How do you see yourself getting around in the future? Would you consider driving an electric vehicle or riding in a self-driving car or shuttle? Are there regional transportation projects that you want prioritized for funding?
These are some of the questions the public will be asked as Union County works with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) on the region’s next long range transportation plan, Connecting Communities. The plan will detail new programs and recommend policies and transportation investments for the next 25 years, including projects in Union County.
“As our communities grow and evolve, so must the ways we move within and between them. Union County residents have a unique opportunity to shape a future that prioritizes sustainability, accessibility, and innovation in transportation,” said Union County Commissioner Chairwoman Lourdes Leon. “I encourage everyone to make their voices heard—your input is essential to creating a transportation system that supports the needs and aspirations of our diverse population.”
The NJTPA region includes 13 counties in northern and central New Jersey and is home to 7 million people, with the population expected to hit 7.8 million in 2050. The NJTPA works with local partners and state agencies to provide more than $3 billion in transportation investments annually. In order for the region to be eligible to receive federal transportation funds for programs and projects, the NJTPA must adopt a long-range transportation plan every four years.
“Union County has worked closely with the NJTPA to secure federal funding for infrastructure projects that improve safety, and advance our rails-to-trails efforts,” said Union County Commissioner Bette Jane Kowalski, who serves as Third Vice Chair of the NJTPA Board of Trustees. “I encourage Union County residents to share their ideas about the future of transportation with the NJTPA so we can continue this important work and create a long-range plan that meets the needs of our diverse communities.”
The NJTPA has approved funding for several projects in Union County, including construction of the recently reopened Gordon Street Bridge in Roselle Park and Roselle Borough. The NJTPA has also approved funding for several local safety projects, including $1.3 million in improvements to three intersections along East Front Street (CR 620) in Plainfield, which is currently under construction; and $11 million for improvements to another four intersections in Plainfield and 10 intersections in New Providence, Summit and Roselle, which are currently in the design phase of work. In addition, the NJTPA approved $1.5 million for the Rahway Valley Rails-to-Trails Project in Kenilworth and Roselle Park. The NJTPA has also funded transportation planning studies, including the Union County Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Study completed in 2023 and the Union County Truck Mobility Study completed in 2021.
Public input plays a critical role in the plan. The feedback the NJTPA gathers through an online survey and events will be considered and incorporated into the plan, which the NJTPA Board of Trustees is expected to adopt in September. Everyone who lives in the NJTPA region is encouraged to participate.
The survey launched today and is available in six languages – English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Chinese and Korean. Virtual public outreach will begin later this month with a Let’s Talk Transportation event on January 28 at 11:30 a.m. focused on creating a safe biking and walking transportation network.
The NJTPA will also be conducting pop-up outreach at events throughout the region this spring. To share your ideas, interests, and concerns about the future of transportation in northern and central New Jersey, please take the NJTPA’s brief survey and sign up for virtual events at the Connecting Communities website: njtpa.org/connecting.
The NJTPA is the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for 13 northern New Jersey counties. Under federal legislation, MPOs provide a forum where local officials, public transportation providers and state agency representatives can come together and cooperatively plan to meet the region’s current and future transportation needs. It establishes the region’s eligibility to receive federal tax dollars for transportation projects. The NJTPA Board consists of one local elected official from each of the 13 counties in the region (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren), and the cities of Newark and Jersey City. The Board also includes a Governor’s Representative, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the Executive Director of NJ Transit, the Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a Citizen’s Representative appointed by the Governor.
