior and existing state transportation funding agreements (approximately $166.5 million in CY 2018, approximately
$129 million in CY 2019 and 2020, and approximately $64.5 million in 2021).

Amtrak

Amtrak owns the Northeast Corridor and provides
intercity passenger rail service that includes regional
and high-speed Acela trains connecting North
Jersey with Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore
North Branch, Somerset County

New Jersey Turnpike Authority

The Turnpike Authority operates and maintains
both the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State
Parkway. The Turnpike is 146 miles long (56 miles
in the NJTPA region) and includes 27 interchanges,
nearly 500 bridges and 12 service areas. The Garden
State Parkway is 173 miles long (121 miles within

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  119

and Washington, D.C. to the south; New York City,
Providence and Boston to the north and other metropolitan areas throughout the nation. Amtrak, in
concert with NJ TRANSIT, is progressing the planning and development of the Gateway Program. This
includes a new Portal Bridge, an additional Hudson
River rail tunnel, an expansion of Penn Station New
York, new rail storage capacity in New Jersey, the
Bergen Loop at Secaucus and other improvements.
The Moynihan Station Project is not part of the
Gateway Program and is advancing separately.

Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission

This commission maintains and operates seven toll
bridges and 13 non-tolled bridges over the Delaware
River spread out along 139 miles between Bucks
County, Pennsylvania and the New York State line. All
DRJTBC toll bridges are in the NJTPA region except
for the Trenton-Morrisville Bridge. The commission
is also responsible for the repair and maintenance of
the first seven miles of I-78 in Warren County. The
commission relies on its toll revenues to fund operations, maintenance and capital needs. Capital projects are focused on bridge repair, replacement and
rehabilitation.

Potential Revenue Sources

As discussed above, existing dedicated state revenue
sources for transportation will not keep pace with
the cost of increasing transportation needs, even
though increased efficiencies in project delivery may
be attained through greater use of public/private
partnerships and other techniques. Over time, either
an increase in the gas tax, the identification of new
revenue sources, or both will be needed. A number of
potential revenue sources are listed below as a menu
of options, absent consideration of political feasibility.
Hypothetical unit amounts are presented along with
annual revenue to the NJTPA region, assuming that 70
percent of statewide revenue is allocated to the region
as is historically the case.
▰  Gas Tax—Every one cent increase in the New Jersey
gas tax generates an additional $38 million in revenue annually.
▰ Motor Vehicle Fees—Motor vehicle fees include
registration fees, fees related to transfer of ownership, registration documentation reproduction,

120  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

and registration transfers due to changes in
weight classes. Discounted fees are available for
those eligible for SSI, the lifeline program and the
Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled
program (aged 65 or older or with a disability). A
five percent increase on motor vehicle fees yields
$23 million annually.
▰ Highway Express Lanes with Tolls—Creation of
new express lanes on existing highways, or adding tolls to existing express lanes, may generate
new revenue depending upon how it is instituted.
Express lanes with tolls are adjacent to and easily
accessible from free general purpose highway lanes.
Willing users pay a toll to avoid traffic congestion.
Tolls can be collected with a cashless electronic
system. Dynamic pricing can be easily added to
mitigate traffic congestion and increase revenues.
Electronic tolling infrastructure can also support
incident management. Potential revenue generation varies greatly due to a number of factors. One
national study of highway express lanes with tolls
found that annual net revenue generation was as
high as $1.9 million per mile. A small minority of
jurisdictions operated at a net operating loss of up
to $50,000 per mile.
▰  Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Tax—A VMT tax
would be a charge on vehicles registered in New
Jersey based on the number of miles driven. A
one-tenth of a cent tax per mile traveled yields an
estimated $52 million per year, excluding heavy
trucks and tractor trailers due to data limitations.
Inclusion of tractor trailers would result in a higher
revenue yield.
▰ Carbon Tax—A carbon tax is a levy based on the
amount of carbon dioxide produced by the vehicle.
There are numerous ways of assessing a carbon
tax. One way is to apply a VMT tax that has a rate
adjustment based on the vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
Revenue yield may be similar to the VMT tax, with
lesser allocation of tax burden to more fuel efficient
vehicles.
▰ NJ Transit Fares—A NJ TRANSIT fare increase
would generate additional revenue and most likely
result in a ridership decrease.
▰ Advertising / Sponsorship Fees—NJ TRANSIT
generated $17 million in FY 2016 through advertising sales on NJ TRANSIT facilities. There may be

potential to generate additional revenues through
expansion of advertising on NJ TRANSIT facilities.
▰ Value Capture—Value capture is a means to capture some of the increased value of new development directly related to adjacent or nearby publicly
funded transportation infrastructure investments.
Value capture reallocates or creates revenue that can
be used to fund transportation investment. There
are numerous mechanisms for value capture, including special assessments, developer impact fees, and
creation of a Revenue Allocation District (RAD)
that sets aside a portion of the normal property tax
revenue that is collected on the marginal increase
in value of the land or property that is attributable
to proximity to the transit investment. Using the
average effective municipal tax rate for the NJTPA
region of 2.49 percent, $249,000 is generated annually for every ten million dollars’ worth of increased
property value within a RAD.
▰ Tax on Demand-Based Transportation Services—
Demand-based transportation refers to the flexible
free market delivery of transportation services that
are coordinated by technology and can dynamically
adapt to demand. Such transportation services can
be provided by a collection of independent drivers
using personal vehicles (e.g. Uber, Lyft) or a single

Elizabeth, Union County

corporation providing shuttle bus services (e.g.
Bridj) that dynamically and efficiently determine
routes based on passengers’ pickup and drop-off
locations. Based on an estimate of current Uber
charges in New Jersey (which is the current dominant service), a 10 percent tax would yield $15 million per year. Should demand-based transportation
services continue to grow, so would revenues.
▰ Tax on E-commerce or Package Delivery—A tax on
e-commerce would be an additional sales tax on the
value of purchases made via the internet. A package
delivery tax would be levied based on the delivery
of packages to homes and offices regardless of the
value of the purchase. A one percent sales tax on
e-commerce purchases yields $97 million per year.
Revenues from a package delivery tax were not
calculated. Should e-commerce and package delivery
grow over time, so would revenues.
▰  Business Tax—A one percent surcharge on taxes
already collected from New Jersey corporations and
unincorporated businesses will yield $30 million
per year.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  121

7

Looking Toward t

Bloomfield, Essex County

122 

P

lan 2045 presents a long term vision and framework
to help the NJTPA Board of Trustees make decisions
year-to-year on where and how investments can be
made to meet regional goals. As detailed in Chapter 3
and addressed throughout these pages, the region will

see travel demands steadily increase—driven by population growth

of 17 percent and employment growth of 14 percent by 2045—
placing increased stress on all aspects of the transportation network.

All the while, the region will face a host of uncertainties that could
greatly impact transportation—new technologies, changes in climate

he Future

and sea levels, new locational preferences
by businesses and families and more.
●  Based on extensive public and stakeholder outreach (Chapter 2) and technical analysis, Plan 2045 offers a set of

principles and guidelines for future investments (Chapter 4) and
specific strategies and policies to meet the needs of key facilities
and address major issues (Chapter 5). The plan’s financial element
(Chapter 6) offers a realistic approach to pay for needed improvements, with consideration of alternative funding scenarios.  ●
Implementing this plan will require close cooperation with partner
agencies—including NJTPA subregions, NJDOT, NJ TRANSIT, the Port
Authority and the TMAs—and with numerous interests and groups
in the state, and could include partnerships with commercial
or philanthropic organizations for local initiatives. Of particular
importance, the NJTPA will continue its leadership and participation in the Together North Jersey consortium as it works to make

  123

Sparta, Sussex County

the region more competitive, efficient, livable and
resilient. As highlighted throughout this plan, the
NJTPA will seek to use its investments and planning
programs to support these broad themes and the strategies and actions recommended in the Together North
Jersey plan. Continued involvement with Together
North Jersey will ensure that NJTPA’s transportation
planning supports strengthening communities and
bringing economic progress to all segments of the
region.
In addition to Together North Jersey, other plans
and planning documents, referenced previously, will
help shape how the NJTPA implements Plan 2045.
Among them:
Regional Comprehensive Economic Development
Strategy (CEDS)—Developed in cooperation with
Together North Jersey partners, the CEDS seeks to
increase access to opportunities and prosperity by
advancing regional priorities through local actions.
Regional Coordinated Human Services
Transportation Plan—This plan identifies transportation priorities for meeting the needs of the special

124  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

mobility challenges facing seniors, low-income people,
veterans and people with disabilities.
New Jersey Statewide Freight Plan—This federally
required document was developed by public agencies
in the state, with input from the private sector and
other interests. Finalized in fall 2017, it addresses the
full range of freight issues facing the state and region.
Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP)—Completed in
2005, the state’s plan identifies several priority emphasis areas for improving safety: lane departures, aggressive driving, drowsy and distracted driving, intersections, mature drivers, and pedestrians and bicycles.
The Connected Corridor—Completed in 2014, it
includes technology standards and protocols—called
the state ITS architecture—and addresses strategies for
improved management of transportation systems and
their operation.
State Development and Redevelopment Plan—This
plan designates planning areas that share common
development and environmental conditions as areas
for growth, limited growth, or conservation.

Highlands Regional Master Plan—This plan guides
implementation of the Highlands Water Protection
and Planning Act of 2004.
In addition to attending to needs on the existing transportation network, the NJTPA and partner
agencies must continue to preserve and study possible
multimodal transportation use of abandoned rights-ofway. One example is the Bergen Arches in Jersey City,
which was once a rail corridor but was abandoned
decades ago. Another, as discussed in chapter 5, is the
route of the Morris Canal now undergoing study to
complete a continuous greenway through six counties.
Beyond these planning efforts, the NJTPA must
continue to assist counties and municipalities in pursuing the goals and policies articulated in Plan 2045 and
help adapt them to local conditions and needs.
To this end, as noted, NJTPA’s involvement with
Together North Jersey includes many locally-focused
efforts. In addition, the NJTPA’s subregional programs—such as grants for studies of local needs, data
collection, master plan updates, the exploration of
project concepts and other activities—are helping
address priority local issues. A particularly important
locally focused effort will be continuing to expand the
Street Smart NJ pedestrian safety campaign (see Street
Smart NJ p. 95) to more communities, with the help
of TMAs.
NJTPA also must continue to apply its staff
resources, expertise and technical tools to better
address regional mobility needs. This includes coordinating studies of key corridors, performing computer
modeling and GIS mapping, serving as a repository for
transportation data, assisting in engineering and environmental reviews for project delivery, working with
communities to pilot innovative planning approaches,
and managing and administering the TIP, among other
responsibilities.
A performance-based approach will continue to
underpin much of this work, emphasizing ways in
which progress toward NJTPA goals can be measured
and how potential actions and investments can be
systematically evaluated. This includes the NJTPA’s
ongoing Congestion Management Process, prioritizing projects with defined performance criteria, and
new federally required monitoring and regional target
setting.

