Navigating NJDOT's Public Information Sessions

When if comes to public outreach of transportation projects there is an old joke - There are just two phases of the public involvement  process: Too early and too late.  You attend a public information and suggest putting in bike lanes and you are told, "that's a design detail, so its too early to discuss that". Then several months down the road the final plans for a road project are put out and you ask why bike lanes are not included and the response is "the design has been finalized, its too late".

Engineering drawings can be very hard to read
  Route 38 and S Church St project in Moorestown

This shell game that used to go on is one of the primary reasons that the complete streets movement has evolved, in reality there is no such thing as too early when planning any road project because complete streets needs of all road users are supposed to be considered throughout the project development process. NJ DOT project managers have been for the most part trying to adhere to this process. I haven't seen a major urban/suburban project recently that did not have at least some pedestrian elements. But that doesn't mean that these early designs always hit the mark (especially for bike accommodations) and the public information sessions offer an opportunity to suggest improvements.

Bike Ped Plans In Brigantine, Pleasantville and Atlantic City

While Governor Christie talks about the "new normal" for Ocean and Monmouth County beaches the old normal seems to the general condition of shore communities south of Little Egg Inlet. My brief visit to Atlantic City yesterday (away from the beach) confirmed that. I can also confirm that urban bicycling in AC is still a less than pleasant experience. I had plenty of company out there and the lack of accommodations has resulted in an improvised bike riding culture, with cyclists riding every way and place except on the street with the flow of traffic. On the pedestrian side the City is second to Newark in pedestrian crashes per capita.

But the City is doing something about it. NJ DOT in concert with the Casino Redevelopment Authority (CRDA) is wrapping up its bicycle and pedestrian plan and it will be making a final presentation to the public. The boldest proposal - a road diet and cycletracks on Atlantic Avenue, a heavy lift indeed. There is also a proposal for a two way cycletrack on wider and less busy Baltic Avenue which would hook in to a "24 Hour Loop" on the north end of the Boardwalk (which by chance happened to be the section that was conveniently wiped away by Sandy). Look for a public meeting to happen in late January, the plan will have to be approved by City Council although the City and the CRDA have already begun looking to fund some of the plans recommendations

Two of the City's neighbors are also taking advantage of NJ DOT's Local Bicycle/Pedestrian Planning Assistance Program with bike ped plans. Tomorrow Pleasantville will be holding a final public meeting tomorrow December 6th at the Pleasantville Library between 5:30 and 8:00 pm. The Library is located at 33 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, next to Pleasantville City Hall.

Finally Brigantine is in the early stages of developing its bicycle and pedestrian plan.  The first phase involves filling out this online survey. If you walk or bike in Brigantine and would like to see more improvements (the city already boasts some bike lanes) then please fill out this survey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/brigantinebeach).

We cannot over emphasize the importance of the Local Bicycle/Pedestrian Planning Assistance Program. It is one of NJ DOT's most cost effective tools and has helped them earn a top 10 position in the Bicycle Friendly States program. One of the most difficult things to do these days is to ask a municipality to find tens of thousands of dollars and a reputable consultant to develop a plan to make it easier to walk or bike. If you look at a map of bike lanes in New Jersey you will find that about 80% are in communities that have adopted a plan. You won't find an official NJDOT page, although Googling will give you some access to previous applications. Contact NJ Bicycle and Pedestrian Office for more information

Atlantic City Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Open House Tonight

If you live, work or visit Atlantic City then you are welcome to attend and comment on the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan at the open house tonight August 14th at the Atlantic City Convention Center/Train Station from 5 to 8PM in Room 314.

Atlantic City has one the highest bicycle/walk/transit commute mode shares in the State with a high pedestrian crash rate. Since 1980 drive up Casino development has dominated the  landscape of the City and little was done to protect the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians. While some enhancements have been completed in "The Walk" shopping district, Michigan, Atlantic, Arctic and Baltic Avenues cut through the busy shopping districts as multi-lane roads which encourage high speeds. Right turn on red is also allowed at most of those intersections, further exacerbating a chaotic situation.

For bicycling there are two major proposals planned - 24 bike access on the non-commercial north end of the boardwalk along with a complimentary on street loop plus a proposed lane reduction of Atlantic Avenue with buffered bike lanes or cycle track added. What we will be looking for in the plan is a network of bike routes that will connect all the neighborhoods and the surrounding communities, such as improving access to the Brigantine Bridge.

Details and graphics from the meeting as well as instructions to comment on the plan will be posted on the Active Transportation for Atlantic City Facebook Page. AC's Bike and Ped plan is the first one in the State that is being completed after the Municipality has passed a complete streets resolution. Implementation of the plan is a litmus test to see if the City is ready to walk the walk towards complete streets.



Atlantic City Statistics:

Commute To Work
Transit - 27%
Walk - 16%
Bike - 2%

Vehicular Crashes 2011 - 2,307

Complete Streets Policy resolution passed on December 7, 2011

Are Fall leaves turning your bike commute into an unnecessary hazard?

Rt 27 South near Carnegie Lake - Photo M. Hommer

It happens every Fall.  Towns all across New Jersey and elsewhere in the country tell their residents to "pile all leaves at the curb."  Not only does this often squeeze cyclists out of the only place that they feel safe to ride but it also creates an additional hazard as many of these leaves get crushed into a fine puree by passing cars which then turns into an incredibly slippery paste that can drop a cyclist in a split second.

