Together North Jersey

Brownfield Blueprint Webinar #3: It Takes a Village - The Importance of Partners, Stakeholders, and Community Engagement
2020-11-24 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | New Jersey
Presented in partnership with the New Jersey Brownfields Assistance Center at NJIT
It Takes a Village – The Importance of Partners, Stakeholders, and Community Engagement will focus on the importance of collaboration in advancing a brownfield site to redevelopment. This webinar will help communities embarking on brownfields redevelopment understand who the critical players are, and how developing beneficial relationships with them will greatly improve the chances of a smoother and successful redevelopment outcome. In addition, the webinar will spotlight the experiences of two municipalities in building partnerships, collaborating with stakeholders, and engaging their communities which led to brownfield redevelopment success.

Brownfield Blueprint Webinar #2: Show Me the Money – Brownfields Funding
2020-11-12 11:00 - 12:00 UTC | New Jersey
Presented in partnership with New Jersey Brownfields Assistance Center @NJIT.
Show Me the Money – Brownfields Funding will provide an overview of several brownfields funding sources, including federal and state grants. The webinar will cover funding applicability, availability, and include sources many communities may not initially consider. For those participants who have brownfield sites located within Opportunity Zones (OZ), the webinar will explain how communities can prepare to attract OZ funding to their projects.

Brownfields Blueprints Webinar Series #1: Brownfields Basics
2020-11-05 11:00 - 12:00 UTC | New Jersey
New Jersey Brownfields Assistance Center at NJIT: Brownfields Blueprints Webinar Series
View the recording of this event here: https://njit.webex.com/recordingservice/sites/njit/recording/e1876b12902a426990ff3ca217a226df/playback

Brownfields Basics will provide an overview of the history of brownfields, what they are, and the advantages of reusing these sites to create more resilient and sustainable communities. This webinar will emphasize viewing brownfields redevelopment through the lens of the triple-bottom-line: environment, economy, and equity. This program also will include an overview of NJ’s brownfields regulatory process and walk participants through the steps required to identify and cleanup contamination. The webinar will conclude with an overview of the NJ Brownfields Assistance Center at NJIT and free resources it provides to counties and municipalities.

Resilient Task Force Meeting
2020-10-30 10:30 - 12:00 UTC | New Jersey
AGENDA

Welcome: Task Force Co-Chairs

The TNJ Plan Update Overview: Miriam Salerno – Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers University

May 2020 Meeting Takeaways:

What we heard from the group – Jennifer Fogliano, Peter Zambito – NJTPA
Framing today’s discussion – Jeff Perlman, NJTPA

TNJ Strategies – Keep it, Change it, Toss it

VTC and NJTPA staff will lead the Task Force members in a workshop activity – Keep it, Change it, Toss it. Staff will discuss each Focus Area and associated strategies and then lead the Task Force in a Zoom poll to collect reactions about the strategies, identifying opinions on what the Plan should keep, change or discard for the updated.

Other Task Force business

Next Steps

To RSVP please email miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu.

Efficient Task Force Meeting
2020-10-29 10:30 - 12:00 UTC | New Jersey
AGENDA

Welcome: Courtenay Mercer, Stephen Kehayes – Task Force Co-Chairs

The TNJ Plan Update Overview: Miriam Salerno – Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers University

May 2020 Meeting Takeaways: Jeff Vernick, Jeff Perlman – NJTPA

What we heard from the group
Framing today’s discussion

TNJ Strategies – Keep it, Change it, Toss it

VTC and NJTPA staff will lead the Task Force members in a workshop activity – Keep it, Change it, Toss it. Staff will discuss each Focus Area and associated strategies and then lead the Task Force in a Zoom poll to collect reactions about the strategies, identifying opinions on what the Plan should keep, change or discard for the updated.

Other Task Force business

Transit Hub project selection
Brownfields Workshop series

Next Steps

To RSVP please email miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu.

Competitive Task Force Meeting
2020-10-27 11:00 - 12:30 UTC | New Jersey
AGENDA

Welcome: Task Force Co-Chairs

The TNJ Plan Update Overview: Miriam Salerno, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers University

May 2020 Meeting Takeaways:

What we heard from the group – Lois Goldman, Rick Cippoletti – NJTPA
Framing today’s discussion – Jeff Perlman, NJTPA

TNJ Strategies – Keep it, Change it, Toss it

VTC and NJTPA staff will lead the Task Force members in a workshop activity – Keep it, Change it, Toss it. Staff will discuss each Focus Area and associated strategies and then lead the Task Force in a Zoom poll to collect reactions about the strategies, identifying opinions on what the Plan should keep, change or discard for the updated.

Other Task Force business

Next Steps

To RSVP please email miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu.

Livable Task Force Meeting
2020-10-16 14:30 - 16:00 UTC | New Jersey
AGENDA

Welcome: Task Force Co-Chairs

The TNJ Plan Update Overview: Miriam Salerno – Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers University

May 2020 Meeting Takeaways:

What we heard from the group – Brian Fineman, Peter Bilton – NJTPA
Framing today’s discussion – Jeff Perlman, NJTPA

TNJ Strategies – Keep it, Change it, Toss it

VTC and NJTPA staff will lead the Task Force members in a workshop activity – Keep it, Change it, Toss it. Staff will discuss each Focus Area and associated strategies and then lead the Task Force in a Zoom poll to collect reactions about the strategies, identifying opinions on what the Plan should keep, change or discard for the updated.