All these activities will be undertaken at the direction of the NJTPA Board of Trustees and its standing
committees. The Board will draw upon this plan in
preparing an update of the agency’s Strategic Business
Plan, with the goal of improving the organization to
better meet the many challenges and opportunities
Plan 2045 identifies and to better serve citizens of
the region. As discussed in Chapter 4, the Board will
receive important feedback on the impacts of its decisions through implementation of federally mandated
performance measures whose targets will be set and
monitored by NJTPA and its state planning partners.
While these and other efforts to implement Plan
2045 appropriately focus on issues and needs within
the region, the plan’s vision extends beyond North
Jersey. The region’s economy is closely tied to the
larger New York and Connecticut metropolitan area
and to the mega-region extending throughout the
northeastern United States. Coordination and cooperation among the NJTPA and neighboring MPOs on
cross-border issues and on sharing best practices will
continue to be accomplished through the Metropolitan
Area Planning (MAP) Forum, which meets periodically
and has ongoing staff communications.
The most pressing metropolitan-wide need—
identified as the highest investment priority in this
plan (see Trans-Hudson Travel p. 58)—is to complete
a new Hudson River rail tunnel and to accomplish the
Highlands, Monmouth County

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  125

larger Gateway Program. It will provide new travel
capacity and accommodate new rail services feeding
into the Northeast Corridor. The NJTPA has joined
with MPOs in the larger metropolitan region, as well
as with state and local agencies to document the vital
need for these improvements to support the economic
wellbeing of upwards of 30 million people in the
region and beyond. Non-profit, academic, research
and advocacy organizations—including the Regional
Plan Association—have contributed their visions and
plans for future development, which complement and
present alternatives for many of the strategies offered
in Plan 2045. All recognize the essential need for new
trans-Hudson rail capacity. Advancing the tunnel and
Gateway Program will be a sustained focus of efforts
to implement Plan 2045.
Attending to such metropolitan level needs while
also effectively supporting regional and local level
priorities, as noted above, follows the mandate for
comprehensive planning under federal law required of
the NJTPA and MPOs across the country. In addition
to being comprehensive, MPO planning must be continuing and cooperative—rounding out the so-called
“3C process” required by law. For NJTPA, the cooperative aspect is evidenced by the growing number
of partners it has engaged in the planning process.
NJTPA’s leadership and participation in Together

126  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

North Jersey, which helped shape this plan represents
a substantial broadening of cooperation, extending
NJTPA support and involvement to many groups
and issues outside of traditional MPO planning. It
is an exciting direction that has already yielded new
approaches and innovations in serving the needs of the
region.
The third “C,” continuing planning, is embodied
in this plan itself. The strategies, policies and projects
contained in Plan 2045 represent commitments by the
NJTPA and its partners to undertake the steps needed
to improve mobility in particular locations, in specific
ways and with a focus on achieving particular goals
and objectives—an ongoing process that will continue
over the life of this plan. Indeed, with adoption of this
plan, efforts commence to monitor and assess progress
in meeting these commitments, to take stock of new
challenges and conditions as they unfold and to take
mid-course corrections when needed—all in preparation for the next long range plan update in 2021.
Plan 2045 provides the foundation for comprehensive,
cooperative and continuous planning to ensure citizens and businesses will be well prepared for future
uncertainties and be able to fully realize the benefits of
improved transportation in supporting economic progress, safeguarding the environment and strengthening
communities.

Supporting Documents
The following Project Index contains current and future candidate projects that
have been identified through the metropolitan planning process in northern New
Jersey and whose costs can be accommodated based on the 28-year funding
assumptions as set forth in Chapter 5. The Index arrays projects by the county in
which they are located. They are further arrayed by Highway/Bridges, Transit and
Authority categories as well as by timeframe. Near-term projects are those that
can be completed within one to four years. This includes projects contained in the
4-year NJTPA Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Mid-term projects are
scheduled to be completed in years 5 through 10. They include the six out-years of
the 10-year State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). Long-term projects
are estimated to be completed during the final 15 years of the Plan, years 13 to
28. Projects in the Study and Development Program are included in the “Projects
under Study” category of the Index. Projects are listed in their respective timeframe
category based on the year they will be completed (near, mid, or long-term).
All costs are presented in Year of Expenditure (YOE) dollars.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-1

Project Name

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

15415
15416

Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped

NS9606
94064
12431A
12431B
12428

Bridges
Bridges
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Preservation

17.50
28.30
7.35
24.08
6.67

98546

Road Enhancement

10.20

9240

Bridges

45.92

065C
08410
02346
93134
11406

Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bike/Ped

59.50
31.88
83.80
14.60
25.95

14319
11357
16348
14418
11415
11355
15430

Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Road Enhancement
Bridges
Bridges

N1801
N1601
14424
94056
103A1
94057
15383
103A2

Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Road Expansion
Bridges
Road Preservation
Road Expansion

Bergen
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
ADA North, Contract 5
ADA North, Contract 6
** Fifth Avenue Bridge (AKA Fair Lawn Avenue Bridge)
over Passaic River
Route 4, Jones Road Bridge
Route 4, River Drive to Tunbridge Road
Route 4, Tunbridge Road to Route 9W
Route 46, Bergen Boulevard to Main Street

1.10
2.53

Mid-Term
Market Street/Essex Street/Rochelle Avenue
Route 1&9, Bridge over NYS&W RR & Division Street to
Fairview Avenue
Route 4, Bridge over Palisade Avenue, Windsor Road and
CSX Railroad
Route 4, Grand Avenue Bridge
Route 4, Hackensack River Bridge
Route 4, Teaneck Road Bridge
Route 9W, Palisades Avenue to New York State Line
Route 17, Bridges over NYS&W RR & RR Spur &
Central Avenue (CR 44)
Route 17, Sprout Brook, Culvert Replacement
Route 46, Bridge over Erie-Lackawanna Railroad
Route 46, Bridges over Route 17
Route 80 WB, McBride Avenue (CR 639) to Polify Road (CR 55)
Route 208, Wyckoff Twp., Bergen Co., Culvert Replacement
Route 3 EB, Bridge over Hackensack River & Meadowlands Parkway

Projects Under Study
East Anderson Street Bridge (02C0023A) over the Hackensack River
Kingsland Avenue, Bridge over Passaic River
Route 9W, Bridge over Route 95, 1& 9, 46, and 4
Route 17, Central Avenue Bridge, Rochelle Park
Route 17, Essex Street to South of Route 4
Route 17, NYS&W Bridge
Route 17, Pierrepont Ave to Terrace Ave/Polify Rd (CR 55)
Route 17, Williams Avenue to I-80

**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

SD-2  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

33.35
5.28
15.70
45.45
339.80
3.32
89.50

Project Name

Route 63, Bridge over Fairview Avenue
Route 208, Bergen County Drainage Improvements
Route 287, Truck Weigh Station, Bergen County

DBNUM

RCIS Category

16343
11381
858

Bridges
Road Preservation
Road Preservation

T610

Transit Enhancement

MC09038_B
MC09054_T
MC09039_B
MC09050_B
MC09047_B
MC09048_B
MC09049_B

Bike/Ped
TDM
Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped

MC09020_R

Road Enhancement

MC09037_P
MC09041_B

Safety
Bike/Ped

MC09021_R

Road Enhancement

MC09006_R

Road Enhancement

MC09035_P
MC09042_B
MC09043_B

Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped

MC09032_P

Bike/Ped

GSP1407

Road Enhancement

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

NJ TRANSIT
Near-Term
Lyndhurst Intermodal ADA Improvements

5.88

Authority Projects
Near/Mid-Term
New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority
Carlstadt Bicycle Improvements (B1)
Carlstadt/Moonachie Shuttle (NJSEA MTPD Project T6)
East Rutherford Bicycle Improvements (B2)
Meadows Path Bicycle Improvements (B12)
Meadows Path Bicycle Improvements (B5)
Meadows Path Bicycle Improvements (B6)
Meadows Path Bicycle Improvements (B8)
Moonachie Avenue and Grand Street, Moonachie
(NJSEA MDTP Project E2)
Moonachie Avenue Pedestrian Improvements, Moonachie
(NJSEA MTPD Project P6)
Moonachie Bicycle Improvements (B7)
Murray Hill Parkway and East Union Avenue, East Rutherford
(NJSEA MDTP Project E4)
Murray Hill Parkway and East Union Avenue, East Rutherford
(NJSEA MDTP Project I4)
Paterson Plank Road Pedestrian Improvements,
East Rutherford/Carlstadt (NJSEA MTPD Project P4)
Rutherford Bicycle Improvements (B10)
Teterboro Bicycle Improvements (B13)
Valley Brook Avenue Pedestrian Improvements, Lyndhurst
(NJSEA MTPD Project P1)
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
GSP Interchange 163

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-3

Project Name

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

15414
NS0504
N1706
NS9812

Bike/Ped
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement

5.10
15.00
0.50
15.00

N1709
12408B

Freight
Road Preservation

2.00
11.90

12420A
15371
9233B3
06366B
16327

Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Enhancement
ITS
Safety

3.45
13.26
37.20
5.90
3.30

12318
NS9801

Bridges
Bridges

26.75
23.20

11407

Bridges

325.00

N1501
15439
99381
9233B6

Freight
Bike/Ped
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement

206.19
7.25
35.90
32.00

N1402
N1602
N1605
94047A
15377
98540

Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Bike/Ped

Essex
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
ADA North, Contract 4
** Delancy Street, Avenue I to Avenue P
* Main Street and Scotland Road, Intersection Improvements
** McClellan Street Underpass
Replacement of Bridge 3.08 on ConRail Passaic &
Harsimus (P&H) Line
Route 7, Mill Street (CR 672) to Park Avenue (CR 646)
Route 23, Bloomfield Avenue to Bridge over NJ TRANSIT,
ADA Contract
Route 27, Dehart Place to Route 21
Route 46, Passaic Avenue to Willowbrook Mall
Route 46, Route 287 to Route 23 (Pompton Avenue), ITS
Route 280 Rockfall Mitigation, West Orange Township
Route 280, WB Ramp over 1st & Orange Streets, Newark Subway
& NJ TRANSIT
** Two Bridges Road Bridge and West Belt Extension