While this is a problem all across New Jersey,  a good friend of mine often finds himself riding on New Jersey Route 27 just north of downtown Princeton.  Every year he tells me that leaves and other yard waste completely block the relatively wide and useful shoulder.  What makes this hazard of particular concern is that this section of Route 27 is also the on-road route of the East Coast Greenway.

Imagine if it was common practice to tell people to block a motor vehicle traffic lane with yard debris.  It wouldn't be tolerated and neither should this practice as there are clear alternatives.   In my town, residents are required to bag their leaves into large paper leaf bags.  Even better, most home owners could compost their leaves on sight and use them to increase the organic mater content in your garden and flower beds.  Brush and branches could be left on the grass off the shoulder and sidewalk.

More photos of the hazards on Rt 27 after the break

All photos by Mark Hommer.

Rt 27 southbound Near Carnegie Lake.  Not much room to navigate between what remains of the shoulder and heavy, highspeed (45mph) traffic.

Rt 27 southbound Near Carnegie Lake.

Facing northbound on Rt 27.  Notice the works dumping more leaves into the shoulder on the opposite side of the street.

What exactly will NJDOT Bikeway Grants help build?

Ed note - If you're going to read one article in WBJ this week, let it be this one.  I spent the better part of three days doing the research and putting this story together because this is really important. Thanks for reading!

Last week both WalkBikeJersey and NJ Off-Road Biking reported about NJDOT awarding $7.6 million in Local Aid grants. The Bikeway Program is one of the four Local Aid grant programs that was a part of that announcement and it alone awarded nearly $3 million in grants for 12 different projects. Unfortunately the information provided by NJDOT does not go into specifics about each project and just gives the names of the projects and the towns where they are located.

Locations of NJDOT Bikeway Grant recipients throughout NJ.
View NJDOT Bikeway Grant Projects 2011 in a larger map.
Zoom in on project area to see project route details

Without specific information it’s difficult to get an understanding of exactly what this nearly $3 million is going to help build. In light of this, WalkBkeJersey decided to do a little bit of on-line investigating to get a better idea where this money is going. Unfortunately again, plans for all but one of these projects were not to be found on-line. However, through newspaper stories, information on local government websites and through some well deduced interpretations and observations from aerial imagery, I was able get a good idea of what is planned for 8 out of the 12 projects. The end result is the interactive Google map above and project reviews below. I’ve done my best to interpret the information I found and only mapped the projects where I felt I had enough information to do so.

Of the projects I was able to get a good idea about, some are well though out and will have clear benefits for all levels of cyclists.  A few seem to be great ideas but are likely see little use due to location.  Others will take many more years and many millions of dollars to make them practical and usable routes.  Then there are those that are well intentioned but the designs and treatments leave much to be concerned about.  So on to the reviews:

The Good:
1 - Middle Township Bike Path - Phase 3
Grant Award: $320,000
This is by far probably the best project funded through the Bikeways grants this year.  The project will be the continuation of a rail-trail in Cape May County that has the potential to act as a core route through the center of the county, providing connections to the numerous private campgrounds, local downtowns and other tourist attractions.  There is even the potential to one day extended it up to Somers Point to connect to the trail that goes up to Pleasantville near Atlantic City as well as the new Rt 52 causeway with its barrier protect bike/ped facility to Ocean City which will open at the end of 2012.  Looking way into the future there is again the possibility of hooking up to the Barnegate Bay Trail to form a Jersey Shore Trail / Bike Route from Toms River all the way to Cape May Point.

2 - Becks-Cornet Bikeway and Pedestrian Trail Project (Raritain Twp - Hunterdon Cty)
Grant Award - $100,000
This is a great little connector path that will connect three otherwise isolated neighborhoods.  This is an excellent local scale project with great bang for the buck.  It will serve local residents very well as it prevents cyclists and pedestrians from having to use Rt 202/31.  It will also provide a safe and shorter route for long distance cyclists traveling across the township and/or county by providing another back road route from Everitt Rd to Old York Rd.

3 - Barnegat Branch Trail Phase V
Grant Award: $350,000
This will be a continuation of the already popular Barnegat Branch Trail that serves as a non-motorized alternative to Rt 9 in Ocean County, which the trail parallels.  The trail is a good project overall and this phase will serve as a key connector.  However, this part of the trail will run immediately west of Rt 9 which is where the old rail right-of-way happens to be.  This is cause for some concern as the trail will essential be a sidepath along much if not all of what is Phase V.  There are numerous roadways and driveways which the trail will need to cross.  If these crossings are not carefully designed, with the understanding that cyclists are NOT likely to stop at every driveway crossing when they are less than a few hundred feet apart, then there will be some safety issues as sidepaths are known for causing problems at intersections and other crossings.

The Ehh (not great, not bad):
1 - Old York Road Bikeway Phase II
Grant Award: $203,000
Parts of the original Old York Road Bikeway just to the east of this phase include very well engineered on-road bicycle lanes that go up and over the NJ Turnpike.  Unfortunately the section built with this phase will likely see the continuation of the sidepath that can be seen in front of Marter Park but I can't say that with 100% certainty.  I do understand that it is desirable to connect the local (high?) school with the park and the neighborhood to the east on Old York Road.  However, this also appears to be a great place for long distance road cycling.  It would be nice to see this project properly serve road cyclists as there are no usable shoulders on any portion of the roadway this project phase will work on.

