Ccctma Burlington Camden Bicycle Report

JUNE 2004

Cross County Connection Transportation Management Association

BICYCLE FACILITIES REPORT

BURLINGTON AND CAMDEN COUNTIES

JUNE 2004

Cross County Connection Transportation Management Association

BICYCLE FACILITIES REPORT

BURLINGTON AND CAMDEN COUNTIES

Cross County Connection TMA was formally incorporated in 1989 through the efforts of a group of southern New Jersey business leaders, local government officials, and representatives from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ TRANSIT) to address mobility issues in the region and reduce the number of vehicles on state and local roadways. Today, Cross County Connection, a non-profit organization, partners with NJDOT, NJ TRANSIT, Federal Highway Administration and its members to provide solutions to complex transportation problems for counties, municipalities, employers, and commuters in our seven-county region. This Cross County Connection Transportation Management Association publication is funded by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. The Federal Government and the State of New Jersey assume no liability for the contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................. 1 Purpose ...............................................................................................................1 Goals ...................................................................................................................1 Methodology ......................................................................................................1 Other Studies and Related Work ..................................................................2

II. INVENTORY..................................................................... 4 Inventory Findings ............................................................................................ 5 Summary ............................................................................................................ 6

III. BICYCLE FACILITY RANKING PROCESS........................... 8 Criteria ............................................................................................................... 8 Findings .......................................................................................................... 11 Summary ..........................................................................................................11

IV. PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN BICYCLE NETWORK.......12 Proposed Bicycle Facilities Recommended for Construction .............................................................12 Bicycle Facility Improvement Areas .............................................................17 Summary ...........................................................................................................19

V. CONCLUSION................................................................ 21 Next Steps....................................................................................................... 21 Funding Sources for Bicycle Facilities ......................................................... 22 Summary.......................................................................................................... 24

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Bicycle Facilities Inventory ...................................................................7 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Bordentown City.............................13 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Gibbsboro ......................................13 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Cherry Hill .......................................14 Proposed Bicycle Facility-East Atlantic Bikeway...........................14 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Evesham ...........................................15 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Mt. Laurel .......................................15 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Pennsauken ......................................16 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Voorhees .........................................16 Proposed Improvement Areas and Proposed Missing Links .......18 Recommended and Existing Bicycle Facilities ..............................20

LIST OF TABLES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

Inventory of Bicycle Facilities .............................................................5 Inventory of Bicycle Facilities by Mileage ........................................5 Criterion One: Proximity to Commuter Roadways ........................9 Criterion Two: Number of Bus Routes within Two Miles ................9 Criterion Three: Proximity to Business Parks ................................10 Criterion Four: Estimated Employment ..........................................10 Criterion Five: Proximity to Rail Stations.........................................10 Highest Ranking Facilities Averaged by Municipality .................11 Overall Facility Scores by Municipality..........................................11 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Bordentown City.............................13 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Gibbsboro ......................................13 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Cherry Hill .......................................14 Proposed Bicycle Facility-East Atlantic Bikeway ..........................14 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Evesham............................................15 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Mt. Laurel ........................................15 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Pennsauken ......................................16 Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Voorhees .........................................16

INTRODUCTION

1: INTRODUCTION P U RPOSE The purpose of Cross County Connection’s Bicycle Facilities Report is to assist local governments, as well as Burlington and Camden Counties, to identify commuter bicycle facilities. This Report will assist these local governments to prioritize their existing bicycle facilities and plan for building future facilities.

G OALS The primary goal of this project is to inventory the existing and proposed bicycle facilities in the municipalities and Burlington and Camden Counties for commuting purposes. This study will also identify gaps in the existing bicycle network. Closed systems have been eliminated from this analysis. Finally, Cross County Connection will identify sources of potential funding to assist the municipalities and counties to close the gaps.