Mid-Term
PANY&NJ-NJDOT Project Program
Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT) Access Improvement and
Expansion Project
Route 10, Chelsea Drive to Kelly Drive
Route 21, Newark Needs Analysis, Murray Street to Edison Place
Route 23, Route 80 and Route 46 Interchange

Projects Under Study
Clay Street Bridge over the Passaic River
CR 508 (Bridge Street), Bridge over Passaic River
CR 508 (Central Avenue), Bridge over City Subway
EWR Southern Access Roadway
Route 21, Lafayette Street to On Ramp at Interchange 7
Route 21, Newark Riverfront Pedestrian and Bicycle Access

 * Denotes projects with Congressionally designated funding which does not necessarily reflect the full cost of projects, nor the YOE amount.
**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

SD-4  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Project Name

DBNUM

RCIS Category

PA1421
PA1412
PA1413
PA1419

Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation

TPK1406
GSP1406

Bridges
Road Enhancement

CP10-004

Transit Expansion

15416

Bike/Ped

17340
N1704
17356
97005B
15376
08346

Freight
Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Freight
Road Preservation
Bridges

11407
16307

Bridges
Bridges

9240
12386
93186
15430

Bridges
Bridges
Road Preservation
Bridges

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

Authority Projects
Near-Term
Port Authority of NY & NJ
Equipment Purchases
Salt Mitigation
Substations
Trackwork Repair and Restoration

11.50
99.44
33.89
87.10

Near/Mid-Term
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
Deck Reconstruction of the Newark Bay—Hudson County Bridge
GSP Interchange 145

Under Study
Port Authority of NY & NJ
PATH Extension to NEC Rail Link Station

Hudson
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
ADA North, Contract 6
* Conrail Passaic & Harsimus Line, Hack to Kearny Double Track
(Liberty Corridor)
* Johnston Avenue Road Improvements
Pedestrian Bridge over Route 440
Portway, Fish House Road/Pennsylvania Avenue, CR 659
Route 1, Route 3 to 46th Street
Route 3, Bridge over Northern Secondary & Ramp A

2.53
1.80
1.37
4.87
26.30
2.69
22.50

Mid-Term
PANY&NJ-NJDOT Project Program
Paterson Plank Road (CR 681), Bridge over Route 3 at MP 10.04
Route 1&9, Bridge over NYS&W RR & Division Street to
Fairview Avenue
Route 3 & Route 495 Interchange
Route 7, Kearny, Drainage Improvements
Route 3 EB, Bridge over Hackensack River & Meadowlands Parkway

325.00
6.45
45.92
61.10
81.40
89.50

 * Denotes projects with Congressionally designated funding which does not necessarily reflect the full cost of projects, nor the YOE amount.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-5

Project Name

DBNUM

RCIS Category

N1402
N1602

Bridges
Bridges

N1603
N1702
N1802
97005E
06307

Road Enhancement
Freight
Bridges
Freight
Road Enhancement

TLM03
TN16001

Transit Preservation
Transit Expansion

PA1424
PA1421
PA1423
PA1416
PA1411
PA1711
PA1710
PA1412
PA1413
PA1419
PA1415

Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation

MC14001_R

Road Enhancement

MC09008_R

Road Enhancement

MC09033_P

Bike/Ped

MC09002_R

Road Enhancement

MC09025_R
MC09046_B

Road Enhancement
Bike/Ped

MC09036_P

Bike/Ped

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

Projects Under Study
Clay Street Bridge over the Passaic River
CR 508 (Bridge Street), Bridge over Passaic River
JFK Boulevard East, River Road, Manhattan Avenue, and
Paterson Plank Road
Koppers Coke Access Road (Liberty Corridor)
Meadowlands Parkway Bridge
Route 1&9T, Secaucus Road to Little Ferry
Route 440/1&9, Boulevard through Jersey City

NJ TRANSIT
Projects Under Study
Hoboken Terminal Accessibility & Resilience Improvements
Trans-Hudson Planning & Coordination

Authority Projects
Near-Term
Port Authority of NY & NJ
Concrete Sea Wall East of Harrison Car Maintenance Facility
Equipment Purchases
Harrison Car Maintenance Facility Automatic Flood Barrier
Lifts
Priority Protective Measures with Potential Environmental Impacts
Rehabilitation of PATH Stations
Repairs at Harrison Car Maintenance Facility
Salt Mitigation
Substations
Trackwork Repair and Restoration
Vertical Transportation

Near/Mid-Term
New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority
83rd Street, between US 1&9 and Westside Avenue, North Bergen
(NJSEA MDTP Project L15)
County Avenue and Secaucus Road, Secaucus
(NJSEA MDTP Project I6)
Harrison Avenue Area Pedestrian Improvements, Kearny
(NJSEA MTPD Project P2)
Meadowland Parkway, between NJ Route 3 and Broadcast Plaza,
Secaucus (NJSEA MDTP Project L10)
Meadowlands Parkway and NJ Route 3 westbound ramp, Secaucus
(NJSEA MDTP Project E9)
Meadows Path Bicycle Improvements (B4)
New County Road and County Road Extension Pedestrian
Improvements, Secaucus (NJSEA MTPD Project P5)

SD-6  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

9.78
11.50
7.38
6.67
3.40
5.00
22.59
99.44
33.89
87.10
11.00

Project Name

DBNUM

NJ Route 3 eastbound service road & Plaza Drive, Secaucus
(NJSEA MDTP Project E7)
MC09023_R
Paterson Plank Road and 1st Street, Secaucus (NJSEA MDTP
Project I12)
MC09013_R
Paterson Plank Road and Harmon Meadow Boulevard, Secaucus
(NJSEA MDTP Project I5)
MC09007_R
Paterson Plank Road and Terminal Road, Secaucus (NJSEA MDTP
Project E5)
MC09022_R
Secaucus Greenway Bicycle Improvements (NJSEA MTPD Project B11) MC09045_B
Secaucus Greenway Bicycle Improvements (NJSEA MTPD Project B3) MC09040_B
Secaucus Greenway Bicycle Improvements (NJSEA MTPD Project B9) MC09044_B
Secaucus Transit Village Shuttle (NJSEA MTPD Project T3)
MC09052_T
Secaucus-North Bergen Shuttle (NJSEA MTPD Project T5)
MC09030_T
South Secaucus Shuttle Area (NJSEA MTPD Project T4)
MC09055_T
Westside Avenue and Paterson Plank Road, North Bergen
(NJSEA MDTP Project I3)
MC09005_R
Westside Avenue Pedestrian Improvements, North Bergen
(NJSEA MTPD Project P3)
MC09034_P

RCIS Category

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Bike/Ped
Safety
Bike/Ped
TDM
TDM
TDM
Road Enhancement
Bike/Ped

New Jersey Turnpike Authority
Deck Reconstruction of the Newark Bay—Hudson County Bridge
TPK1406
NJ Turnpike Interchange 14A Improvement Project
TPK1405
NJ Turnpike Interchange Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Study TPK1407

Bridges
Road Expansion
Road Expansion

Port Authority of NY & NJ
Bayonne Bridge Elevation
NEAT Conversion to Container Terminal (CP10-002)

CB06-087
CP10-002

Bridges
Freight

15419
NS9806
15322
NS9703
11409
16351
11413B

Bike/Ped
Bridges
Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Bridges
Safety

10.48
4.20
12.25
8.30
10.69
4.30
29.00

08327B
12401
15338

Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Safety

5.20
1.88
8.00

Hunterdon
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
ADA Central, Contract 3
Church Street Bridge, CR 579
Delaware & Raritan Canal Bridges
** Milford-Warren Glen Road, CR 519
Route 22, EB, Route 78 to Rt 28 (CR 614, Easton Turnpike)
Route 29, Bridge over Copper Creek
Route 29, Rockfall Mitigation, Kingwood Twp
Route 31 SB, CR 523 (Walter Foran Boulevard) to Wescott Drive
(CR 600)
Route 31, Bull Run Road to Branch of Stoney Brook
Route 78 Rockfall Mitigation, Bethlehem Township
**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-7

Project Name

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

14425
11413C

Bridges
Road Preservation

10.95
12.40

08327C
08327D
11342A

Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation

13.28
9.80
10.03

15443
403A
16341
9137A
93141
16338
16362

Safety
Road Expansion
Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Bridges
Bike/Ped

DB14026
DB14027
DB14003
DB14016 ITS
DB14020
DB14011 ITS

Road Preservation
Bridges
Bridges

DB14001
DB14025
DB14029
DB14030
DB14028

Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges

Mid-Term
Route 22, Bridge over NJT Raritan Valley Line
Route 29, Alexauken Creek Road to Washington Street
Route 31, Church Street (CR 650) to E Main Street/
Flemington Jct Road
Route 31, HealthQuest Boulevard to River Road
Route 31, Route 78/22 to Graysrock Road

Projects Under Study
Route 29, Rockfall Mitigation, West Amwell & Lambertville
Route 31, Integrated Land Use & Transportation Plan
Route 78, Bridge over Beaver Brook
Route 78, Edna Mahan Frontage Road
Route 78, Interchange Study at Route 31
Route 173, Bridge over Mulhockaway Creek
Route 173, CR 513 (Pittstown Rd) to Beaver Avenue (CR 626)

Authority Projects
Near/Mid-Term
Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
CB-S TSB Approach Pavement & Stormwater Inlet Improvements
Centre Bridge Stockton Toll Supported Bridge Rehabilitation
Lumberville-Raven Rock Pedestrian Bridge Rehabilitation
Milford-Montague Toll
New Hope–Lambertville Toll Bridge Floor System Rehabilitation
New Hope–Lambertville Toll
New Hope–Lambertville Toll Bridge Approach Roadways &
Bridges Improvements
NH-L Toll Supported Bridge Rehabilitation
NHS TSB Floor System Replacement & Rehabilitation
R-B TSB Rehabilitation
Uhlerstown–Frenchtown TSB Rehabilitation