2 - Freedom Trail Bikeway Improvements (South Brunswick)
Grant Award: $260,000
This is a somewhat isolated rail-trail project that might otherwise seem like a waste of money if it weren't for the fact that there is the real potential to connect to the D&R Canal Towpath and the East Coast Greenway.  The only problem is that US Rt 1 happens to cut off this portion of the trail with the section west of the highway that is connected to the D&R Towpath.  South Brunswick is hoping to have this remedied with a bridge over Rt 1 but at a cost of $5 million plus, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting to see the two sections connected.

3 - Matts Landing Bikepath Phase 2 (Maurice River Township, Cumberland County)
Grant Award: $190,000
At first glance, even without totally understanding it, this appears to be an interesting little project way down in the hinterlands of Cumberland County on the Delaware Bay.  This is a really beautiful and isolated area of the state that is definitely worth exploring by bike.  However, having actually been to Matts Landing (I worked for a while across the river in Bivalve) I know the local roads around and leading up to Matts Landing get such little traffic that additional bicycle specific infrastructure seems unnecessary.  Due to the areas remoteness I am also concerned that the facility is likely to get little use as was the case with the bicycle paths around Bivalve when I was there.  I understand that the state is trying to help develop eco-tourism in this economically depressed area of New Jersey but with other locations around the state desperately needing bicycle facilities to fill actual demands, it seems more prudent to spend the money elsewhere.

4 - West Ave Bikeway (Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County)
Grant Award: $150,000
This project could be up in the "Good" category if I had more information about it.  As I understand it, this project will connect the two highly popular Henry Hudson and Bayshore Trails that are separated by just few blocks in Borough of Atlantic Highlands.  Having visited the area numerous times to ride the trails and the roads, it appears that at least a portion of this connection will be via a continuation of the trail along the old railroad right-of-way, however I cannot say with any certainty.  Still, it would seem that using some way-finding signage along the local surface streets would be just as effective, as the local roads in this part of town have little to moderate amounts of traffic at most.  In fact that might be exactly what's planned here as the project is termed "bike compatible road" by NJDOT.

The Bad:
1 - Gibbsboro Bikeway, County Rt 561
Grant Award: $140,000
While I don't know exactly where this project will be built along 561 in Gibbsboro, I feel that it is safe to say that this will be a continuation of the same sidepath treatments that can already be seen along Rt 561.  While I'm a great supporter of well design, barrier protected cycletracks, these sidepaths DO NOT fall into that category. From what I can see from the previous projects, these sidepaths are nothing more than wide sidewalks that are given sidewalk style crosswalk treatments at intersections and driveways.  Sidewalks are great and Rt 561 should have them everywhere in Gibbsboro.  However, knowing that a great number of bicycle/car crashes happen when a bicyclist riding on a sidewalk enters an intersection or crosses a driveway is reason for concern when using this design treatment. This concern becomes even greater when one considers the frequent intersections and driveway curb cuts found along Rt 561 in Gibbsboro.  There are just too many opportunities for turning conflicts between bicyclists and motor vehicles for this type of facility.  Not to sound too much like John Forester but bicycle facilities designed to accommodate even the most timid cyclists should still treat the cyclist like the operator of a vehicle and not like a pedestrian.  And finally, with the construction of these sidepath projects, Rt 561 remains entirely unimproved for vehicular cyclists.

2 - Maurice River Bikeway Trail Phase V (Millville)
Grant Award: $390,000
It would seem nice to go for a bike ride on a path along a scenic river but at what point does the cost to create such a trail become too great?  With a grant award of $390,000 to build little over 1000ft of bicycle path, one can't help but ask this question.  Yes, this part of the path will navigate through wetlands which greatly adds to the cost.  But soon after this portion is complete, the next segment of path will be forced down a narrow corridor behind an industrial site.  Not exactly scenic.  Beyond that, it is still nearly a mile before that path would reach its southern terminus and its (likely) only other access at Fowser Rd.  Before reaching Fowser Rd the trail would likely again need to navigate numerous wetlands, with all the associated additional costs.

If one then considers the presence of local roadways, the transportation utility of the trail also comes into question.  Just to the west, 3rd Street already provides a more direct route for cyclists between the Fowser Rd area and Main St. Millville, all while avoiding Rt 47.  As such it is difficult to see this trail serving much of a transportation purpose when more direct route already exist on secondary road like 3rd Street.

While there is the potential for a great scenic pathway here, I cannot help but question the cost of this project in money and ecological disturbance, particularly when another safe route already exists for pedestrians and bicyclists.  If this was a critical connector for a large regional trail that would connect to areas beyond Millville and Cumberland County, then the project might be worth the costs.  However as just scenic trail with limited access and utility, it would seem that this money would be better spent elsewhere.

Don't know enough to comment:
1 - Seawood Harbor Bicycle Trail (Brick Twp, Ocean County)
Grant Award: $190,000
2 - Wildwoods Elevated Bike Path Connector Project
Grant Award: $290,000
3 - Bike, Hike and Roll Throughway Extension (Elizabeth)
Grant Award: $290,000

Christie Admin. announces $7.6 million in Local Aid grants

33 grants to be awarded through four Local Aid programs

The following is a verbatim copy of the NJDOT press release with the same above title.  Readers should note that monies awarded from all four individual grant programs are helping to pay for projects intended to make improvements for bicyclist and pedestrians almost exclusively. -Ed.

(Trenton) - The Christie Administration today announced that the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) will award 33 grants worth a total of $7.6 million to municipal and county recipients through four Local Aid programs.

The state-funded grants will support projects that competed for FY 11 funding under the Transit Village, Centers of Place, Bikeways and Safe Streets to Transit programs, each of which falls under New Jersey’s $200 million Local Aid program. A total of 237 submissions competed for the funding.

