
Warren County partners with NJTPA for public input on future transportation plan
WARREN COUNTY, NJ – How do you envision 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 you’d like to see prioritized for funding?
These are just a few of the questions the public will be asked as Warren County collaborates with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) on the region’s next long-range transportation plan, Connecting Communities. The plan will outline new programs and recommend policies and investments for transportation over the next 25 years, including projects in Warren County.
The NJTPA region encompasses 13 counties in northern and central New Jersey, home to 7 million people, with the population expected to reach 7.8 million by 2050. The NJTPA works with local partners and state agencies to provide more than $3 billion in transportation investments annually. To qualify for federal transportation funds, the NJTPA must adopt a long-range transportation plan every four years.
“This plan will set a vision for the future of transportation in North Jersey and help prioritize regionally significant projects,” said Warren County Commissioner Director Jason J. Sarnoski, who serves as Second Vice Chair of the NJTPA Board of Trustees. “I encourage Warren County residents to complete the survey, attend events, and share their ideas with the NJTPA to ensure Connecting Communities meets the needs of our municipalities.”
The NJTPA has already approved funding for several projects in Warren County, including the Complete Streets Policy Implementation Plan, which is currently underway. This plan will develop strategies for rural and small-town roads to ensure safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, trucks, and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
Warren County is also working with the NJTPA to develop a Local Safety Action Plan, which will identify strategies for improving safety across the county. Additionally, the NJTPA funded the Warren County Transportation Plan, completed in 2021, which identifies transportation projects and phases for implementation. In November, the NJTPA Board approved $1.5 million for a Morris Canal Greenway trail improvement project in Greenwich Township’s Lopatcong Creek area. The Board also approved nearly $1.4 million for the Phillipsburg Riverfront Heritage Trail project in 2023.
Public input plays a critical role in the Connecting Communities plan. The feedback gathered through an online survey and events will be incorporated into the final plan, which the NJTPA Board of Trustees is expected to adopt in September. All residents of the NJTPA region are encouraged to participate.
The survey, which launched today, 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 conduct pop-up outreach at events throughout the region this spring. To share your ideas, concerns, and interests 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 law, MPOs provide a forum where local officials, public transportation providers, and state agency representatives collaborate to plan for the region’s transportation needs. The NJTPA’s role establishes the region’s eligibility for federal tax dollars allocated to 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), as well as representatives from the cities of Newark and Jersey City. The Board also includes the 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.