Other Task Force business

Next Steps

To RSVP please email miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu.

Micromobility in Your Community
2020-06-16 09:00 - 10:30 UTC | New Jersey
This event occurred on June 4, 2020. To view PPTs slides, click here.

Technology and changes being brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic are at the forefront of growing demand for new and emerging travel options in the NJTPA region. A convergence of both conventional and power-assisted bicycles and scooters, and other “mini-modes” are behind a radical rethinking of short distance and first-/last-mile access. While this micromobility revolution is attracting a variety of shared ride, commercial and personal users, many communities are looking for answers on how to incorporate them safely, equitably and sustainably through community policies, effective programs and roadway infrastructure. Join our panel of experts as we explore these issues.
Download PowerPoint slides from this event: https://togethernorthjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Micromobility-Master-Slide-Deck.pdf
PROGRAM OUTLINE
8:50 to 9:00 Sign-In / Join us
9:00 to 9:05 Welcome
Mary D. Ameen, Executive Director, NJTPA
9:05 to 9:15 What is Micromobility
Presenter: Aimee Jefferson, AICP – Principal Planner, NJTPA

Federal (USDOT), MPOs and Other Definitions
NJ State Legislation – Guidelines and Requirements

9:15 to 10:15 Micromobility Perspectives Speaker Panel
Moderator: Courtenay Mercer, AICP, PP – Co-Chair, TNJ Efficient Task Force / Principal, Mercer Planning Associates
Join micromobility advocates and employees, a municipal transportation manager and a leading academic expert as we explore their diverse perspectives and experiences in incorporating micromobility in communities.
Michael Smart, PhD. – Associate Professor, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University
Mike Manzella, AICP, PP – Director of Transportation/Deputy City Manager, City of Asbury Park, NJ
Peter Kim – Bike Hoboken – Hoboken, NJ
Marco Germano and Kala LaFortune Reed – Food on Bikes – Newark, NJ
10:15 to 10:30 Audience Q&A with Speaker Panel
Ask our expert panelists questions about advancing micromobility in your community.
Download bios for workshop panelists and speakers.

Competitive Task Force Meeting
2020-05-18 13:00 - 14:30 UTC | New Jersey
As you may recall, the Together North Jersey Forum originally schedule for March 20, 2020 was canceled due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Since the stay-at-home order is still in effect (but time is moving on!) we have decided to plan a series of virtual Task Force meeting in its place.
These virtual task force meetings will cover much of the same content as the TNJ Forum, albeit with a VERY abbreviated “plenary” presentation (we’re talking 5 minutes abbreviated) by Jon Carnegie. The bulk of the time will be devoted to what would have been the “breakout sessions” for the Task Forces. The meeting will include a discussion of current work underway in the Task Forces, as well as a look forward at the upcoming Together North Jersey Reexamination process scheduled to begin this summer. This process will assess how our region has changed since the original plan was completed in 2015 (hint: a lot has changed!) and how we can adapt the plan’s priorities an goals to continue to implement a sustainable future for our region. This work is more important than ever and we hope you’ll join us and reengage!
The next meeting of the Competitive Task Force will take place on May 18, 2020 at 1pm. If you are interested in attending please email Miriam Salerno at miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu for login information.
Agenda forthcoming.

Resilient Task Force Meeting
2020-05-14 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | New Jersey
As you may recall, the Together North Jersey Forum originally schedule for March 20, 2020 was canceled due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Since the stay-at-home order is still in effect (but time is moving on!) we have decided to plan a series of virtual Task Force meeting in its place.
These virtual task force meetings will cover much of the same content as the TNJ Forum, albeit with a VERY abbreviated “plenary” presentation (we’re talking 5 minutes abbreviated) by Jon Carnegie. The bulk of the time will be devoted to what would have been the “breakout sessions” for the Task Forces. The meeting will include a discussion of current work underway in the Task Forces, as well as a look forward at the upcoming Together North Jersey Reexamination process scheduled to begin this summer. This process will assess how our region has changed since the original plan was completed in 2015 (hint: a lot has changed!) and how we can adapt the plan’s priorities an goals to continue to implement a sustainable future for our region. This work is more important than ever and we hope you’ll join us and reengage!
The next meeting of the Resilient Task Force will take place May 14th at 10:00 am. If you are interested in attending please email Miriam Salerno at miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu for login information.
Agenda forthcoming.

Livable Task Force Meeting
2020-05-07 10:00 - 11:30 UTC | New Jersey
As you may recall, the Together North Jersey Forum originally schedule for March 20, 2020 was canceled due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Since the stay-at-home order is still in effect (but time is moving on!) we have decided to plan a series of virtual Task Force meeting in its place.
These virtual task force meetings will cover much of the same content as the TNJ Forum, albeit with a VERY abbreviated “plenary” presentation (we’re talking 5 minutes abbreviated) by Jon Carnegie. The bulk of the time will be devoted to what would have been the “breakout sessions” for the Task Forces. The meeting will include a discussion of current work underway in the Task Forces, as well as a look forward at the upcoming Together North Jersey Reexamination process scheduled to begin this summer. This process will assess how our region has changed since the original plan was completed in 2015 (hint: a lot has changed!) and how we can adapt the plan’s priorities an goals to continue to implement a sustainable future for our region. This work is more important than ever and we hope you’ll join us and reengage!
The next meeting of the Livable Task Force will take place on May 7, 2020 at 10am. If you are interested in attending please email Miriam Salerno at miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu for login information.
Agenda forthcoming.