M E THODOLOGY To accomplish its goals Cross County Connection surveyed all the municipalities, as well as Burlington and Camden Counties. Of the 77 municipalities initially surveyed, the final grouping was limited to thirty-four municipalities as well as Burlington and Camden Counties. The remaining towns either did not respond to the survey or did not have bicycle facilities. Cross County Connection then input the data into its Geographic Information System software and analyzed the information. Next, Cross County Connection created an inventory, mapped and ranked the facilities. Cross County Connection created a set of criteria for the purpose of ranking the facilities. The facilities were subsequently grouped as proposed facilities recommended for

1

2

INTRODUCTION

construction. Bicycle Facility Improvement Areas were created to show the gaps in the network. This methodology allowed Cross County Connection to prioritize the bicycle facilities for commuting purposes.

OTHER RELATED STUDIES AND WORK Whitman Pledge In 1999, former Governor Christine Todd Whitman pledged to create 2000 miles of bike facilities over a twelve year period. To assist this goal, Governor Whitman awarded $7.3 million in grants for more than 54 miles of local bicycle projects throughout the state. The monetary amount represents a portion of the $10 million in discretionary funds available for such projects through the NJDOT Fiscal Year ‘99 Local Aid Program. There were 37 projects that received the $7.3 million in grants. Then NJDOT Commissioner Weinstein stated that “a transportation system as complex as New Jersey’s should not only get people to and from communities, but it should support community objectives.” He went on to say that “in a state as heavily traveled as New Jersey, we as responsible policy makers need to do all we can to promote alternative forms of transportation.” Governor McGreevey furthered former Governor Whitman’s goal of promoting bicycle usage.

McGreevey Pledge On September 23, 2003 New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey announced an additional $7 million to fund 50 bicycle facilities projects throughout the state. The funds will create new bikeways or extend existing facilities. Governor McGreevey focused on using the bicycle facilities to help children get to school more safely by joining it to the Safe Streets to Schools Program. NJDOT Commissioner Lettiere stated that “under Governor McGreevey’s leadership,

we’ve made many strides in improving the lives of New Jersey’s working families, making them better and safer. First on our highways and mass transit system, and now on the streets that our children travel daily to reach school.” Governor Whitman’s and McGreevey’s pledges to provide additional funding to bicycle facilities throughout the state will provide unparalleled resources for commuters in Southern New Jersey.

New Jersey Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Beginning in 1995, the New Jersey Department of Transportation initiated a Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan update. Since 1995, the New Jersey Department of Transportation has continually revised the guidelines as well as provided additional assistance to local communities based on the 1995 Plan. The primary goal of the Statewide Plan is to provide clear guidance to NJDOT, MPOs, counties and other implementers on the most efficient and effective use of federal, state and local resources to implement bicycle and pedestrian initiatives. The 2004 update of the Statewide Master Plan presents a vision and action plan for improving the bicycling and walking environment throughout the state. It will provide Metropolitan Planning Organizations, counties and local governments with analytical tools and methods to plan for future facilities. The New Jersey State Master Plan focuses on state highways and most county roads for bicycling and walking. The State envisions the Master Plan as a blueprint for improving conditions for bicycling and walking.

Cross County Connection’s Bicycle Facilities Report in Perspective In contrast, the Cross County Connection Bicycle Facilities Report examines the county and municipal bicycle facilities network specifically for commuting

INTRODUCTION

purposes. Therefore, while the Master Plan focuses on the larger state and county road network, Cross County Connection examines how commuters can use local and regional bicycle facilities to get to and from their places of employment. The need for a study like Cross County Connection’s Bicycle Facilities Report was demonstrated in the lack of strategic placement of existing bicycle facilities. There are a limited number of existing bicycle facilities that have intermunicipal connections. There are no existing links between Burlington and Camden Counties. While there is a need for a coherent set of plans that the counties and municipalities can use to design and build commuter bicycle facilities, there is also a need to locate the gaps in the local bicycle facility network and determine how best to complete them.

