In partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) has been studying statewide programs, with a smart growth focus, that support legacy city revitalization. The New Jersey Transit Village Initiative, a statewide designation program, is one of many noteworthy policies that GOPC has uncovered through this work. The Transit Village Initiative incentivizes the creation or redevelopment of mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods that are close to existing transit. It seeks to increase transit ridership by bringing more housing, businesses, and people into the areas around transit stations, and it aims to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion.
Established in 1999, the Transit Village Initiative provides $1 million in grants annually to selected municipalities. All New Jersey municipalities may apply for the Transit Village designation if they have a transit station. The Initiative awards designation to communities who redevelop and revitalize areas using transit-oriented development design standards to create pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, where people do not have to rely on automobiles, and encourage growth where infrastructure already exists. (New Jersey Department of Transportation, 2020) After receiving the designation, municipalities become eligible for specific New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) grants as well as priority funding and technical assistance from various state agencies.
In FY2020, NJDOT awarded funding to six Transit Villages; the smallest award was $25,000, and the largest was $475,000. (InsiderNJ, 2020) Since the program’s inception, NJDOT has designated 33 Transit Villages; all have completed, planned, or proposed development with residential projects up to 538 dwelling-units—along with retail, healthcare, and office developments. Transit Village grants have also directly supported new pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and network safety improvements. Additionally, Transit Village representatives say their designation has become a “brand,” which is desirable to developers and has generated positive impacts on the community. (AECOM Technical Services, 2017)
The New Jersey Transit Village Initiative is an excellent example of how states can utilize policy to support local communities in providing residents with an enhanced quality of life and transportation options. It supports legacy city revitalization by incentivizing growth and economic activity in existing urban centers, supporting public transportation, and promoting sustainable land-use practices.
For more information about New Jersey’s Transit Village Initiative, visit the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s website: www.state.nj.us/transportation/community/village/
Image Source: ROI-NJ