Efficient Task Force Meeting
2020-05-06 10:00 - 11:30 UTC | New Jersey
As you may recall, the Together North Jersey Forum originally schedule for March 20, 2020 was canceled due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Since the stay-at-home order is still in effect (but time is moving on!) we have decided to plan a series of virtual Task Force meeting in its place.
These virtual task force meetings will cover much of the same content as the TNJ Forum, albeit with a VERY abbreviated “plenary” presentation (we’re talking 5 minutes abbreviated) by Jon Carnegie. The bulk of the time will be devoted to what would have been the “breakout sessions” for the Task Forces. The meeting will include a discussion of current work underway in the Task Forces, as well as a look forward at the upcoming Together North Jersey Reexamination process scheduled to begin this summer. This process will assess how our region has changed since the original plan was completed in 2015 (hint: a lot has changed!) and how we can adapt the plan’s priorities an goals to continue to implement a sustainable future for our region. This work is more important than ever and we hope you’ll join us and reengage!
The next meeting of the Efficient Task Force will take place on May 6, 2020 at 10am. If you are interested in attending please email Miriam Salerno at miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu for login information.
Agenda forthcoming.

TNJ Institute: Neighborhood Empowerment Models
2019-12-05 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
Neighborhood Empower Models: Crime Prevention and Beyond
Strategies and opportunities for neighborhood improvements are available through a variety of programs and formats. But it takes high quality community engagement and leadership to put strategies into action and create vibrant places where people want to live, work and visit. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a community problem-solving approach that brings together law enforcement, city planners, residents and local stakeholders to assess a neighborhood’s vulnerabilities to crime and collaboratively develop meaningful solutions. Community members can become leaders by self-organizing within a multi-disciplinary team to work ahead of or in tandem with local government rather than waiting for government-led projects. Good lighting and community-driven design and maintenance of public spaces are just a couple examples of how communities can help deter crime and make members of the community feel safer.
This workshop will go beyond training participants in crime prevention concepts. It will demonstrate how the CPTED process provides a model for empowering members of the community within a self-guided process for problem identification, development of solutions, and executing physical and social changes in their environments.
When: Thursday, December 5, 2019
Snow Date (if needed): Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Where: NJTPA Board Room, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ
PROGRAM OUTLINE
8:30 to 9:00: Registration
9:00 to 9:15: Welcome and Introductions

SPEAKER: Lois Goldman, Director of Long Range Transportation Planning, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority

9:15 to 10:00: The Evolution of CPTED and Community Engagement

SPEAKER: Matthew Perkins, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

10:00 to 10:15: Break
10:15 to 11:40: Community Engagement Through the CPTED Process

SPEAKERS:

Active Transportation and Equity – Charles Brown, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC)
CPTED and Community Engagement in Vailsburg (Newark, NJ) – Pamela Daniels, Brickerati Founder and Strategist
Livability Academy and Community Engagement – Harry Tapia, HACE (Philadelphia)
SafeGrowth, Neighborhood Hubs, and Community Safety Audits – Gregory Saville, Alternation

11:45 to 12:15: Panel Q&A
*Please see the event flyer for more information!*

TNJ Institute: Roundabouts Workshop
2019-11-07 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
Roundabouts: Not Your Parents’ Traffic Circle Anymore
Roundabouts are a proven strategy for improving the safety and operations of intersections. Modern and compact, these traffic calming countermeasures place responsibility for traffic management upon motorist cooperation, thereby reducing the frequency and severity of intersection crashes.
Co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Resource Center and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), this workshop will explore the benefits of roundabouts in different settings, highlight successful examples in the NJTPA region and across the United States, offer guidance on generating community and stakeholder support and teach you how to plan and develop a roundabout project in your community.
PROGRAM OUTLINE
8:30 to 9:00 AM: Registration
9:00 to 9:15 AM: Welcome
9:15 to 10:45 AM: The Fundamentals of Rounadabouts: Learn about roundabout fundamentals from US Federal Highway Administration experts.

SPEAKER: Hillary Isebrands, PE, PhD. Senior Safety Engineer / Team Leader, Safety and Design Technical Service Team, Federal Highway Administration Resource Center

10:45 to 11:00 AM: Break
11:00 to 11:50 PM: New Jersey Roundabouts: Explore examples of roundabouts implemented or underway here in New Jersey, the NJTPA’s Pilot Roundabout Program and lessons learned.

SPEAKERS:

Sascha Frimpong, Director Local Programs & Project Development, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
William P. McGarrigel, PE, Project Manager, Urban Engineers

11:50 to 12:00 PM: Virtual Roundabout Visualization: A newly developed virtual reality visualization by the NJIT Innovation Center and the NJTPA could help your community to understand how a roundabout might look and perform.