3

4

INVENTORY

2: INVENTORY To locate gaps in the region-wide network of commuter bicycle facilities, Cross County Connection began its analysis by identifying existing and proposed bicycle facilities at the municipal level. During the winter of 2003 all 77 municipalities in Burlington and Camden counties were surveyed to obtain the needed information. Each municipality was asked to provide the following information: • Location of existing bicycle facilities • on road • off road • Location of proposed bicycle facilities • on road • off road Existing facilities are those facilities that have already been built and are officially designated as a bike route through signage and/or pavement striping. Proposed facilities are those facilities that are proposed or pending construction. No distinction was made between facilities that have funding for construction versus those that do not. The bicycle facilities were further defined into two classifications: on-road and off-road. An on-road facility is defined as one that shares the road with motorized traffic. This bicycle facility is signed as a bicycle route and/or the travel lane is striped for bicycles. An off-road facility has its own right of way which is separated from motorized traffic. While most off road facilities in this inventory are paved, some are dirt trails. Cross County Connection also surveyed Burlington and Camden counties and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC). The DVRPC provided information on bicycle facilities of statewide significance, such as the Heritage Trail. The information from the counties was compared to the municipal information. When conflicting or incomplete information was found, Cross

INVENTORY

County Connection met with municipal and county representatives to correct the data; thus all parties received up-to-date information. Cross County Connection’s inventory does not include closed loop systems, such as bike facilities in a local park. The emphasis of this study is on the identification of bicycle facilities for commuting purposes. Small recreational facilities, such as those found at a playground, were not included in the analysis, unless they could be opened and connected to a regional facility.

I N VENTORY FINDINGS After analyzing the data collected, Cross County Connection used its Geographic Information System (GIS) to create the bicycle facilities inventory. Cross County Connection found 37 municipalities that had existing or proposed bicycle facilities suitable for commuting. These facilities represent approximately 429 miles, broken into 390 segments, see (Tables 1 and 2). This inventory was mapped and the results are shown on Figure 1.

TABLE 1.

EXISTING FACILITIES

On-road 183

Those public transit facilities within a two mile buffer of the bicycle facility were identified. The two mile buffer was adopted from the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. The size of buffered areas around trip attractors, such as public transit facilities, is defined by typical bicycle trip distances. Based on the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan,

Inventory of Bicycle Facilities PROPOSED FACILITIES

TOTAL ALL FACILITIES

Total

On-road

Off-road

Total

Grand Total

59

242

100

48

148

390

Inventory of Bicycle Facilities by Mileage

EXISTING FACILITIES

95.2

Burlington and Camden counties are served by several public transit systems that permit bicycles on-board their facilities. These systems include PATCO, the River LINE, the Atlantic City Rail Line, all NJ Transit buses and Burlington County’s BurLink shuttle system. The ability to link a bicycle trip with public transit provides commuters with access to the region-wide public transit system, thus increasing the bicyclists’ pool of potential destinations. For this reason, the proximity of each of the existing and proposed bicycle facilities to public transit was considered as an important element of this analysis. Using GIS, all bicycle accessible public transit routes were overlaid onto the map of existing and proposed bicycle facilities.

Off-road

TABLE 2.

On-road

Public Transit Access

PROPOSED FACILITIES

TOTAL ALL FACILITIES

Off-road

Total

On-road

Off-road

Total

Grand Total

63.5

158.7

183.8

86.6

270.4

429.1

5

6

INVENTORY

all bicycle facilities within two miles of trip attractors were identified and categorized as “High Priority” in the Master Plan. Of the 390 identified bicycle facilities 88% (345) are within two miles of a bus route, and 15% are within two miles of a rail station.

S U M M A RY As Figure 1 demonstrates, significant gaps exist in the bicycle network. Certain areas are missing key links that would enable bicyclists to travel from one area within the two counties to another. For example, the Route 73 Corridor, encompassing Moorestown, Mt. Laurel, Evesham and Voorhees townships is a significant base of employment, as evidenced by the numerous business parks in this area. However, the existing network of bicycle facilities does not connect these areas. Gaps occur between Voorhees and Evesham and Evesham and Mt. Laurel. However, all three townships show a significant number of proposed bicycle facilities which, if built, will link the Route 73 Corridor. As another example, the Route 130 Corridor has a significant employment base and is served by NJ Transit’s River LINE light rail system. However, few bicycle facilities link the rail stations with employment destinations. Given the numerous opportunities to improve the region-wide bicycle network, and limited funding resources, it is necessary to prioritize those proposed bicycle facility segments that should be constructed in the near future.