“These grants will support a variety of safety and quality-of-life projects at the local level without burdening local property taxpayers,” said NJDOT Commissioner James Simpson. “The level of competition demonstrates how valuable these grants are to local officials who make difficult spending decisions each year.”

The following lists grant and background information by program:

Transit Village Initiative
Ten of the 14 grant applications are being funded for a total of $2.6 million.
The awards are being made to designated Transit Village municipalities and will support improvement projects within walking distance of a transit facility.  The Transit Village initiative encourages mixed-use development and economic revitalization in New Jersey towns where public transportation facilities already exist.

Centers of Place
Five of 53 submissions are being funded for a total of $1.1 million.
The grants will fund non-traditional local improvement projects, including projects in downtown business districts. Centers of Place grants advance development in municipalities designated as “urban, regional, town or village centers” in accordance with the State Development and Redevelopment Plan. Eligible projects include landscaping and beautification of transportation facilities, restoration and aesthetic improvements to historic transportation structures and upgrades to existing parking management systems.

Bikeways Program
Twelve of 95 grant applications are being funded for total approaching $2.9 million.
The Bikeways program provides funds to counties and municipalities to promote the safe use of bicycles as an alternate transportation mode. NJDOT encourages municipalities and counties to apply for funding for bikeways that are physically separated from vehicular traffic by an open space or barrier.

Safe Streets to Transit
Six of 75 grant applications are being funded for a total of $1 million.
The program funds local and county projects that enhance safety for those who are traveling to public transportation.

NJDOT provides 75 percent of the grant when a recipient awards a contract and the remaining 25 percent upon project completion.

NJDOT announces $78.75 million in local aid grants for FY 2011

Bike/Ped specific projects 7% of all funded

According to a NJDOT press release, 370 municipalities will be receiving local aid grants as part of NJDOT's $200 million Local Aid program. NJDOT received 677 applications requesting more than $246 million for the FY 2011 municipal aid grants.  As could be imagined, competition for the scarce grant monies was fierce, particularly now.  Fortunately, bicycle and pedestrian projects were not forgotten, and in fact were encouraged by Commissioner James Simpson.  I quote:

...towns are encouraged to submit applications for such non-traditional projects as those that support safety, walking and biking and streetscape improvements in their communities. Seven percent of the projects selected for funding were of that type.

The Comissioner also went on to say:

Resurfacing projects will always represent the bulk of the awards, but we were pleased with the number of non-traditional entries because it means we are increasingly recognizing the needs and safety of all who share our roadways

This is indeed great news.  However, I can't help but wonder, of the other 93% of projects, how many of those could or even should have had bicycle and pedestrian improvements integrated into the design scope?  As the commissioner even said, the bulk of the grant request were for street resurfacing, however street resurfacing is often the ideal time to make bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements.  Why dig up a road twice?!?! For example, many experts say that street resurfacing is the perfect time to stripe bicycle lanes (if appropriate for the roadway).

Still, the tone of this press release is extremely encouraging and shows that NJDOT continues down a path of improving conditions for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users.  In the future it would be great to read NJDOT giving greater preference to municipal governments that take a Complete Streets approach to all grant requests.  However, this is a great first step towards that goal.  I'll take that!

NJDOT releases new New Jersey Bicycling Manual - Reviewed!

Review at a glance - 88 out of 100

NJDOT has released its long anticipated New Jersey Bicycle Manual.  This manual was produced with the assistance of the New Jersey Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Safety Education Sub-Committee with members representing Bike New York, Hohne Consulting, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, New Jersey Department of Transportation and The RBA Group.  This manual is only available on-line as the general policy within state government is to no longer print certain documents as a means to save precious tax payer dollars.

Unlike previous NJ Bicycle Manuals, this one is not written for children only.  It presents the information in clear and concise manner for a general audience with diagrams and text that cover nearly all situations a bicyclist would encounter on the streets and multi-use trails.  Overall this is a well produced document however it does have one major omission.  Beyond that oversight, the manual is excellent and pretty much follows the principals of Smart Cycling as developed by the League of American Bicyclists.  There is even a section at the end talking about pedestrians safety and what bicyclists, motorists and pedestrians themselves can do to keep pedestrians safe.

Topics covered include the following:

• Traveling by Bicycle / Purpose of This Manual
• Selecting, Fitting & Equipping Your Bike
• Quick Maintenance Checks
• Off to a Good Start
• Traffic Basics
• Sharing the Road
• Parking Your Bike
• Difficult Situations
• Riding at Night & in Rain and Snow
• Riding with Others
• Riding on Shared-Use Paths
• NJ Bicycling Law & Roadway Restrictions
• Traffic Signals, Signs and Road Markings

The manual does an good job of presenting cycling in a manner that is approachable to the general public.  While there are a few pictures of people riding in spandex and of one really sweet Italian road bike ;), overall most of the pictures show people riding regular bikes in regular clothing.  The language used to explain things is also clear and without unnecessary use or jargon or special terms which is also good for people new to cycling.  That said, there are still some rather advanced cycling techniques and traffic maneuvers discussed and explained, like taking the lane on a narrow roadway along with some group riding etiquette.  As such even persons with quite a bit of cycling experience will be able to glean quite a bit of useful information from the manual.