SD-8  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Bridges

Project Name

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

15418
15419
15322
N1705
99316
10354
11408
10316A
12425
11309
15363
00321

Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Bridges
Safety
Bridges
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Bike/Ped
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Bridges

14.20
10.48
12.25
6.01
14.75
50.00
22.90
10.60
9.24
4.60
2.54
13.46

14423
17419
15303
079A
16352
10381
15392
16339
9169Q
9169R

Bridges
Road Expansion
Bridges
Road Enhancement
Bridges
Bridges
Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement

6.04
30.20
12.05
37.50
8.28
6.70
10.57
6.80
10.60
4.90

06316

Transit Expansion

06344
99313
08417
15398
14355
98541
9324A

Freight
Bridges
Road Expansion
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Enhancement
Road Expansion

Middlesex
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
ADA Central, Contract 2
ADA Central, Contract 3
Delaware & Raritan Canal Bridges
* Livingston Avenue Traffic Calming
** Oak Tree Road Bridge, CR 604
Route 18, East Brunswick, Drainage and Pavement Rehabilitation
Route 18, South of Texas Road to Rues Lane, Pavement
Route 27 ADA Ramps, Evergreen St to Elizabeth River
Route 33, Bentley Road to Manalapan Brook
Route 130, Westfield Ave. to Main Street
Route 171, Route 130 to Lincoln Avenue
** Schalk’s Crossing Road Bridge, CR 683

Mid-Term
Grove Avenue, Bridge over Port Reading RR
Route 1, Alexander Road to Mapleton Road
Route 1, NB Bridge over Raritan River
Route 9/35, Main Street Interchange
Route 18 NB, Bridge over Conrail
Route 35, Heards Brook and Woodbridge Creek, Culvert Replacement
Route 35, Route 9 to Colonia Boulevard
Route 130, Bridge over Millstone River
Route 287, Interchange 10 Ramp Improvements
Route 287, River Road (CR 622), Interchange Improvements

Projects Under Study
Carteret Ferry Service Terminal
Carteret, International Trade and Logistics Center Roadway
Improvements
Park Avenue Bridge
Route 1, Forrestal Road to Aaron Road
Route 26, Cox Road to Nassau Street
Route 440, Route 95 to Kreil Avenue
South Amboy Intermodal Center
Tremley Point Connector Road

 * Denotes projects with Congressionally designated funding which does not necessarily reflect the full cost of projects, nor the YOE amount.
**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-9

Project Name

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

T620

Transit Enhancement

TN10002
TN12001

Transit Expansion
Transit Enhancement

GSP1003
TPK1403

Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement

15418
HP01002

Bike/Ped
Road Enhancement

14.20
18.00

NS9306
11408
12425
12405
12410
11315
15389A
14357
HP01001
14377
NS9706

Bridges
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Bridges

34.00
22.90
9.24
4.66
5.20
9.24
11.50
18.30
4.50
0.83
64.00

15417

Bike/Ped

21.00

NS0403
12379
14422
11307

Road Enhancement
Bridges
Bridges
Road Preservation

30.70
12.50
5.85
99.00

NJ TRANSIT
Near-Term
Perth Amboy Intermodal ADA Improvements

22.21

Projects Under Study
Central New Jersey Route 1 Bus Rapid Transit
Route 9 Bus Enhancements

Authority Projects
Near/Mid-Term
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
GSP Interchange 125
NJ Turnpike Interchange 10 Improvement Project

Monmouth
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
ADA Central, Contract 2
Halls Mill Road
** Monmouth County Bridges W7, W8, W9 over Glimmer Glass and
Debbie’s Creek
Route 18, South of Texas Road to Rues Lane, Pavement
Route 33, Bentley Road to Manalapan Brook
Route 33, School House Road to Fortunato Place
Route 33B, Kondrup Way to Fairfield Rd
Route 34, Bridge over former Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad
Route 35, Old Bridge Road to Route 34 & Route 70
Route 66, Jumping Brook Road to Bowne Road/Wayside Road
Route 71, Wyckoff Road, CR 547
Route 195 WB, Route 295 to CR 524/539 (Old York Road)
** Rumson Road over the Shrewsbury River, CR 520

Mid-Term
ADA Central, Contract 1
** County Route 537 Corridor, Section A, NJ Rt. 33 Business and
Gravel Hill Road
Route 33 Business, Bridge over Conrail Freehold Secondary Branch
Route 33, Bridge over Millstone River
Route 34, CR 537 to Washington Ave., Pavement

**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

SD-10  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Project Name

Route 35, Bridge over North Branch of Wreck Pond
Route 71, Bridge over NJ Transit (NJCL)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

14429
15449

Bridges
Bridges

08379
06314

Bridges
Transit Enhancement

NS9603
07350
15402
16349
15384
08329
15372
16316
15401
15380
16312

Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Preservation
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Bridges

TN12001

Transit Enhancement

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

3.75
30.50

Projects Under Study
Laurel Avenue NJ Transit Bridge Replacement
Long Branch Ferry Terminal
Monmouth County Bridge S-31 (AKA Bingham Avenue Bridge)
over Navesink River, CR 8A
Route 9, Bus Rapid Transit
Route 34, Route 35 & 70 to Route 195/138
Route 36, Bridge over Troutman’s Creek
Route 36, Clifton Ave/James St to CR 520 (Rumson Rd)
Route 66, West of Jumping Brook Road to East of Wayside Avenue
Route 70, Dakota Trail to Riverview Drive (CR 48)
Route 71, Bridge over Shark River
Route 138, Garden State Parkway to Route 35
Route 79, Route 9 to Route 34 (Middlesex Street)
School House Road, Bridge over Route 35

NJ TRANSIT
Projects Under Study
Route 9 Bus Enhancements

Authority Projects
Near/Mid-Term
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
GSP Interchange 105
GSP1404
GSP Interchange 109
GSP1405
GSP Shoulder Restoration and Improvements Program, MP 83 to 100 GSP1401

Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Safety

Morris
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
ADA North, Contract 1
ADA North, Contract 2
ADA North, Contract 4
** Landing Road Bridge Over Morristown Line, CR 631
** NY Susquehanna and Western Rail Line Bicycle/Pedestrian Path
** Openaki Road Bridge

15411
15412
15414
NS9708
NS9803
NS9802

Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Bridges
Bike/Ped
Bridges

6.00
1.10
5.10
7.58
12.00
7.50

**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-11

Project Name

Route 10, Hillside Ave (CR 619) to Mt. Pleasant Tpk (CR 665)
Route 10, WB Rt 287 to Jefferson Rd
Route 23, Alexander Road to Maple Lake Road
Route 46, Main Street/Woodstone Road (CR 644) to Route 287, ITS
Route 46, Route 287 to Route 23 (Pompton Avenue), ITS
Route 46, Stiger St to Sand Shore Rd/Naughright Road
Route 57/182/46, Hackettstown Mobility Improvements
Route 80, Rockfall Mitigation, Rockaway, Denville, Par-Troy
Route 15 and Berkshire Valley Road (CR 699)
Route 181, Espanog Road to Prospect Point Road
Route 287 NB, Route 202/206 to South Street (CR 601)
* Schooleys Mountain Bridge Rehabilitation
** Two Bridges Road Bridge and West Belt Extension
** Waterloo Road over Musconetcong River

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

11339
12436
11424
06366A
06366B
15387
9237
15444
13350
15378
15405
N1707
NS9801
NS0107

Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
ITS
ITS
Road Preservation
Road Enhancement
Safety
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges

19.30
3.51
11.68
5.90
5.90
4.60
3.10
3.25
3.97
1.60
17.05
1.00
23.20
3.00

12303
00312
98338C
14414
08347
13316
06366D
16318
12424
15351
93139

Road Expansion
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Bridges
Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Safety
Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Enhancement

10.25
11.25
22.30
9.71
54.60
6.33
10.50
4.55
4.53
34.35
63.50

N1604

Bridges

N1804
15441
15433
06366E
15381
16333

Bridges
Safety
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Bridges

T535

Transit Expansion

Mid-Term
Route 10, EB widening from Route 202 to Route 53
Route 10, Jefferson Road
Route 10/202, NJ 53 to Johnson Road, Operational Improvements
Route 15 SB, Bridge over Rockaway River
Route 23, Bridge over Pequannock River / Hamburg Turnpike
Route 46, Canfield Avenue
Route 46, Main Street/Woodstone Road (CR 644) to Route 80
Route 46, Pequannock Street to CR 513 (West Main Street)
Route 53, Pondview Road to Hall Avenue
Route 80, Bridges over Howard Boulevard (CR 615)
Route 80, Route 15 Interchange

Projects Under Study
CR 510 (Columbia Turnpike), Bridge over Black Brook
Martin Luther King Avenue Bridge (No. 1400-118) over the
Whippany River
Route 15 Corridor, Rockfall Mitigation
Route 24, EB Ramp to CR 510 (Columbia Turnpike)
Route 46, Route 80 Exit Ramp to Route 53
Route 202, Childs Rd/N Maple Ave (CR 613) to Academy Road
Scour Countermeasure Design and Installation

NJ TRANSIT
Near-Term
Lackawanna Cutoff MOS Project

 * Denotes projects with Congressionally designated funding which does not necessarily reflect the full cost of projects, nor the YOE amount.
**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

SD-12  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

21.89

Project Name

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

11418
11330
12404
10307
94071A
11385
00357C
15369

Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Enhancement
Bridges
Bridges
Road Preservation

53.45
7.45
5.25
11.56
10.03
39.42
26.51
4.10

15417
15323
15389
09322
14324

Bike/Ped
Bridges
Road Preservation
Bridges
Bridges

21.00
4.07
22.30
5.51
10.10

N1805
N1405
07350
076C

Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Road Expansion

97080N
15432
15372

Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation

TN12001

Transit Enhancement

Ocean
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
Route 9, Indian Head Road to Central Ave/Hurley Ave, Pavement
Route 9, Jones Rd to Longboat Ave
Route 37, EB Thomas St to Fisher Blvd
Route 70, East of North Branch Road to CR 539
Route 72, East Road
Route 72, Manahawkin Bay Bridges, Contract 1A & 1B
Route 72, Manahawkin Bay Bridges, Contract 4
Route 37, Garden State Parkway/Route 9 to Route 166