SPEAKER: Rick Cippoletti, NJTPA Senior Manager, NJTPA Analytical and Planning Tools

12:00 to 12:30 PM Audience Q&A with Speaker Panel
*Download an audio file of the workshop here.*
Additional Roundabout Resources:
Modern Roundabout Resource Page
Roundabouts versus Traffic Circles

Urban Essex Coalition for Smart Growth: NEXT STOP ART
2019-10-12 13:00 - 17:00 UTC | New Jersey
Join Urban Essex Coalition for Smart Growth (UEC) at NEXT STOP ART, a hands-on community arts event where families, friends, neighbors, and commuters who use Broad Street Station can enjoy stimulating art from several local artists and entrepreneurs. The event will take place on Saturday, October 12 from 1 to 5 pm at NJ Transit’s Broad Street Station Plaza located at the intersection of University and Lackawanna Avenues in Downtown Newark, NJ.
The day will feature “Cellophane Murals” by local artists Steve Green and Elijah Minton, friends of Pink Dragon Artist Syndicate; “Chalk Talk” an interactive arts project hosted/curated by Vibes After Dark, where community members can make their voices heard through the use of chalk art; on the spot screen printing workshop and giveaway with the Newark Print Shop, featuring artwork designed for NJ Transit, by the late Newark artist Jerry Gant; and a “Platform Parklet” installation by Chambers Design.
NEXT STOP ART is a collaboration between several UEC members including NJ Transit, the City of Newark, La Casa de Don Pedro, Pink Dragon Artist Syndicate and James Hughes/Keller Williams NJ Metro Group, with funding from Newark Arts’ ArtStart Grant Program and National Association of REALTORS through the NCJAR on behalf of its local members.

TNJ Forum: Spotlight on Healthy Communities
2019-09-17 09:00 - 12:45 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
Join us for the next Together North Jersey Forum on September 17, 2019!
This bi-annual forum will feature a panel session on diverse policies and strategies to create healthier communities. Experts on placemaking, age-friendly communities, and resiliency will discuss holistic and interdisciplinary approaches for improving community-wide health outcomes.
The panel will also include a discussion of the recent Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report, Building a Culture of Health, that calls for a diverse range of policies, such as increasing healthy food access, expanding early childhood learning, and ensuring transportation system accessibility for all users.
AGENDA
8:30 to 9:00 – Registration
9:00 to 9:10 – Welcome:

Mary D. Ameen, Executive Director of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority

9:10 to 10:00 – Together North Jersey Updates: An update on all the great work completed by the TNJ Task Forces last year (and there is a lot!)

Jon Carnegie, Project Director for Together North Jersey

10:00 to 11:00 – Plenary Session Panel: Spotlight on Healthy Communities: An informative panel of experts will discuss health in all policies as it relates to a variety of planning topics in the Together North Jersey Plan, including Health and Transportation, Health and Placemaking, Health and Resiliency, and a discussion of the recent RWJ Foundation report titled Building a Culture of Health.

Giridhar Mallya, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Cailean Kok, Project Associate, Project for Public Spaces
Stephanie Hunsinger, State Director for AARP New Jersey
Jon Carnegie, Project Director for Together North Jersey (moderator)

11:00 to 11:15 – Break
11:15 to 12:45 – Task Force Breakout Session Meetings: TNJ Task Forces will meet in breakout sessions to continue the great work we are all doing! Individual agendas for those meetings will be circulated closer to the event date. Please note: Participation in the task force meetings is open to anyone who would like to participate, but not required!

Accessibility to Major Employment Centers Webinar
2019-07-11 13:30 - 15:00 UTC | New Jersey
Accessibility to Major Employment Centers Webinar for the TNJ Competitive Task Force
Thursday, July 11, 2019
1:30 pm | (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) | 1 hr 30 mins
Meeting number (access code): 733 591 432
Meeting password: [REDACTED]
https://njtpa.webex.com/njtpa

Making TOD Real: Planning & Building Transit-Oriented Development in NJ
2019-06-30 09:30 - 12:00 UTC | Edward J. Bloustein School, 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901
Our panel speakers are a diverse array of guests from across the state:

Michele Alonso, Director of Planning & Redevelopment, Asbury Park
Ron Beit, RBH Group, Newark Teachers Village, Newark
Caroline Ehrlich, Executive Director, Woodbridge Redevelopment Agency
Steve Santola, Woodmont Properties, Woodmont Metro, Metuchen
Deb Tantleff, Founding Principal, TANTUM, currently working in Red Bank

Registration for the event begins at 9:30 AM and the event will start promptly at 10 AM.
Please RSVP here. More details can be found at the NJTOD website.