Shared Lane Marking or "Sharrow"

Unfortunately there is a major omission from this manual and it is inexcusable.  There is absolutely no discussion of how bicyclists and motorists are to use and treat bicycle lanes, shared lane markings (better known as "sharrows") nor is there any talk about bicycle routes.  There are only some pictures of these facilities in last few pages but with no explanation how to use them.  This is such a shame because otherwise this is an excellent document.  The installation of bicycle lanes, bicycle routes and sharrows are well established and nationally accepted standard traffic control devices.  And even though New Jersey is a bit late in accepting these on-road bicycle facilities, all three of these could be found in the state before this manual was released and more are being built around New Jersey everyday.  And trust me, I take no pleasure in giving this fairly harsh criticism as I know, like and greatly respect all that helped produce this manual.  I can only assume that this omission was deliberate for some reason.

Beyond that, any other issues with the manual are rather minor. In a few places the manual seems to be missing some diagrams and pictures that could go a long way in better explaining what's described in the text.  For example some of the more advanced traffic maneuvers are not clearly depicted in some of the diagrams.  In other cases they are not even shown in a diagram at all, like when trying to demonstrate a "Copenhagen Left" also called a Box or Pedestrian Left.

Same with the section on parking and locking a bike.  The text discussing the best practices on this topic is superb and spot on with what I teach people to do, but the photos don't show a properly locked up bike all that well. For example the picture of that sweet looking Italian road bike (hint, hint) is too small to show that there is also a cable securing the front wheel and saddle.  Also the advice about NOT locking bikes to trees is good but only gives half the story.  Not only does locking a bike to tree have the potential to permanently damage the tree but thieves have been known to cut down smaller trees to steal the bike!

Hot Bike!  To bad it's hard to see how the cable was used to secure the front wheel and saddle.

Finally, when it comes to photos, I found it odd that with a few exceptions, nobody seems to smiling while on their bikes!
 
I also found that there could be some confusion in some section of text.  In the "Sharing the Road" chapter, there is a section that talks about a motorists' responsibilities when sharing the road with cyclists but it is not clearly labeled nor defined.  A a big bold clear title like "Motorists' Responsibilities When Sharing The Road With Bicyclists" might have been helpful to clear up any possible confusion.  And on page 46 there is a sectioned title "Blind" and its totally unclear at first that this refers to "Blind Intersections."  Finally the section on the different classes of roadway signs could be explained a little better.

Overall I still consider the manual to be an excellent document and has much to teach bike riders.  Even without a section on bike lanes, routes and sharrows I would still highly recommend to all interested in cycling, beginner to expert. Still, I feel the lack of any discussion on bicycle lanes or "sharrows" is a pretty big oversight and left me disappointed.

If I were a teacher giving it a grade, I'd give it a 88 out of 100 (100 being absolutely perfect), still a B+.  If it had a section on bike lanes, routes and sharrows presented as well as the rest of the manual, I would have given it a 96.

NJDOT video of proposed Rt 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridge now shows barrier protected walkway

Last June, WalkBikeJersey broke the story about the initial proposal for Rt 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridge to Long Beach Island having less then desirable bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The NJDOT website for the project still says that the proposed bicycle and pedestrian improvements will include a six foot wide sidewalk and a bicycle lanes that will be as little as 5 feet wide in places.

Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridge

View Larger Map

However, a video for the project on the same NJDOT website now shows the proposed bridge having a protected pedestrian walkway (multiuse path?) that appears to be nearly the same width as one motor vehicle lane.

Video screengrabs of the proposed Rt 72 Bridge clearly show a barrier protected
walkway on the main western span. Source: NJDOT / Parsons Brinkerhoff

WalkBikeJersey has been monitoring this project since it will be the first major bridge replacement by NJDOT since it adopted a Complete Streets Policy last year. If the video is to be believed and actually shows a revised proposal for the bike/ped amenities, this is indeed welcomed news and clearly has NJDOT starting 2011 on a welcomed note.

Still, this edition of the video is relatively new as an older version of the video of this project did not clearly show a protected walkway. It also only shows the larger western span (the Manahawkin Bay Bridge is actually a series of 3 bridges) and does not show the eastern 2 spans where bicyclists are proposed to be accommodated by 5 foot wide bicycle lanes. Also not shown are the approaches to the bridge on either side which can make or break the usability of the facility for more cautious non-motorized users.

Stay tuned the WalkBikeJersey for continuing updates on this project.

The RT 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridge video can be seen in its entirety on the NJDOT website here.

*SOLD OUT* Complete Streets Summit *SOLD OUT*

The Complete Streets Summit scheduled for next week has proven to be a major hit and is entirely booked out! (It can't really be "sold out" since its a free event) I've been told by the good folks at VTC that they have had to turn away many interested parties as they try to see if there is any way they can accommodate more attendees.

While it is unfortunate that there is not enough room for everyone to attend, it is great news to hear that this topic has proven to be so popular with local officials from around New Jersey. All those in attendance are sure to get a great lesson on the topic from Michael Ronkin and the other experts talking at the Summit.

NJDOT shows marked progress on Complete Streets

Back in the early part of the summer I felt that I was given no other choice but to question NJDOT’s commitment to its Complete Streets Policy following the release of the preliminary draft proposal for a reconstructed Manahawkin Bay Bridge. The proposal at that time to rebuild the only means of access to Long Beach Island gave pedestrians and cyclists only the bare minimum of facilities. The preliminary plan would have made the crossing something to be endured and not enjoyed and it was clear that this crossing would only be undertaken by only the most desperate of pedestrians and only the boldest cyclists. Fortunately, word has it that bicycle and pedestrian access on this bridge is being reviewed, possibly in part due to the critique of the initial proposal from this very blog.