Mid-Term
ADA Central, Contract 1
F.R.E.C. Access Road, Bridge over Toms River
Route 35, Osborne Avenue to Manasquan River
Route 88, Bridge over Beaver Dam Creek
Route 166, Bridges over Branch of Toms River

Projects Under Study
Chadwick Beach Island Bridge (No. 1507-007) over Barnegat Bay
Garden State Parkway Interchange 83 Improvements
Route 9, Bus Rapid Transit
Route 9, Lakewood/Toms River, Congestion Relief
Route 9, Mizzen Avenue and Washington Avenue, Intersection
Improvements
Route 9, Washington Avenue to Beachwood Boulevard
Route 70, Dakota Trail to Riverview Drive (CR 48)

NJ TRANSIT
Projects Under Study
Route 9 Bus Enhancements

Authority Projects
Near/Mid-Term
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
GSP Interchange 91 Improvements (Burnt Tavern Road)
GSP098
GSP Mainline Widening From Interchange 35 to 80
GSP1408
GSP Shoulder Restoration and Improvements Program, MP 83 to 100 GSP1401

Road Enhancement
Road Expansion
Safety

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-13

Project Name

DBNUM

RCIS Category

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

Passaic
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
** Fifth Avenue Bridge (AKA Fair Lawn Avenue Bridge) over
Passaic River
NS9606
** NY Susquehanna and Western Rail Line Bicycle/Pedestrian Path
NS9803
Route 19, Colfax Ave (CR 609) to Marshall Street
12419
Route 20, Paterson Safety, Drainage and Resurfacing
08372
Route 21, Dayton Street to Route 46 West
12400
Route 23, Bloomfield Avenue to Bridge over NJ Transit, ADA Contract 12420A
Route 46, Passaic Avenue to Willowbrook Mall
9233B3
Route 46, Route 23 (Pompton Avenue) to Route 20, ITS
06366C
Route 46, Route 287 to Route 23 (Pompton Avenue), ITS
06366B
Route 80 EB, Fairfield Road (CR 679) to Route 19
11341
** Two Bridges Road Bridge and West Belt Extension
NS9801

Bridges
Bike/Ped
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Road Enhancement
ITS
ITS
Road Preservation
Bridges

17.50
12.00
5.30
24.00
4.87
3.45
37.20
5.90
5.90
7.40
23.20

059B
08347
11424A
14440
9233B6
11415

Road Enhancement
Bridges
Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement

135.65
54.60
9.93
5.05
32.00
339.80

17316
16308

Bridges
Bridges

N1806
16324
N1606

Road Enhancement
Safety
Bridges

Mid-Term
Route 3, Route 46, Valley Road and Notch/Rifle Camp Road
Interchange, Contract B
Route 23, Bridge over Pequannock River / Hamburg Turnpike
Route 23, High Crest Drive to Macopin River
Route 23, NB Bridge over Pequannock River
Route 23, Route 80 and Route 46 Interchange
Route 80 WB, McBride Avenue (CR 639) to Polify Road (CR 55)
Route 80, Bridge over Passaic River, Riverview Drive &
Mc Bride Avenue
Taft Avenue, Pedestrian Bridge over Route 80

Projects Under Study
Main Avenue Corridor Improvements
Route 23 Rockfall Mitigation, West Milford Township
Sixth Avenue (CR 652), Bridge over Passaic River

**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

SD-14  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

60.65
3.50

Project Name

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

15418
15419
99405
N1407
14350
15322
11409
02372B

Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Road Preservation
Road Enhancement

11363

Bridges

779
780B
02372A
15405
04389

Road Expansion
Road Expansion
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Safety

57.00
40.50
2.24
17.05
12.20

14416
13318
14415
780A
9169Q

Bridges
Safety
Bridges
Road Expansion
Road Enhancement

8.46
2.73
2.40
56.50
10.60

N1607

Bridges

N1125

Bike/Ped

N1807
03318
15381
12332

Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Preservation
Road Enhancement

02372

Road Enhancement

Somerset
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
* North Plainfield Downtown Streetscape and Pedestrian
ADA Central, Contract 2
ADA Central, Contract 3
Camp Meeting Avenue Bridge over Trenton Line, CR 602
** County Bridge K0607, New Brunswick Road over Al’s Brook
CR 514 (Amwell Road), Bridge over D&R Canal
Delaware & Raritan Canal Bridges
Route 22, EB, Route 78 to Rt 28 (CR 614, Easton Turnpike)
Route 202, First Avenue Intersection Improvements
Route 202/206, over Branch of Peter’s Brook, Culvert Replacement
at MP 27.96
Route 206 Bypass, Mountain View Road to Old Somerville Road
(Sections 14A & 15A) Contract B
Route 206, Doctors Way to Valley Road
Route 206, Southbound Merge Improvements with I-287 Ramp
Route 287 NB, Route 202/206 to South Street (CR 601)
Route 287/78, I-287/202/206 Interchange Improvements

14.20
10.48
8.45
3.00
4.36
12.25
10.69
5.58
4.70

Mid-Term
Hamilton Road, Bridge over Conrail RR
Route 28, Rt 287 to Tea Street
Route 202, Bridge over North Branch of Raritan River
Route 206, Valley Road to Brown Avenue
Route 287, Interchange 10 Ramp Improvements

Projects Under Study
CR 512 (Valley Road), Bridge over Passaic River
North Plainfield Downtown Streetscape and Pedestrian
Improvements (Final Phase)
Picket Place, CR 567 Bridge (C0609) over South Branch of
Raritan River
Route 22, Sustainable Corridor Long-term Improvements
Route 202, Childs Rd/N Maple Ave (CR 613) to Academy Road
Route 202, Old York Road (CR 637) Intersection Improvements
Route 202/206 and Route 22 Interchange, North Thompson Street to
Commons Way, Operational and Safety Improvements

 * Denotes projects with Congressionally designated funding which does not necessarily reflect the full cost of projects, nor the YOE amount.
**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-15

Project Name

DBNUM

RCIS Category

TN05003

Transit Expansion

15412
09319
96039
15391
16326
12398
NS0107

Bike/Ped
Bridges
Safety
Road Preservation
Safety
Road Preservation
Bridges

15441
16325
16337
16333

Safety
Safety
Bridges
Bridges

T535

Transit Expansion

DB14038
DB14015
DB14024
DB14036
DB14031
DB14014

Road Enhancement
ITS
Safety
Road Enhancement
Bridges
ITS

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

NJ TRANSIT
Projects Under Study
West Trenton Line Initiative

Sussex
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
ADA North, Contract 2
Route 15, Bridge over Paulins Kill
Route 23, Hardyston Township Improvements
Route 94, Pleasant Valley Drive to Maple Grange Road
Route 206 Rockfall Mitigation, Andover Township
Route 206, Pines Road to CR 521 (Montague River Road)
** Waterloo Road over Musconetcong River

1.10
4.28
12.30
6.00
4.65
9.80
3.00

Projects Under Study
Route 15 Corridor, Rockfall Mitigation
Route 23 and Route 94 Rockfall Mitigation, Hardyston Township
Route 206, Bridge over Dry Brook
Scour Countermeasure Design and Installation

NJ TRANSIT
Near-Term
Lackawanna Cutoff MOS Project

Authority Projects
Near/Mid-Term
Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
Delaware Water Gap River Road Improvements
Delaware Water Gap Toll
DWG / I-80 NJ Roadway Safety Improvements
Porland–Columbia Approach Roadway Improvements
Portland–Columbia Ped. TSB Improvements
Portland–Columbia Toll

**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

SD-16  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

21.89

Project Name

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

NS0408
17339
95023
658C
14330
04361
658E

Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges

8.50
13.63
65.00
8.65
2.11
22.40
11.31

658B
10316A
15371
12421
11404

Road Enhancement
Bike/Ped
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Bike/Ped

4.80
10.60
13.26
12.11
20.58

658A
16303
15392
94019

Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Preservation
Bridges

21.95
7.36
10.57
8.20

09341
12311
15395
N1409
9324A

Transp. Enhancements
Safety
Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Expansion

T600

Transit Preservation

TN05007

Transit Expansion

CB07-103

Road Expansion

Union
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
** Gordon Street over “Out of Service” Conrail Branch, Replacement
* Kapkowski Road - North Avenue East Improvement Project
Route 1&9, Interchange at Route I-278
Route 22, Bloy Street to Liberty Avenue
Route 22, Bridge over Echo Lake
Route 22, Chestnut Street Bridge Replacement (CR 626)
Route 22, Hilldale Place/North Broad Street
Route 22, Westbound, Vicinity of Vaux Hall Road to
West of Bloy Street
Route 27 ADA Ramps, Evergreen St to Elizabeth River
Route 27, Dehart Place to Route 21
Route 28, Grove Street to Highland Avenue
Route 82, Caldwell Avenue to Lehigh Avenue

Mid-Term
Route 22/Route 82/Garden State Parkway Interchange
Route 27 NB, Bridge over Former CNJRR (Abandoned)
Route 35, Route 9 to Colonia Boulevard
Route 82, Rahway River Bridge

Projects Under Study
New Providence Downtown Streetscape
Route 1&9, Avenue C to Sylvan Street
Route 439, Route 28 (Westfield Ave) to Route 27 (Newark Ave)
South Front Street Bridge over the Elizabeth River
Tremley Point Connector Road

NJ TRANSIT
Near-Term
NEC Elizabeth Rail Station Improvements

17.95

Projects Under Study
Union County Rapid Transit System

Authority Projects
Near/Mid-Term
Goethals Bridge Replacement

 * Denotes projects with Congressionally designated funding which does not necessarily reflect the full cost of projects, nor the YOE amount.
**  Projects are funded by DBNUM N063, NJTPA Future Projects.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-17

Project Name

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

15419
15411
15442
09325
15387
15447
97062B
9237
11322
09320

Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Safety
Bridges
Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Enhancement
Road Enhancement
Bridges
Bridges