TNJ Institute: Parking Demand Management Workshop
2019-06-27 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
Parking is a challenge in many communities. While adequate supply is essential to promote a healthy economic environment, too much parking can take an overly large share of valuable land, cost a lot of money, and create an uninviting landscape. This workshop will review how a community can evaluate its parking needs, identify steps to create a balance between the supply and demand, and develop an approach to manage the parking to support its goals. Reducing parking could create opportunities for other uses, including cycling, walking, residential development, or open space. The speakers will discuss the latest approaches to estimating the demand for parking in residential, commercial and transit areas, and strategies for reducing that demand so less parking is needed.
PROGRAM OUTLINE
8:30 to 9:00 Registration
9:00 to 9:15 Welcome – Mary Ameen, Executive Director, NJTPA
9:15 to 10:15 What is the parking problem? What are the solutions? – Moderated by Mike Manzella, Transportation Manager, Asbury park, NJ

Rachel Weinberger –Senior Transportation Fellow, Regional Plan Association
Stantec – invited

10:15 to 10:30 Break
10:30 to 11:30 Case Studies: Strategies for managing parking demand –Moderated by Mike Manzella

Montclair Parking Management Plan – Janice Talley, PP, AICP, Director of Planning and Community Development, Montclair
NJ TRANSIT and Metuchen Experience — Sean Massey, Manager Property Development, NJ TRANSIT –
Alternative Modes and their impact on Parking Demand: Shuttles, Micro-Modes, Walking, Car Sharing – and their impact on parking demand — Ryan Sharp, Director of Transportation and Parking, Hoboken

11:30 to 12:30 Q&A with speakers.

TNJ Institute: Transit Hub Guidebook Workshop
2019-06-06 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
Revitalizing areas around transit stations can help connect a community’s businesses, public spaces, residential areas and public transportation resources. But taking on such a project can be a major challenge. The Together North Jersey (TNJ) Efficient Task Force, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) and Rutgers University’s Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC) have developed a new resource to help communities interested in creating a vibrant transit hub.
The Guidebook for Developing Transit Hub Strategic Plans is an engaging and easy to follow guide that makes sense of the often complicated transit hub planning process. It includes best practices from projects that have been implemented across the nation, as well as knowledge from developers, community officials and other experts with direct experience in planning for and constructing transit hubs.
This workshop will also showcase the exciting work of the 2018 Transit Hub Pilot Program, which created strategic plans for the City of Passaic, Bloomfield Township, and the Borough of Dunellen in northern New Jersey. These plans were developed by the TNJ Efficient Task Force and volunteers from the Community Planning Assistance Program (CPAP) of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association. The pilot communities delved into various land use and mobility improvements in their plans and the lessons they learned were incorporated into the guidebook.
Please join us as we explore how you can use The Guidebook for Developing Transit Hub Strategic Plans to improve your community.
PROGRAM OUTLINE
8:30 to 9:00 Registration
9:00 to 9:15 Welcome

Mary D. Ameen, Executive Director, NJTPA
Efficient Task Force Co-Chairs – Steven Kehayes, Courtenay Mercer

9:15 to 9:30 Introducing the Transit Hub Guidebook: Jeff Vernick, NJTPA

How did this topic evolve?
Why did we do it?

9:30 to 10:15 Overview of Guidebook: Eliot Benman, Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers University

Using the guidebook
How was the guidebook created?
The contents of the guidebook

10:15 to 10:30 Break
10:30 to 11:15 The Three Pilot Projects:

Carlos Rodrigues: Dunellen, NJ
Nadia Mian: Watsessing Avenue Station, Bloomfield, NJ
Paul Drake: Passaic, NJ

11:15 to 12:30 Q&A/Panel discussion about how to advance their transit hub plans

VTC and NJT to Host Planning Tool Webinar
2019-05-29 14:00 - 15:30 UTC | New Jersey
On Wednesday, May 29 form 2 PM to 3:30 PM the Voorhees Transportation Center and NJ TRANSIT will host a webinar on updates to the NJ Land Use + Transit Data Application (NJLUTRANS.org). The GIS-based, online application can be used in a wide variety of fields across the planning sector to map, report, and analyze land use, travel, transit, demographic, and real estate data.
The webinar presenters are:

Megan Massey, AICP/PP, NJ TRANSIT (Session Moderator)
Zach Subar, NJ TRANSIT
Lucas Marxen, Rutgers University Office of Research Analytics
Jon Carnegie, AICP/PP, Rutgers University Voorhees Transportation Center

Register for the webinar here. More details can be found on the NJTOD website.

TNJ Institute: Green Stormwater Infrastructure & Transportation Workshop
2019-02-06 09:30 - 12:30 UTC | NJTPA Board Room, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ
Green stormwater infrastructure is a cost-effective, resilient approach to managing wet weather impacts while providing community benefits. Unlike conventional drainage systems that are designed to move stormwater away from the built environment, green infrastructure reduces and treats stormwater at its source, using vegetation, soil, and other measures that restore some of the natural processes to manage water. Today’s speakers will provide sample projects within TNJ and the wider region, discuss opportunities, outline the aspects of implementing these projects, including costs, benefits and the importance of developing partnerships. Presenters will highlight strategies for identifying financing, describe challenges and how they’ve been overcome in case studies, address long term needs in terms of operations and maintenance and identify resources and next step guidance. This workshop will be of interest to engineers, planners, elected officials, planning board members, public works directors, and other local and regional officials interested in investing in green infrastructure within their transportation network.
THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR 3.0 AICP CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS.
Workshop Program
9:00 to 9:30 Registration and Welcome
9:30 to 9:40 Welcome – Zenobia Fields, NJTPA
9:40 to 10:00 Introductory Remarks – Bill Cesanek, AICP, Vice President, CDM Smith

Defining green infrastructure and its importance in the physical and social environment. Discussion of how this cost effective tool can address sustainability and resiliency issues within transportation system.