However the good news doesn’t stop there. WalkBikeJersey has also learned that NJDOT has been hard at work making sure that its designers, engineers and project supervisors fully understand what a Complete Street truly entails. To do so, this past summer they had no other than Michael Ronkin come and speak at NJDOT headquarters, who is by far one of the World’s leading experts on the finer points of Complete Street design. Word has it that there were a number of converts amongst those in attendance and that others took home good lessons as to what they should be striving for in their designs. This is very welcome news indeed and all of us here at WalkBikeJersey are more than happy to hear of NJDOT’s continued commitment to Complete Streets.

As you may already know, NJDOT’s work on Complete Streets doesn’t end there. Next week, NJDOT and its partners at the Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University will once again be hosting Michael Ronkin in a Complete Streets Summit for local municipal and county officials. Just as NJDOT felt that it needed to give its own employees a top-notch education on the topic, it also wants to give local officials the same opportunity to learn about Complete Streets from one of the best. NJDOT is hosting this summit because in the future, local projects seeking state aid will be evaluated for their commitment to the Complete Streets concept. The more complete a proposal is, the more likely it will receive state funding. This tying of state funding to Complete Streets will hopefully have a great impact on how local roadways are redesign since these local streets are where a vast majority of walking and biking already occur in New Jersey.

Bravo NJDOT!

Notes on Complete Streets:

• A Complete Street is one that well serves the needs of all users, including automobiles, pedestrians and bicyclist, and where applicable transit users and heavy vehicles.

• Complete Streets demands are context sensitive. What is appropriate to make a rural state highway “Complete” is not the same for where that same highway may enter a town and becomes that town’s long time, traditional Main St.

• When designing a Complete Street there are a number of questions one should ask. Here are few that I came up with:

- Would you feel comfortable walking along this roadway?

- Would you feel comfortable riding a bicycle along this roadway?

- Would you feel comfortable walking along this roadway with a child in a stroller? Would you feel comfortable riding a bicycle along this roadway with a 10-year-old child?

- If near a school or other area frequented by children, would you feel comfortable allowing a 10-year-old child to walk or ride a bike along this roadway without direct adult supervision?

- Are crosswalks present? If there are attractors (destinations like shops, schools, residences, parks, etc.) on both sides of the roadway are crosswalks conveniently located or would pedestrians and cyclists need to travel a far distance (like 1000 feet) out of their way to the nearest crosswalk?

- Could an elderly grandmother cross the street safely or before pedestrian signal expires?

- Would you feel comfortable or even be able to travel along the roadway in a wheelchair? Would you feel comfortable or even be able to cross the roadway in a wheelchair?

- Would you feel comfortable walking a crosswalk blindfolded? This is essentially what your design will be requiring a blind pedestrian to do.

- Could you find the pedestrian signal button if you were blindfolded? (There are design standards for crosswalk button placement to address the needs on blind pedestrians.)

- Does the traffic signal require pedestrians to press a pedestrian signal button even though pedestrian traffic volume is high, if not constant?

- Could you press the pedestrian signal button if you had arthritic fingers? What about if you had no fingers? (Hint: Could you press it with your elbow or even just your shoulder.)

- If applicable are there safe areas for people to wait for transit service? Is there seating? Is the area sheltered from the weather?

- If there is bicycle parking demand (i.e. this is a downtown area with commercial establishments or other attractors), is bicycle parking provided for within the right-of-way if there is no room elsewhere? Is it properly located? Does the bicycle parking meet modern bicycle parking design standards? Does the bicycle parking provided meet the demand?

Register now for the NJ Complete Streets Summit!

The below message comes from Peter Bilton and the other good folks working hard at the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University. This event is geared toward municipal and county officials so make sure local representatives know about it and get them to attend!

You should also know that Michael Ronkin, the keynote speaker, is with little doubt one of the leading experts in the field of Complete Streets, and bicycle and pedestrian planning and accommodation. Don't miss out on an opportunity to here one of the best in the world speak on this topic... and for free, no less!

Register now for the NJ Complete Streets Summit! (Or go to http://tinyurl.com/cssummit.) This is a free event.

NJ Complete Streets Summit
Friday, October 22, 2010
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Registration begins at 8:30 AM)
Rutgers Student Center
126 College Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ

The New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Voorhees Transportation Center, with funding from the Federal Highway Administration, are pleased to announce the NJ Complete Streets Summit, cosponsored by the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association and the Metropolitan Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

The Department of Transportation recently adopted a Complete Streets Policy, and would like to spread the word about this program, encouraging more counties and municipalities to adopt their own policies. The summit will educate engineers, planners, and elected officials about Complete Streets, its benefits and costs, and how to overcome barriers to implementing a Complete Streets policy. Topics will include an introduction to Complete Streets, policies and supporting processes, design and planning, cost and funding, and liability.

Michael Ronkin, an internationally-recognized consultant and speaker on innovative, practical street design, will be the keynote speaker. Assemblywoman Grace Spencer (invited) and NJDOT Commissioner James Simpson will give welcoming remarks.

Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users - pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Instituting a complete streets policy ensures that agencies routinely design and maintain the entire right of way to enable safe access for anyone who may use it. Having a Complete Streets policy can benefit a community in many ways, including making their grant applications for state funding more competitive. A Complete Streets program is also eligible for points toward Sustainable Jersey certification and can help a municipality meet its obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Register here for this exciting Summit by October 8th! The event is free and space is limited. AICP and ITE credits are pending.

For more information, please see the attached flyer. You can also contact us at bikeped@rci.rutgers.edu or (732) 932-6812 ext. 586.