10.48
6.00
2.25
5.55
4.60
4.45
13.20
3.10
4.90
3.70

11369
16347
11340A
16345
11351
09545

Road Preservation
Bridges
Road Preservation
Bridges
Bridges
Safety

5.80
12.18
9.90
1.25
3.27
59.15

T535

Transit Expansion

21.89

DB12001
DB14013
DB14018
DB14023
DB14022
DB14035
DB14021
DB14002
DB14012

Road Expansion
ITS
Bridges
Bridges
Road Preservation
ITS
Bridges
Road Preservation
ITS

DB12011
DB14041

Bridges
Road Enhancement

Warren
Highway/Bridges
Near-Term
ADA Central, Contract 3
ADA North, Contract 1
Route 22, Rockfall Mitigation, Phillipsburg
Route 31, Bridge over Furnace Brook
Route 46, Stiger St to Sand Shore Rd/Naughright Road
Route 57, Bridge over Shabbacong Creek
Route 57, CR 519 Intersection Improvement
Route 57/182/46, Hackettstown Mobility Improvements
Route 94, Bridge over Jacksonburg Creek
Route 173, Bridge over Pohatcong Creek

Mid-Term
Route 22, Bates Avenue to Route 57
Route 46, Bridge over Paulins Kill
Route 46, Route 80 to Walnut Road
Route 57, Bridge over Branch Lopatcong Creek
Route 57, Lopatcong Creek, Culvert Replacement
Route 80, WB Rockfall Mitigation, Hardwick Township

NJ TRANSIT
Near-Term
Lackawanna Cutoff MOS Project

Authority Projects
Near/Mid-Term
Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge Improvements
Easton-Phillipsburg Toll
I-78 Bridges & Approach Slabs Rehabilitation Project
I-78 Bridges and Approach Slabs Rehabilitation
I-78 New Jersey Roadway Mill & Paving
I-78 Open Road Tolling Lanes
I-78 Toll Bridge Deck Overlay & Parapet Replacement
I-78 Toll Bridge PA Approach Paving Improvements
Interstate 78 Toll
Northampton Street TSB Bridge Floor System Replacement &
Rehabilitation
Riverton–Belvidere Water Street Improvements

SD-18  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Project Name

DBNUM

RCIS Category

T93
T907
T702
T908
T301
T910
T909
T906
T911
T38

Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Expansion
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation

TLM01
TLM02
T538

Transit Enhancement
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation

DB14037

ITS

X12
13303
11344
15413
08415
04311
01335
X72B
X72C
X185
03304
98315
X07A

Overhead
ITS
Bike/Ped
Bike/Ped
Aviation
Overhead
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Safety
Bike/Ped
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

Various
NJ TRANSIT
Near-Term
Bus Maintenance Facilities
Delco Lead Safe Haven Storage and Re-inspection Facility Project
Hoboken Ferry Service Improvements
Hoboken Long Slip Flood Protection Project
Hudson-Bergen LRT Northern Extension
NJ TRANSIT Grid Project
NJ TRANSIT Raritan River Drawbridge Replacement Project
NJ TRANSIT System Repairs/Restoration
Train Controls-Wayside Signals, Power & Communication Resiliency
Wood Ridge Maintenance Of Way Facility Relocated Project

17.25
30.27
12.00
29.93
95.00
510.02
134.64
140.44
26.64
10.00

Long-Term
Hudson Tunnel Project
North River Tunnel Rehab
Portal Bridge North

11,100.00
1,800.00
1,642.20

Authority Projects
Near/Mid-Term
Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
Phase 1 Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge Open Road Tolling
Implementation

ONGOING PROGRAMS
Highway/Bridges
Acquisition of Right of Way
Active Traffic Management System (ATMS)
ADA Curb Ramp Implementation
ADA North, Contract 3
Airport Improvement Program
Asbestos Surveys and Abatements
Betterments, Dams
Betterments, Roadway Preservation
Betterments, Safety
Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities/Accommodations
Bridge Deck/Superstructure Replacement Program
Bridge Emergency Repair
Bridge Inspection

12.00
26.00
84.00
2.45
108.00
12.00
2.72
409.00
272.00
164.00
3,430.10
1,491.00
889.75

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-19

Project Name

Bridge Maintenance and Repair, Movable Bridges
Bridge Maintenance Fender Replacement
Bridge Maintenance Scour Countermeasures
Bridge Management System
Bridge Preventive Maintenance
Bridge Replacement, Future Projects
Bridge Scour Countermeasures
Capital Contract Payment Audits
Congestion Relief, Intelligent Transportation System Improvements
(Smart Move Program)
Congestion Relief, Operational Improvements (Fast Move Program)
Construction Inspection
Construction Program IT System (TRNS.PORT)
Crash Reduction Program
Culvert Replacement Program
DBE Supportive Services Program
Design, Emerging Projects
Design, Geotechnical Engineering Tasks
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Drainage Rehabilitation & Improvements
Drainage Rehabilitation and Maintenance, State
Electrical Facilities
Electrical Load Center Replacement, Statewide
Emergency Management and Transportation Security Support
Environmental Investigations
Environmental Project Support
Equipment (Vehicles, Construction, Safety)
Equipment, Snow and Ice Removal
Ferry Program
Highway Safety Improvement Program Planning
Intelligent Traffic Signal Systems
Intelligent Transportation System Resource Center
Intersection Improvement Program (Project Implementation)
Interstate Service Facilities
Job Order Contracting Infrastructure Repairs, Statewide
Legal Costs for Right of Way Condemnation
Local Aid Consultant Services
Local Aid Grant Management System
Local Aid, Infrastructure Fund
Local Bridges, Future Needs
Local CMAQ Initiatives
Local Concept Development Support
Local County Aid, NJTPA
Local Freight Impact Fund

SD-20  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

14404
17357
17358
X70
13323
08381
98316
98319

Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Bridges
Overhead

02379
02378
X180
05304
X242
09316
X142
X106
05342
X197
X154D
X154
X241
04324
17360
X75
03309
X15
X15A
00377
09388
15343
13304
98333
X151
13305
X137
10347
06327
X186
08387
X065
06326
X41B1
17390

ITS
56.00
Road Enhancement
28.00
Overhead
307.50
Overhead
26.62
Safety
136.00
Bridges
84.00
Overhead
3.30
Overhead
328.00
Overhead
3.00
Overhead
1.00
Road Preservation
136.00
Road Preservation
462.00
Overhead
191.00
Safety
108.00
Overhead
40.00
Environment/Air Quality 136.00
Environment/Air Quality 19.60
Overhead
677.00
Overhead
216.00
Transit Enhancement
108.00
Safety
108.00
ITS
660.00
ITS
88.00
Safety
136.50
Road Enhancement
28.00
Bridges
392.78
Overhead
43.00
Other
33.00
Other
1.60
Other
777.70
Bridges
1,218.10
TDM
247.00
Other
95.25
Other
3,286.62
Freight
777.70

910.03
244.00
244.00
28.00
1,492.00
3,693.12
12.00
31.70

Project Name

Local Municipal Aid, NJTPA
Local Municipal Aid, Urban Aid
Local Preliminary Engineering
Local Safety/ High Risk Rural Roads Program
Maintenance & Fleet Management System
Maritime Transportation System
Metropolitan Planning
Minor Bridge Inspection Program
Minority and Women Workforce Training Set Aside
Mobility and Systems Engineering Program
Motor Vehicle Crash Record Processing
National Highway Freight Program
New Jersey Rail Freight Assistance Program
New Jersey Scenic Byways Program
NJTPA, Future Projects
Orphan Bridge Reconstruction
Park and Ride/Transportation Demand Management Program
Pavement Preservation
Pedestrian Safety Improvement Program
Physical Plant
Planning and Research, Federal-Aid
Planning and Research, State
Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program for Minorities and Women
Program Implementation Costs, NJDOT
Project Development: Concept Development and
Preliminary Engineering
Project Management & Reporting System (PMRS)
Project Management Improvement Initiative Support
Rail-Highway Grade Crossing Program, Federal
Rail-Highway Grade Crossing Program, State
Recreational Trails Program
Regional Action Program
Restriping Program & Line Reflectivity Management System
Resurfacing Program
Resurfacing, Federal
Right of Way Database/Document Management System
Right of Way Full-Service Consultant Term Agreements
Rockfall Mitigation
Safe Routes to School Program
Safe Streets to Transit Program
Salt Storage Facilities - Statewide
Segment Improvement Program
Sign Structure Inspection Program
Sign Structure Rehabilitation/Replacement Program

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

X98B1
X98Z
N1202
04314
X196
01309
X30A
17341
07332
13306
X233
X34A
X34
X200C
N063
99372
X28B
X51
06401
X29
X30
X140
X135
X10

Other
3,364.79
Other
272.00
Other
64.40
Safety
560.00
Road Preservation
56.00
Freight
245.00
Other
672.44
Bridges
186.60
Overhead
28.00
ITS
432.00
Safety
67.50
Freight
1,172.39
Freight
829.04
Environment/Air Quality 12.00
Other
2,972.30
Bridges
157.31
TDM
28.00
Road Preservation
408.00
Bike/Ped
107.00
Overhead
460.00
Overhead
990.00
Overhead
28.00
Overhead
12.00
Overhead
3,213.88

10344
05341
17337
X35A1
X35A
99409
X144
X03A
X03E
99327A
05339
05340
X152
99358
06402
13307
15807
X239
X239A

Overhead
Overhead
Overhead
Safety
Safety
Bike/Ped
Road Enhancement
Safety
Road Preservation
Road Preservation
Overhead
Overhead
Safety
Safety
Bike/Ped
Overhead
Safety
Road Preservation
Road Preservation

32.00
4.05
1.34
315.50
166.00
27.00
56.00
460.00
3,244.00
7,588.00
2.20
1.50
134.00
151.87
28.00
6.50
56.00
62.50
136.00

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-21

Project Name

Sign Structure Replacement Contract 2016-3
Signs Program, Statewide
Solid and Hazardous Waste Cleanup, Reduction and Disposal
State Police Enforcement and Safety Services
Statewide Traffic Operations and Support Program
Storm Water Asset Management
Title VI and Nondiscrimination Supporting Activities
Traffic Monitoring Systems
Traffic Signal Replacement
Training and Employee Development
Transit Village Program
Transportation Alternatives Program
Transportation Demand Management Program Support
Transportation Management Associations
Transportation Research Technology
Unanticipated Design, Right of Way and Construction Expenses,
State
Utility Pole Mitigation
Utility Reconnaissance and Relocation
Youth Employment and TRAC Programs