10:00 to 10:30 Case Studies in Neighboring States

Philadelphia: Elizabeth Svekla, AICP, Planning Manager, Green Stormwater Infrastructure Unit, Philadelphia Water Department
New York City: Vincent Lee, PE, LEED AP, ENV SP, Associate Principal, Arup

10:30 to 10:45 Break
10:45 to 11:30 Case Studies in New Jersey

Hoboken: Jennifer Gonzalez, AICP, CFM, LEED-GA, ENV SP, Director of Environmental Services and Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Hoboken, New Jersey
Newark: Robert Thomas, Chief of Energy and Environment in the City of Newark, Department of Engineering

11:30 to 12:30 Q&A Session with the speakers – moderated by Bill Cesanek

TNJ Institute: Creating a Great Shuttle Service
2019-01-11 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
Shuttle services are a versatile means to address many transportation challenges around the region. They can take senior citizens and people with disabilities to activities and medical appointments, connect residential neighborhoods to transit stations, take employees from transit to work, transport students around college campuses, help residents get around their neighborhood, and connect travelers with airport terminals. This workshop will help you determine whether a shuttle could help address your transportation challenges, and how best to package a proposal for a new service. We will address the key factors that determine the success of a shuttle service: market, route, schedule and frequency, operator, vehicles, regulatory requirements, fares, and funding sources. The workshop will feature speakers with strong experience in starting, operating and evaluating shuttle services in our region.

Workshop Program
8:30 to 9:00 Registration
9:00 to 9:10 Welcome – Zenobia Fields, NJPTA
9:10 to 10:00 Shuttles, the Transit Connector – Planning a Successful Service – Steve Fittante, Loredo Policy Research Group

Determining your rider market
Service design
Vehicle options
Operator alternatives
Costs
Regulatory considerations

10:00 to 10:15 Potential Funding Sources – Krishna Murthy, EZ Ride
10:15 to 10:30 Funding and Regulatory Considerations – Anna Magri, NJ TRANSIT
10:30 to 10:45 Break
10:45 to 11:45 Examples of Successful Shuttle Services – Moderator: Peter Bilton, NJTPA

Harmon Meadow – Krishna Murthy, EZ Ride
Essex County Night Owl and Livingston Express – Mike Vieira, Essex County
ZLine and freeB – Cheryl Kastrenakes, GMTMA
Atlantic and Gloucester County Community Shuttles – Ronda Urkowitz, Cross County Connection

11:45 to 12:30 Panel Discussion with Speakers – Moderator: Peter Bilton, NJTPA

Register Now

TNJ Institute: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
2018-12-05 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | NJTPA Board Room, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a series of community planning and design strategies that aim to reduce crime and improve safety. Good lighting, landscape design, spaces for positive cultural activities, well-designed walkways and paths, and management and maintenance of public spaces are just a few examples of strategies that deter crime and help make members of the community feel safer. Many of these strategies are embedded in the concept of creative placemaking, which brings together community members with public and private partners to incorporate arts and culture into communities to create vibrant places where people want to live, work and visit.
CPTED brings together law enforcement, city planners, landscape designers, residents and stakeholders to examine how an area’s physical features influence opportunities for crime. This collaborative process enhances a community’s problem-solving and crime prevention skills. This workshop will empower participants to lead CPTED assessments in their own communities to identify concerns and develop recommendations. This workshop features professional planners and leaders in the field who will share insights on how to effectively use CPTED strategies in your community.
Register Now

TNJ Institute: Pedestrian Safety Workshop
2018-07-13 09:00 - 12:30 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
What steps can communities take to ensure equal access and safety for all roadway users – pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, buses and trucks? Together North Jersey (TNJ), a broad public partnership, led a large-scale planning process that asked people throughout the region how to improve their communities. That led to strategies for improving pedestrian safety appearing throughout the plan’s Focus Areas and community goals related to the environment, the economy, open space, community development and redevelopment, public health and public safety. This workshop will walk participants through a series of strategies aimed at putting the TNJ Plan into action to create safe and vibrant places for pedestrians. It will explore where pedestrian-related improvements should be prioritized, what makes a place more pedestrian friendly, how to slow traffic, and how infrastructure design standards can help accomplish these goals. The workshop will also highlight programs that communities can use to plan, build and even help pay for pedestrian safety improvements.
WORKSHOP PROGRAM

8:30 to 9:00 Registration
9:00 to 9:10 Welcome – Zenobia Fields, NJTPA
9:10 to 9:25 Toward Zero Deaths – Pam Fischer, Pam Fischer Consulting
9:25 to 10:30 Creating Better Projects for Pedestrians

The Impact of Crime on Walking in Low-Income and Minority Communities – Charles Brown – Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center
Tools and Resources for Better Projects – Bettina Zimny – NV5
What Makes a Successful Project? – Leigh Ann Von Hagen – Rutgers University

10:30 to 10:45 Break

10:45 to 11:45 Programs and Initiatives – Moderated by Keith Hamas, NJTPA

Streets as Places – Laura Torchio – Project for Public Spaces
Street Smart NJ – Will Yarzab – NJTPA
Walkability Audits – Barkha Patel – Jersey City
Safe Routes to Schools – Lisa Lee – EZ Ride

