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Together 202: Reimagining Complete Communities along a Connecting CorridorPublic Workshop #2March 28, 2013

Tonight

What is Together 202?Who is involved?Why are we doing the project?Findings so far

Introduce Exercises

Break into groups

WhatWhat is Together North Jersey?

• A planning initiative currently underway in the 13-county North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority region of New Jersey

• In November 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Together North Jersey a $5 million grant to develop a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD)

• Create a comprehensive and balanced plan that invests in the region’s existing communities where housing, jobs, educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities are made more easily accessible to most residents without having to drive to them

What are Local Demonstration Projects?• The LDP is intended to provide technical assistance to local partners

throughout Northern New Jersey to undertake strategic planning activities promoting sustainable and livable, transit-oriented development and advance the broader goals of the RPSD

• Potential LDP projects include a variety of local planning activities to make transit corridors and communities more livable

What

This project proposes to:

1.Foster a working and collaborative network

2.Develop a deep understanding of the Route 202 Corridor

3.Develop a local-driven vision for the corridor

What

Together 202 Scope & Timeline

Phase I: Research & Analysis – Where are we now? Where are we headed?• Review of Master Plans, Studies and Reports• Demographic/economic profiles• Corridor Tour

Phase II: Outreach & Ideas - Where do we want to go?• Focus Groups (Mayors, Transportation, Business)• Community Workshops

Phase III: Implementation Strategies - How do we get there?• Corridor Vision Plan

Together 202 Goals & Objectives

Getting Places Expanding Economic Opportunities

Connect workers, residents and employees to key employment and commercial destinations

through enhanced transit

Make recommendations for existing businesses to capitalize

on transit/corridor improvements

Growing in Place Working Together

Identify target opportunity sites for redevelopment, reinvention

or repositioning

Work closely with state agencies to implement

recommendations

Together 202 Goals & Objectives

Together 202 Goals & Objectives

Keeping Healthy, Safe & Vibrant

Find ways to improve connectivity along the corridor

Who- Project Team:

• Regional Plan Association• The Williams Group• Arup

- Steering Committee: • Somerset County• NORWESCAP• Somerset County Business

Partnership• Hunterdon County Chamber of

Commerce• Raritan Valley Community

College• HART TMA• Ridewise TMA• Flemington Borough

• Trans-Bridge Bus• Hunterdon County • Bridgewater Township• Somerville Borough• Raritan Borough• Branchburg Township• Readington Township• Raritan Township• NJTPA

Why

The Study Area

The Study Area

The Study Area

The 202 Corridor

2035?

KEY FINDINGS

• Steering Committee• Public Workshop• Transportation Round

Table• Business Round Table• Mayors MeetingSome land uses have to change in order for there to be better connectivity and enhanced service

KEY FINDINGS

KEY FINDINGSCENTERS

EDGES

CROSSROADS

RURAL NEIGHBORHOODS

PARKWAY

The Economic Future of the Route 202 CorridorAttracting Business and Development

• Opportunities• Strong MF housing demand• Strong tourism and natural amenities• Scores high for business attraction--

health/pharm, related tech. & quality of life• Highly educated white collar • Strong skills in tech, math, life

sciences and education• Home ownership, Low crime

• Existing Clusters—pharm, environ, life sciences, health care = NJ fastest growing industries

• Issues• Scores low for empty nester housing =

19% below USA average• Corporate Sprawl, limited transit• Vacating Corporate parks• Oversupplied retail and office• Traffic along 202• Young graduates are fastest growing

demo. But demand not met

• Future Vision• Downtown infill empty

nester housing• Imaginative reuse

• Malls• Corporate campus• Big box

• Marketing Plan to Attract business

• Zoning and Incentives to locate businesses in targeted locations

• Linked transit connections Zoning to discourage sprawl

• Comingling nature along the 202 spine

Closing the

GAP1. Foster downtown growth to

support transit/business 2. Support health,

environment and energy businesses as growth opportunities

3. Provide incentives for businesses

4. Keep older baby boomers in downtown & Attract graduating college professionals amenities

5. Maintain downtown densities to support transit

6. Provide convenient intermodal connections

The Exercises

THE EXERCISE

5 Stations

1. Centers

2. Edges (with design studies)

3. Crossroads (with design studies)

4. Rural Neighborhood/Parkway

5. Together North Jersey (Information/comments)

5 Stations

• General Together North Jersey questions

• General Together 202 Questions

• Overall Comments

5 Stations

5 Stations

CENTERS. EDGES. CROSSROADS. RURAL/PARKWAY.

5 Stations

CENTERS. EDGES. CROSSROADS. RURAL/PARKWAY.

5 StationsEDGES. CROSSROADS.

5 Stations

CENTERS. RURAL/PARKWAY.

At Each Station – 15 minutes

1. Facilitator overview (5 minutes)

2. Interview your neighbor (6 minutes)

1. What you like

2. What you would change/how

3. Group discussion (2 minutes)

4. Post your neighbor’s ideas and move to next station (2 minutes)

First Stop

1. Centers

2. Edges

3. Crossroads

4. Rural Neighborhood/Parkway

5. Together North JerseyT