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

15335
X39
X160
X150
13308
17353
14300
X66
X47
X244
01316
X107
X43
11383
X126

Bridges
ITS
Overhead
Safety
ITS
Road Preservation
Overhead
ITS
ITS
Overhead
Economic Development
Transp. Enhancements
TDM
TDM
Overhead

X11
15344
X182
X199

Overhead
Overhead
Overhead
Overhead

2,510.07
1.75
136.00
3.50

T143
T05
T111
T06
T08
T09
T68
T515
T13
T16
T43
T87
T20
T199
T95
T53E
T122
T44
T55
T121
T135

Transit Enhancement
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Enhancement
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Overhead
TDM
Transit Enhancement
Transit Preservation
Transit Enhancement
Transit Expansion
Transit Preservation
Transit Expansion
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Enhancement
Transit Preservation
Transit Enhancement
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation

24.94
838.07
3,338.84
23.60
599.95
809.54
494.29
404.66
23.25
69.57
72.72
237.05
589.29
123.10
336.40
172.12
20.72
4,261.63
92.09
37.90
3,874.89

10.60
140.00
33.30
136.00
491.00
121.16
1.75
394.30
245.00
25.00
28.00
432.18
2.50
139.55
52.08

NJ TRANSIT
ADA--Platforms/Stations
Bridge and Tunnel Rehabilitation
Bus Acquisition Program
Bus Passenger Facilities/Park and Ride
Bus Support Facilities and Equipment
Bus Vehicle and Facility Maintenance/Capital Maintenance
Capital Program Implementation
Casino Revenue Fund
Claims support
Environmental Compliance
High Speed Track Program
Hudson-Bergen and Newark LRT System
Immediate Action Program
Job Access and Reverse Commute Program
Light Rail Infrastructure Improvements
Locomotive Overhaul
Miscellaneous
NEC Improvements
Other Rail Station/Terminal Improvements
Physical Plant
Preventive Maintenance-Bus

SD-22  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Project Name

Preventive Maintenance-Rail
Private Carrier Equipment Program
Rail Capital Maintenance
Rail Fleet Overhaul
Rail Rolling Stock Procurement
Rail Support Facilities and Equipment
Safety Improvement Program
Section 5310 Program
Section 5311 Program
Security Improvements
Signals and Communications/Electric Traction Systems
Small/Special Services Program
Study and Development
Technology Improvements
Track Program
Transit Enhancements/Transp Altern Prog (TAP)/Altern
Transit Improv (ATI)
Transit Rail Initiatives

YOE Estimate
(in $ millions)

DBNUM

RCIS Category

T39
T106
T34
T53G
T112
T37
T509
T150
T151
T508
T50
T120
T88
T500
T42

Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Preservation
Transit Expansion
Transit Enhancement
Transit Enhancement
Security
Transit Preservation
Transit Enhancement
Overhead
Transit Enhancement
Transit Preservation

8,548.29
68.00
1,909.34
43.50
7,103.52
243.50
77.80
199.48
141.40
60.27
481.11
192.61
132.16
291.05
549.22

T210
T300

Transit Enhancement
Transit Expansion

903.28
350.71

TN08004

Transit Expansion

TN08006
TN08001
TN05009
TN05011
TN05008
TN05010
TN08005

Transit Expansion
Transit Enhancement
Transit Enhancement
Transit Expansion
Transit Enhancement
Transit Expansion
Transit Enhancement

Programs Under Study
Bus Rapid Transit Planning and Development
County Human Services Transportation (CHST) Coordination
Projects Development—Interactive Provider Database and
Management Information System
Greater Newark Area Bus System Study
Market Research and Forecasting
New Start/Concept Development
Station and Parking Planning
System-wide Transit Capacity and Infrastructure Planning
Transit Friendly Planning, Land Use & Development Program

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-23

The Regional Capital Investment Strategy for the NJTPA Region
T H E FO LLOWING IS T H E NJT PA’S Regional Capital Investment Strategy (RCIS). This strategy, which informs

the project selection and policy direction of Plan 2045, was initially developed for NJTPA’s 2030 Regional
Transportation Plan, approved in September 2005. This RCIS has been carried forward into Plan 2045 with
modified language, as discussed in Chapter 4. The changes are highlighted below in italics.

Investment Principles and Guidelines
Help Northern New Jersey Grow Wisely  Transportation investments should encourage economic growth while
protecting the environment and minimizing sprawl in accordance with the State Development and Redevelopment
Plan, Energy Master Plan, and Greenhouse Gas Plan.
Investment Guidelines
▰ Encourage shorter and fewer motor vehicle trips, especially those involving single-occupancy vehicles, through
continued support (about 2 percent of transportation funds) for demand management, including the programs
of Transportation Management Associations.
▰ Make investments that support development in cities, planned growth areas, distressed areas, centers,
redevelopment areas, brownfield and grayfield sites, and other places with existing infrastructure.
▰ Scrutinize investments outside the above areas, to ensure that alternatives are examined, that they are justified
by economic and community needs, and that sprawl-inducing impacts are minimized.
▰ Fund investments that encourage compact, mixed-used development, that support transit use (“transit oriented
development”), safe walking/biking, access to open space and recreation, and cost-effective use of existing or
planned public infrastructure.
▰  Use investments to help communities implement the North Jersey Regional Comprehensive Economic Development
Strategy (CEDS), with special attention to facilitating access to jobs for all residents and communities.
▰ Protect the character of communities and the natural environment through context-sensitive design, traffic
calming, historical preservation, roadway beautification and creative placemaking strategies.
▰ Develop transportation improvements that distribute benefits and burdens equitably and serve all communities,
including low-income residents, minority populations, senior citizens, the disabled, and children.

Make Travel Safer  Improving safety and security should be explicitly incorporated in the planning, design and
implementation of all investments.
Investment Guidelines
▰ Allocate approximately 4 percent of overall spending to direct safety improvements, while also fully
incorporating safety enhancements in other investments.
▰ Enhance safety in areas with high fatality and injury rates, with particular attention to pedestrian travel and
safety for seniors.
▰ Target investments to address priority crash types identified in the New Jersey Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
▰ Use NJ TRANSIT Safety Programs to improve safety.
▰ Develop improved safety measures at at-grade rail crossings along heavily traveled corridors and other measures
to address freight movement safety.
▰ Consider national security and disaster response issues in facility designs.

SD-24  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

Fix it First  The existing transportation system requires large expenditures for maintenance, preservation, and
repair, and its stewardship should be the region’s highest priority.
Investment Guidelines
▰ Invest 73 percent of overall spending in maintenance and preservation, with about 36 percent going to transit,
20 percent to bridges, and 17 percent to roads.
▰ Maintain, preserve, rehabilitate, and replace infrastructure applying asset management techniques to address
objective measures such as facility condition, level of use and projected service life (“life cycle”).
▰ Coordinate preservation investments with those that enhance the resiliency of the regional transportation network.
▰ Utilize innovative preservation materials and techniques to improve environmental conditions or at least to
minimize negative environmental impacts.
▰ Streamline project delivery to make more cost effective use of available funding.

Expand Public Transit  Investment to improve the region’s extensive transit network should be a high priority,
including strategic expansions to increase capacity and serve new markets.
Investment Guidelines
▰ Allocate about 8 percent of total spending to enhancing and expanding public transportation (about 4 percent
dedicated to enhancing the public transit system—projects such as station and operational improvements—and 4
percent for expansion—new bus routes, new or extended rail lines, etc.)1
▰ Focus enhancements on improving the speed and reliability of trips, facilitating access to the system,
incorporating pedestrian and bicycle facilities, integrating bus and rail services, and achieving new intermodal
connectivity.
▰ Expand system capacity in measured steps based on the ability to attract new riders and achieve cost-effective
operations.
▰  Improve conditions and service at transit hub locations.
▰ Build a new passenger rail tunnel under the Hudson River and associated new capacity for expanded service,
which is the region’s top transit expansion priority, by obtaining additional dedicated funding (beyond normal
allocations that are subject to this regional capital investment strategy).

Improve Roads but Add Few  Road investments should focus on making the existing system work better, and
road expansion should be very limited without compromising the tremendous accessibility provided by the existing
highway system.
Investment Guidelines
▰ The investment mix should allot about 3 percent of spending to physically enhance roadways (such as
renovating intersections or adding turning lanes).2
▰ Limit expanding roadway capacity (new roads or widening) to about 1 percent of funding.
▰ Use the NJTPA congestion management process and context-sensitive criteria to target roadway investments that
improve travel time reliability and address bottlenecks and hotspots. Emphasize improvements that will help to
expedite efficient goods movement flows.
1 Maintenance, technological and safety/security improvements are addressed in other guidelines. Does not include additional dedicated transit funding, such as for trans-Hudson transit expansion.
2 Particular road improvements, including technological, direct safety improvements, and creating dedicated freight facilities are addressed separately.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-25

▰ Make improvements that strengthen parallel routes and network redundancy.
▰  Invest in new and retrofitted facilities that enable safe access and mobility of pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit
users of all ages and abilities.
▰ Complement road improvements with transit, ridesharing, and pedestrian/bicycle projects to help limit auto
trips.
▰ Avoid roadway expansion in environmentally sensitive areas or away from planned growth areas.
▰ Utilize environmentally beneficial materials and design in road enhancement and expansion projects.

Move Freight More Efficiently  Investments should be made to improve the efficiency of goods movement because
of its importance to the region’s economy and quality of life.
Investment Guidelines
▰ Allocate about 3 percent of spending to dedicated freight improvements (such as freight rail facilities and
intermodal infrastructure).
▰ Support the transport of goods with improvements in the operations, efficiency, and connectivity of roadway,
freight rail, and waterborne facilities. Give priority to the region’s major corridors, including critical urban and
rural truck corridors as well as first and last mile connectors.
▰ Focus transportation investments on encouraging freight related redevelopment of brownfield sites and similar
strategies particularly in and around intermodal facilities and corridors.
▰ Make investments that promote intermodal options and optimization where possible, including rail and
waterborne freight movement via barges or ferries.
▰ Address impediments to national freight rail standard access.