11:45 to 12:30 Panel and Q&A

TNJ Forum: Funding
2018-06-19 09:30 - 15:00 UTC | Edward J. Bloustein School, 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901
The Together North Jersey Forum on Funding will provide Together North Jersey (TNJ) stakeholders and partners with information about the potential sources for grants aligned with advancing strategies from the Together North Jersey Regional Plan. The workshop will update participants on the local projects and initiatives being funded by Together North Jersey, and describe future opportunities for communities. The morning will also feature an overview of the private funding landscape and information on how to find the right grant opportunities for projects and prepare stronger proposals that increase success in getting grants. At the conclusion of the workshop the four Together North Jersey Task Forces will convene to discuss the status of each Task Force’s initiatives and upcoming priorities.Participation in the Task Force meetings is open to anyone who would like to participate, but not required.
AGENDA:
9:00 to 9:30 – Registration
9:30 to 9:45 – Welcome – Zenobia Fields, NJTPA
9:45 to 10:15 – TNJ 2.0 Update on Current Activities and Local Projects. Jon Carnegie, Project Director for Together North Jersey and Executive Director of the Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers University.
Technical Assistance Projects

City of Passaic Technical Assistance, Joseph S. Buga, Passaic Enterprise Zone Development Corporation
Middlesex Greenway Technical Assistance, Robert Takash, Edison Greenway Group

Updates from the Task Force Chairs

Livable Co-chair, Annie Hindenlang
Efficient Chair, Courtenay Mercer
Competitive Co-chair, Michael Kerwin
Resilient Co-chair, Tim Van Epp

10:15 to 10:30 – Break
10:30 to 11:00 – Understanding the Philanthropic Landscape – Craig Weinrich, Director of Member Services, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
11:00 to 12:30 – Funders Panel and Interactive Discussion
Attendees will hear directly from representatives of the funding community about their organization and mission, including some general information about what makes for a competitive grant proposal. The moderator will then lead panelists and participants in an interactive discussion and activity on “everything you ever wanted to know about funding but were afraid to ask!”

Moderator – Tom Schulze, FAICP
Funding Panelists:

Crystal Dundas, Wells Fargo Regional Foundation
Jerry Flach, Valley National Bank
Filomena Machleder, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield

12:30 to 1:00 Lunch (boxed lunch will be provided)
1:00 to 3:00 TNJ 2.0 Task Force Meetings (room location TBD)

Competitive
Efficient
Livable
Resilient

TNJ Institute: Repurposing Underutilized Properties to Encourage Economic Growth
2018-06-14 08:30 - 12:00 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
The Together North Jersey Competitiveness Task Force is sponsoring its second workshop exploring strategies for repurposing vacant and underutilized properties on June 14. This workshop will concentrate on finding new uses for smaller sites, such as strip retail centers, brownfields, old industrial buildings and commercial buildings. The first workshop in this series, held January 17, focused on repurposing larger sites, such as old railyards, larger brownfields and suburban office complexes. Repurposing underutilized sites is a strategy for supporting economic growth in many of North Jersey’s communities, particularly those that have struggled to adapt to New Jersey’s post-industrial economy. These sites are often vacant or poorly maintained and can impede efforts to improve and redevelop a community. This workshop will consider strategies for reusing these once-productive properties that have characteristics preventing their easy reuse in a changing economy. These sites include, older and smaller buildings in former industrial centers; brownfield sites awaiting remediation with substantial opportunities for redevelopment; and strip retail centers that no longer meet the current needs of retailers and consumers.
The speakers at the workshop have years of experience developing and redeveloping properties throughout North Jersey and finding solutions for their productive repurposing.
WORKSHOP OUTLINE

8:30 to 9:00 – Registration
9:00 – to 9:10 – Welcome – Zenobia Fields, NJTPA
9:10 to 9:30 – Summary of Repurposing Workshop #1 – Lois Goldman

9:30 to 10:30

Historic Properties – Richard Dunn, VP, Paramount Assets
Industrial Properties – Jeff Milanaik, Bridge Development
Strip Shopping Center – Matthew Harding, Levin Management
Brownfield Properties – Colette Santasieri, NJIT

10:30 to 10:45 – Break

11:00 to 12:00 – Moderated panel discussion and Q&A with audience – Moderator: Michael McGuiness, Competitive Task Force Co-chair

TNJ Institute: Healthy Communities Workshop
2018-05-10 08:30 - 12:00 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
Planning and policy making can help to build healthy communities by ensuring that community members have access to the essential components of a healthy life, such as nutritious food, clean air, and opportunities for physical activity. A community that encourages grocery stores to offer more fruits and vegetables can help to shape healthy eating habits. A community with adequate recreational facilities can increase levels of physical activity. By making active transportation like biking and walking safer and more enjoyable, a community can reduce automobile trips and help to improve air quality.
In New Jersey, communities are already taking steps to provide residents with a healthier physical and social environment to live in. They are adding food and health systems elements to their master plans, developing blueprints to improve the health and well-being of their communities, and implementing healthy corner store initiatives. The TNJ Healthy Communities Workshop will provide an overview of how to build healthy living conditions in your community and where in New Jersey this work is already being done.
WORKSHOP OUTLINE
8:30 to 9:00 – Registration
9:00 to 9:15 – Welcome
9:15 to 9:45 – What Does “Health in All Policies Mean”? – Richard Jackson, Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA; Gov. James J. Florio Distinguished Visiting Scholar
9:45 to 10:45 – Taking Action!