Hope to see you there,
Peter Bilton
Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

New Jersey moves up to 8th in Bicycle Friendly Rankings: Also receives Bronze Level Award

Watch out #5, Oregon! Were coming for you next!

I don't know how the heck we managed to rank so high in the League of American Bicyclists, Bicycle Friendly States 2010 Rankings but we did. I'm just flabbergasted. Heck! Even California ranked a mediocre 19th.

Well, actually I do have idea why we ranked so well and here's how.

To start, NJDOT continues to work hard to make walking and bicycling safer in New Jersey. NJDOT has a full-time staff of 5 working on bike/ped issues and good track record over the past decade or so in helping local communities fund and plan bicycle and pedestrian projects. As an additional part of the Bike/Ped Program, NJDOT also has 3 consultant firms under contract to aid local communities come up with bike/ped plans and help NJDOT review highway projects for bike/ped friendliness. Even in our current budget mess and with a new administration, it seems like these NJDOT programs might be spared any trimmings from the budget axe. And not to be forgotten, late in 2009 NJDOT issued a Complete Streets Policy which is a really big deal and is something very few states can say.

Along with what NJDOT does in Trenton, it also helps to fund (with the aid of federal monies) the New Jersey Bicycle & Pedestrian Resource Center and the New Jersey Safe Routes to School Resource Center at Rutgers University which employs the equivalent of about 5 full-time staff working on these issues. Part of what these two centers do is research and education along with hosting the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council amongst many other tasks.

To complement the work and improvements at NJDOT, there was the formation of the New Jersey Bicycle Coalition in 2009 and the first New Jersey Bicycle Summit this year that they helped to host with NJDOT. Both were critical in helping boost New Jersey's rankings. Without the Coalition and the Summit I'm convinced that New Jersey would have fallen in the rankings despite the Complete Streets Policy promulgated in December.

Overall, bicycling in New Jersey is better today than it was in 2009 or any year before anyone was keeping score. However, bike lanes are scarcer in New Jersey than zits on a supermodel's backside (but somehow we ranked 3rd for infrastructure) and New Jersey is one on only a handful of states that still don't have a single Bicycle Friendly Community even though there are at least one or two that could attain it if only they applied for it. If we have any hope to maintain or even improve our spot in these rankings these two area will need to see improvement which will require the full cooperation of both municipal and county governments. Also, we will need to move forward on a bicycle legislation agenda (something the NJBPAC has been hard at work putting together already) and work more closely with local law enforcement to better educate the police on the finer points of bicycle law along with proper and safe bicycle operation.

Here is New Jersey's 2010 BFS Rankings by Category:

Legislation - 15th: Tie with 10 other states (Ranking seems fair)
Policy & Programs - 3rd: Tie with 8 other states (Ranking seems fair, well deserved)
Infrastructure - 3rd: (Really?!?! I don't know how we ranked so high)
Education - 31st: Tie with 3 other states (Really?!?! That low, even with NJ BIKE SChOOL running in 2009?)
Evaluation - 9th: Tie with 9 other states (Ranking seems fair)
Enforcement - 25th: Tie with 12 other states (Ranking seems fair, I guess)

Below are the Top 20 (of 50) Bicycle Friendly States:

1. Washington - Silver*
2. Wisconsin - Silver*
3. Maine
4. Minnesota - Bronze*
5. Oregon - Silver*
6. New Hampshire
7. Iowa
8. New Jersey - Bronze*
9. Arizona - Bronze*
10. Delaware - Bronze*
11. Maryland
12. Florida
13. Kansas
14. Colorado
15. Massachusetts
16. Michigan
17. Wyoming
18. Virginia
19. California
20. Nevada

New issue of NJ Safe Routes Scoop available

The latest issue of the NJ Walks and Bikes newsletter is now available online at:
http://policy.rutgers.edu/VTC/bikeped/Safe_Routes_Scoop/Vol3_Issue2/


Like the NJ Walks and Bikes newsletter the Safe Routes Scoop is produced by the NJDOT through the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University.

While packed full of good information, those interested in wakling and bicycle policies may want to pay particular attention to the following articles:

Encouraging Walking and Bicycling through School Policies
Complete Streets in Montclair
New Jersey Department of Transportation Adopts a Complete Streets Policy
Resource Spotlight: Operation Lifesaver

For those of you who may be wondering what NJDOT is doing to make bicycling and walking safer, this is an excellent source to find out more. Also don't forget the back issues of the NJ Walks & Bikes Newsletter and the Safe Routes Scoop!

New issue of NJ Walks & Bikes newsletter available

The latest issue of the NJ Walks and Bikes newsletter is now available online at:
http://policy.rutgers.edu/VTC/bikeped/Walks_and_Bikes/Vol3_Issue2/



Produced by the NJDOT through the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University, this latest issue is especially good. The more notable and interesting topics in this issue are:

New Jersey DOT adopts a Complete Streets Policy
Statewide Bicycling Survey completed (with plenty of useful info!)
Cross County Connection creates Google Map showing bike routes and public transportation
Plus more!

For those of you who may be wondering what NJDOT is doing to make bicycling and walking safer, this is an excellent source to find out more. Also don't forget the back issues of the NJ Walks & Bikes Newsletter and the Safe Routes Scoop!

NJDOT Issues a Complete Streets Policy

From John and our friends at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia:

Below is the New Jersey Complete Streets policy signed by Commissioner Dilts. This is a big step forward and we (the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia) are pleased that NJ DOT has joined the Delaware, Oregon and other states with complete streets policy (we at WalkBikeJersey are equally pleased).