Manage Incidents and Apply Transportation Technology  Investments should be made to transportation
systems management and operations to improve information flow, operational coordination, energy use, and other
technological advances that can make the transportation system work smarter and more efficiently.
Investment Guidelines
▰ About 4 percent of funding should be dedicated to direct incident/emergency management projects, intelligent
transportation systems, and new technology, while incorporating such elements in other types of projects as well.
▰  Invest in cooperative planning and coordination among agencies to improve incident/emergency management
and deployment of intelligent transportation systems.
▰ Invest in technological improvements in accordance with the region’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)
architecture.
▰ Fund development of systems that provide real-time traffic, transit, parking, scheduling, and connection
information on travel conditions to public transit customers, roadway travelers, and freight movers.
▰ Provide for technology that serves first- and last-mile access to the public transit network.
▰ Invest in information systems that support information flow within and among operating agencies including
those responsible for addressing roadway incidents.
▰ Invest in improved and standardized electronic fare and toll payment systems.
▰ Focus initial ITS investments on demonstration projects to evaluate potentially beneficial new technologies and
systems.
▰ Invest in technologies that deliver environmental benefits, improve reliability, manage congestion, and streamline
traffic flow.

SD-26  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

▰ Support technology investments that are accessible/available to all travelers, regardless of income, age,

disability, etc.
▰ Add cost-effective new technology infrastructure with demonstrable demand and benefits, such as that serving
connected vehicles, autonomous and driverless vehicles, and on-demand transportation.
▰ Assess unwanted impacts from technology (e.g., self-driving cars that circle endlessly or reduced public transit
demand), and adopt appropriate policies to minimize these impacts.

Support Walking and Bicycling  All transportation projects should promote walking and bicycling wherever

possible.

Investment Guidelines
▰ About 2 percent of funding should be applied to build and redesign facilities for walking and biking.
▰ Enhance or create pedestrian and bicycle facilities, including sidewalks, bike lanes, and bike paths,
which improve their connectivity for walking and biking trips and also complement other transportation
improvements.
▰ Coordinate roadway and transit projects with pedestrian and bicycle improvements made by counties and
municipalities.
▰ Target improvements to areas with existing, growing, or strong potential for walking and bicycle travel.
▰ Invest in improvements that support walking by children (such as Safe Routes to School) and others with limited
motor vehicle travel options.
▰ Invest in innovative projects such as Complete Streets and bike-share programs that support increased and safer
walking and bicycling.
▰ Make use of environmentally beneficial materials and design for pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

Increase Regional Resiliency  Investments should be made to mitigate risks associated with climate change,
extreme weather, homeland security, and other threats. Investments should consider criticality of infrastructure,
vulnerability, and level of risk.
Investment Guidelines
▰ Prioritize transportation investments that offer additional benefits for resiliency, for system preservation projects
as well as upgrades and expansions.
▰ Incorporate vulnerability and risk assessments into project development.
▰ Scrutinize investments that are in places highly vulnerable to potential flooding/sea level rise.
▰ Invest in alternate fuel infrastructure in support of energy independence.
▰ In concert with Enhance Roads and Expand Transit guidelines, coordinate investments within and across modes
to strengthen parallel routes, enhance regional connectivity, increase the availability of mode options, and
increase network redundancy.
▰ Make investments that support the targets of the Global Warming Response Act of 2007, addressing New
Jersey’s greenhouse gas reduction goals and related NJ State Plan recommendations. Coordinate such
investments at state, regional, and local levels.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-27

Together North Jersey Focus Areas
FA1

Create and retain well-paying jobs by
supporting growth in our region’s key industries
1.1 Develop and implement a pilot program that makes it

easier for businesses to obtain the permits they need to
locate and expand in the region.
1.2 Explore creating an organization to help coordinate
economic development activities region-wide.
1.3 Provide a forum for highlighting the economic and
workforce development needs of our key industries.
1.4 Consider creating a North Jersey “Futures Council.”
1.5 Connect small businesses that support the region’s
innovation clusters to growth and development opportunity.

FA5 Locate most new housing and

commercial development in places with existing and
planned infrastructure

5.1 Promote transit-oriented development (TOD).
5.2 Encourage infill and redevelopment on existing vacant

and underutilized properties.
5.3 Prioritize brownfields for redevelopment.
5.4 Expand the use of innovative planning tools that promote

smart development.

FA6 Create vibrant places and

neighborhoods that will attract and retain
residents, workers and visitors

Enhance North Jersey’s innovation and
entrepreneurship ecosystem

FA2

6.1 Design places that meet the diverse needs of people in

2.1 Expand the technical assistance and networking

6.2 Create a physical vision for new development based

resources available to the region’s startups and secondstage companies.
2.2 Establish a regional system of virtual incubators.
2.3 Foster other types of shared workspaces and connect
them to economic development and finance programs.
2.4 Create and capitalize a regional innovation fund.

on an understanding of the unique characteristics that
define each place, including historic context.
6.3 Establish programming and management practices to
create active, actively-managed spaces.
6.4 Locate development in areas that are walkable,
bikeable, and accessible by public transit.
6.5 Invest strategically in catalyst spaces, rather than standalone building projects.
6.6 Create the local organizational framework to implement
and manage these strategies.

FA3

Strengthen the region’s economy by building
on existing assets and infrastructure
3.1 Use our region’s transportation infrastructure as a

framework for future investment.
3.2 Leverage the region’s role as a major freight

distribution hub.
3.3 Strengthen tourism by promoting North Jersey’s arts,

cultural, recreation, historic and natural amenities at the
regional scale.
3.4 Support and expand agricultural businesses, urban
farming and agritourism.

FA4 Align workforce training with industry needs
4.1 Align workforce development efforts with industry

needs through improved data collection and enhanced
coordination.
4.2 Expand occupational and soft skills training to address
barriers to employment for disadvantaged workers.
4.3 Help incumbent workers transition to living-wage
occupations.
4.4 Create regional apprenticeship and internship programs
for non-college-bound students.
4.5 Promote skilled trades and other traditional vocational
and technical programs.
4.6 Promote workforce development strategies to support the
state’s tourism industry.

SD-28  Plan 2045: Connecting North Jersey

all age groups.

FA7 Connect people and places with safe,
convenient and reliable transportation

7.1 Maintain transportation infrastructure in a state of

good repair.
7.2 Adopt and implement “Complete Streets” policies.
7.3 Improve conditions and service at “Transit Hub”

locations.
7.4 Enhance and improve existing public and private
transit services.
7.5 Increase transit system capacity in strategic locations.
7.6 Use New Jersey’s State Highway Safety Plan and
NJ TRANSIT Safety Programs to improve safety.
7.7 Use technology to improve transportation operations.

Find detailed Action Plans at:

togethernorthjersey ● com/
actionplans

FA8A Expand and diversify the region’s

housing supply to meet current and future demand

8A.1 Increase housing variety and choice by removing

regulatory and other barriers to housing production.
8A.2 Target financial and other incentives to increase
production of housing options not well-supplied.
8A.3 Increase the supply of housing affordable to a range of
household sizes and incomes, especially in areas that
are well-served by public transit.
8A.4 Ensure that the region’s existing supply of deedrestricted affordable housing units remain affordable.

FA8B Address barriers to housing mobility,

increase access to areas of high opportunity and
affirmatively further fair housing policies
region-wide

FA11 Transition to a clean energy economy
11.1 Reduce energy use through conservation and

increased efficiency.
11.2 Transition to carbon-free electricity generation,

including increased use of renewables.
11.3 Modernize and upgrade the region’s power infrastructure.
11.4 Reduce petroleum use in the transportation sector.

FA12

Improve health outcomes for our
region’s residents
12.1 Integrate public health considerations in all aspects

of planning and policy-making.
12.2 Increase access to affordable healthy foods and

maximize access to locally produced fresh food.
12.3 Increase access to quality healthcare facilities,

especially for medically underserved communities.

8B.1 Affirmatively further fair housing policies region-wide.

12.4 Enhance health education programs.

8B.2 Promote regional housing mobility by fostering

12.5 Create safe and healthy buildings, neighborhoods

innovation in the use of Housing Choice Vouchers.
8B.3 Use public investment programs to create, connect,
and strengthen access to opportunity.
8B.4 Increase the supply of affordable, accessible housing
options for people with disabilities and seniors in
appropriate locations.

and communities through planning and design.
12.6 Expand the use of Crime Prevention Through

Environmental Design (CPTED) strategies.
12.7 Improve conditions for communities that are

disproportionately burdened by air pollution.

FA13

FA9 Create a system of public education that

prepares all students for the 21st century economy

Improve stewardship of natural lands,
agricultural lands, open space, parks, historic
resources

9.1 Address school funding disparities.

13.1 Work with landowners to stewardship of privately

9.2 Expand school programming for the 21st Century.

owned natural lands and green space.
13.2 Expand programs to preserve parks, open space,
natural and agricultural lands permanently.
13.3 Improve stewardship of public parks, open space and
natural lands.
13.4 Implement best practices for stewardship of private and
preserved agricultural lands.
13.5 Expand programs to preserve historic resources.
13.6 Improve stewardship of publicly-owned historic sites.

9.3 Improve access for pre-K and early childhood education.
9.4 Improve educational outcomes by implementing

“Community Schools,” wraparound services, and schoolcommunity partnerships.
9.5 Expand boundaries and access to high performing
schools.

FA10

Enhance the resiliency of the region’s
communities and infrastructure
10.1 Identify the region’s vulnerabilities to extreme weather

and climate change.
10.2 Adapt communities to be resilient to extreme weather
events and the impacts of climate change.
10.3 Expand floodplain buyout programs and return floodprone areas to their natural function.
10.4 Use green infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of
extreme weather and climate change.

FA14

Manage water systems to improve water
quality and supply
14.1 Improve management of stormwater runoff.
14.2 Protect water supplies through planning and

enforcement.
14.3 Reduce or eliminate combined sewer overflows.

FA15

Revitalize and strengthen communities by
expanding arts and cultural opportunities
15.1 Develop financing tools for arts and culture.
15.2 Support cultural programs and activities.
15.3 Integrate arts and culture into the local, county,

regional, and statewide planning efforts.
15.4 Fund arts education for all New Jersey students.

NJTPA Regional Transportation Plan for Northern New Jersey  SD-29

One Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102
973-639-8400  Fax: 973-639-1953

www.njtpa.org