Moderator – Jeanne Herb, Associate Director, Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
Perth Amboy – Healthier Perth Amboy – Blueprint for Action, William Kurzenberger, City of Perth Amboy
Trenton Plan 4 Health – Health and Food System Master Plan, Jeffrey Wilkerson, City of Trenton
Denise Lanza, North Jersey Health Collaborative

10:45 to 11:00 – Break
11:00 to 12:00 – Expanding Healthy Foods in Your Community

Available Resources Through the Rutgers Cooperative Extension – Larry Katz, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Breakout Sessions

Healthy Corner Store Initiative – Sara Elnakib, RD, MPH, CHES –Family and Community Health Sciences at Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Passaic County
Working in Rural Communities: Gleaning and Emergency Food Pantries as Healthy Food Access Points – Alex DelCollo, MS, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Salem County

Other Resources
“Fit for Fresh” handout
Healthy Corner Store report
Healthy Corner Store Guide

TNJ Forum: Repurposing Property to Support Economic Development
2018-01-17 12:30 - 15:30 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
The next meeting of the Together North Jersey Forum and Task Forces will take place on January 17, 2018 in conjunction with a TNJ Institute workshop on Repurposing to Support Economic Development. The workshop will be held as a plenary session during the Forum meeting, followed by individual Task Force breakout meeting.
The plenary session is the first in a series of workshops Together North Jersey is sponsoring to explore strategies for identifying uses for properties that no longer can be used for their original purposes. This first workshop will investigate the overall trends in northern New Jersey’s real estate market that create the vacancies and the need for creative repurposing of the properties.
The series will consider the reuse of land and buildings that were once economically productive, but now, with a changing economy, have characteristics that prevent their easy reuse. For instance, land that was once a busy factory that is now vacant, and contaminated from its former use as a factory. Other difficult properties include large suburban corporate parks that struggle to find large tenants to occupy the entire site, large shopping malls and smaller highway retail spaces with increasing vacancies and difficulty finding tenants as the demand for retail space softens, and older industrial building that sit empty since manufacturing activity has largely left the region, leaving demand for manufacturing space weak.
Immediately following the plenary session, the Together North Jersey Task Forces will meet in breakout session to discuss their ongoing activities and planning for 2018. Individual agendas for those breakout sessions will be available in the coming weeks.
Tentative Agenda:
12:30 to 1:00 – Registration
1:00 – to 1:10 – Welcome – Zenobia Fields, NJTPA
1:15 to 2:15 – Plenary Session on Repurposing Propoerty to Support Economic Development

Co-Moderators – Michael McGuiness, NAIOPNJ & Michael Kerwin, Somerset County Business Partnership
Repurposing Corporate Office Parks – Peter Cocoziello, Advance Realty
Repurposing Brownfields – Ben Delilse, Jersey City Redevelopment Agency
Repurposing Suburban Shopping Malls and Highway Strip Centers – Jared Rodriguez, Lefrak Organization
Repurposing Large Industrial Buildings – Michael Myer, Kearny Point

2:15 to 2:30 Break
2:30 to 4:00 – BREAKOUTS: TNJ Task Force meetings (Competitive, Effiicent, Livable, Resilient)
Agenda’s for task force meetings:
Competitive
Efficient
Livable
Resilient

TNJ Institute: Transit Hubs Workshop
2017-12-15 08:30 - 12:30 UTC | NJTPA, 1 Newark Center, 17th Floor, Newark, NJ, United States
The Together North Jersey Institute and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) are co-sponsoring a series of workshops to explore the opportunities for creating vibrant transit hubs in Northern New Jersey.
For the purpose of this work a transit hub is an area surrounding a transit station – bus, rail, light rail, or ferry – which contains diverse land use, a variety of activities, and multi-modal transportation connections that are fully integrated with the transit station. The hub creates a vibrant neighborhood that benefits from the access from the train station at its core. Creating a successful hub takes extensive thought about the transit station and the community that surrounds it.
Although every community is unique, the workshops will attempt to follow a process that can be used throughout New Jersey – a process will build upon a collaboration and encourage the community’s stakeholders to come together to define the hub and its characteristics.
The workshop is open to those who want to learn more about the elements of a strong transit hub, the opportunities that it can bring to the community, and the process to create it.
WORKSHOP OUTLINE

8:30 to 9:00 – Registration
9:00 – to 9:10 – Welcome – Zenobia Fields, NJTPA
9:10 to 9:30 – Transit Hubs Overview and Workshop Goals – Vivian Baker, NJ TRANSIT
9:30 to 10:00 –What is a Transit Hub? Characteristics of successful Transit Oriented Development– Colette Santasieri, NJIT
10:00 to 10:45 – How to initiate the Planning for a Transit Hub – Gary Toth, Project for Public Spaces
10:45 to 11:00 – Break
11:00 to 11:15 – Technical Tools for Evaluating Transit Hub Impacts – Bob Diogo, NJTPA
11:15 to 12:15 – General Discussion – moderated by Tom Schulze
12:15 to 12:30 – Next Steps in the Workshop Series: Discussion of most appropriate pilot HUBs – urban, suburban, and rural. Would your community like to participate in the next step? – Tom Schulze