The policy is long and involved so it will take some time for us to fully analyze its potential effectiveness. At first glance we like the inclusion of resurfacing projects and the offering of incentives for Local Aid projects (the transportation money for towns and counties). On the other hand we are concerned about Exemption 5 (highlighted below in bold italics) which suggest that safety or timing issues could result in the exclusion of complete streets elements (we at WalkBikeJersey agree). A broad statement that may offer lots of wiggle room for reluctant project managers. To take an objective eye on the policy consult the Complete Streets policy elements.


DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
POLICY

I. PURPOSE
To create and implement a Complete Streets Policy in New Jersey through the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of new and retrofit transportation facilities within public rights of way that are federally or state funded, including projects processed or administered through the Department’s Capital Program.

II. DEFINITIONS
A Complete Street is defined as means to provide safe access for all users by designing and operating a comprehensive, integrated, connected multi-modal network of transportation options.

III. BACKGROUND
The benefits of Complete Streets are many and varied:
• Complete Streets improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, children, older citizens, non-drivers and the mobility challenged as well as those that cannot afford a car or choose to live car free.
• Provide connections to bicycling and walking trip generators such as employment, education, residential, recreation, retail centers and public facilities.
• Promote healthy lifestyles.
• Create more livable communities.
• Reduce traffic congestion and reliance on carbon fuels thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Complete Streets make fiscal sense by incorporating sidewalks, bike lanes, safe crossings and transit amenities into the initial design of a project, thus sparing the expense of retrofits later.

IV. POLICY
The New Jersey Department of Transportation shall implement a Complete Streets policy though the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of new and retrofit transportation facilities, enabling safe access and mobility of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users of all ages and abilities. This includes all projects funded through the Department’s Capital Program. The Department strongly encourages the adoption of similar policies by regional and local jurisdictions who apply for funding through Local Aid programs.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
POLICY

1. Create a comprehensive, integrated, connected multi-modal network by providing connections to bicycling and walking trip generators such as employment, education, residential, recreational and public facilities, as well as retail and transit centers.

2. Provide safe and accessible accommodations for existing and future pedestrian,
bicycle and transit facilities.

3. Establish a checklist of pedestrian, bicycle and transit accommodations such as
accessible sidewalks curb ramps, crosswalks, countdown pedestrian signals, signs,
median refuges, curb extensions, pedestrian scale lighting, bike lanes, shoulders and
bus shelters with the presumption that they shall be included in each project unless supporting documentation against inclusion is provided and found to be justifiable.

4. Additionally, in rural areas, paved shoulders or a multi-use path shall be included in all new construction and reconstruction projects on roadways used by more than 1,000 vehicles per day.
Paved shoulders provide safety and operational advantages for all road users. Shoulder rumble strips are not recommended when used by bicyclists, unless there is a minimum clear path of four feet in which a bicycle may safely operate. If there is evidence of heavy pedestrian usage then sidewalks shall be considered in the project.

5. Establish a procedure to evaluate resurfacing projects for complete streets inclusion according to length of project, local support, environmental constraints, right-of-way limitations, funding resources and bicycle and/or pedestrian compatibility.

6. Transportation facilities are long-term investments that shall anticipate likely future demand for bicycling and walking facilities and not preclude the provision of future improvements.

7. Address the need for bicyclists and pedestrians to cross corridors as well as travel along them. Even where bicyclists and pedestrians may not commonly use a particular travel corridor that is being improved or constructed, they will likely need to be able to cross that corridor safely and conveniently. Therefore, the design of intersections, interchanges and bridges shall accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians in a manner that is safe, accessible and convenient.

8. Design bicycle and pedestrian facilities to the best currently available standards and practices including the New Jersey Roadway Design Manual, the AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, AASHTO’s Guide for the Planning, Design and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities, the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and others as related.

9. Research, develop and support new technologies in improving safety and mobility.

10. Make provisions for pedestrians and bicyclists when closing roads, bridges or sidewalks for
construction projects as outlined in NJDOT Policy #705 – Accommodating Pedestrian and Bicycle Traffic During Construction.

11. Improvements should also consider connections for Safe Routes to Schools, Safe Routes to Transit, Transit Villages, trail crossings and areas or population groups with limited transportation options.

12. Establish an incentive within the Local Aid Program for municipalities and counties to develop and implement a Complete Streets policy.

13. Improvements must comply with Title VI/Environmental Justice, Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) and should complement the context of the surrounding community.

14. Implement training for Engineers and Planners on Bicycle/Pedestrian/Transit policies and integration of non-motorized travel options into transportation systems.

15. Establish Performance Measures to gauge success.

V. EXEMPTIONS
Exemptions to the Complete Streets policy must be presented for final decision to the Capital Program Screening Committee in writing by the appropriate Assistant Commissioner and documented with supporting data that indicates the reason for the decision and are limited to the following:

1) Non-motorized users are prohibited on the roadway.
2) Scarcity of population, travel and attractors, both existing and future, indicate an absence of need for such accommodations.
3) Detrimental environmental or social impacts outweigh the need for these accommodations.
4) Cost of accommodations is excessively disproportionate to cost of project, more than twenty percent (20%) of total cost.
5) The safety or timing of a project is compromised by the inclusion of Complete Streets.

An exemption other than those listed above must be documented with supporting data and must be approved by the Capital Program Committee along with written approval by the Commissioner of Transportation.

VI. AUTHORITY
N.J.S.A. Title 27
----