BICYCLE FACILITY RANKING PROCESS

3: BICYCLE FACILITY RANKING PROCESS To identify those bicycle facilities that should be built in the near future, Cross County Connection developed a set of ranking criteria and applied each criterion to the bicycle facility inventory. The purpose of the ranking criteria is to determine which facilities are most suitable for commuter usage. The criteria are as follows: 1. 2.

3. 4. 5.

Proximity to commuter roadways Proximity to New Jersey Transit and/or BurLink bus routes and number of nearby transit routes Proximity to business parks Estimated employment in business parks Proximity to River LINE, PATCO and Atlantic City Rail Line stations

C R I TERIA For each criterion, a set of values or points was established. Criteria one, four, and five are assigned from zero to four points while criteria two and three have been weighted and are assigned from two to six points, equaling a possible 24 points for each bicycle facility. A score of zero shows that a particular criterion is least conducive to bicycle usage. For example, a zero in Criterion One would indicate that a facility is more than two miles from the commuter roadways. A score of four or six in a particular criterion shows that the facility is most conducive to bicycle usage. For example, in Criterion Two a score of six would indicate that a facility is within two miles of more than nine New Jersey Transit and/or BurLink bus routes.

8

9

BICYCLE FACILITY RANKING PROCESS

Criterion One: Proximity to Commuter Roadways Routes 38, 70, 73, and 130 were chosen as the four attractors in this criterion. They serve as the major transportation arteries through Camden and Burlington Counties, thus allowing access to most areas throughout the study area. Therefore, the closer the bicycle facility is to one of these roads, the more attractive the facility will be as a commuter corridor for bicyclists. Cross County Connection identified the bicycle facilities within a two mile buffer of the identified commuter roadways. As shown in Table 3, those bicycle facilities that fell within the two mile buffer were then scored based on their distance from the roadway.

TABLE 3.

Criterion One:

Proximity to Commuter Roadways SCORE

DISTANCE OF BICYCLE FACILITY FROM COMMUTER ROADWAY

0

Greater than 2 miles

1

1.5 to 2 miles

2

1 to 1.5 miles

3

0.5 to 1 mile

4

0 to 0.5 mile

Criterion Two: Proximity to New Jersey Transit and/or BurLink Bus Routes and Number of Nearby Transit Routes The number of New Jersey Transit and/or BurLink bus routes within a two mile buffer of the bicycle facility was selected as a criterion because a bicyclist linking with a bus route has access to a much larger geographic area for employment. All New Jersey

Transit and BurLink buses have bicycle racks. In addition, the number of routes is important because a bicyclist can ride along a bicycle facility to an intersect point with a New Jersey Transit or BurLink bus, put the bicycle on the bike rack and ride to their stop. Upon reaching their stop, the bicyclist can then take the bicycle off of the bus and ride to their destination. Therefore, the number of bus routes would help to determine the usage of a particular bicycle facility as a commuter route. Table 4 shows how the bicycle facilities were scored based on distance to bus routes.

TABLE 4.

Criterion Two:

Number of Bus Routes within Two Miles SCORE

NUMBER OF BUS ROUTES WITHIN TWO MILES

0

0

2

1 to 2

3

3 to 5

4

5 to 7

5

7 to 9

6

Greater than 9

Criterion Three: Proximity to Business Parks Bicycle facilities benefit from being within two miles of a business park because of increased proximity to employment opportunities. If a business park is along or in proximity to a bicycle facility, then the usage of the bicycle facility as a commuter route would most likely increase. When combined with other modes of transport, such as buses that have bicycle racks, commuters could arrive at their employment sites by combining different modes of transportation and incorporate the bicycle facility into the overall transportation network.

BICYCLE FACILITY RANKING PROCESS

The business parks in Camden and Burlington Counties were identified using county maps, Chamber of Commerce information, field investigations and local knowledge and experience. The bicycle facilities were scored as shown in Table 5.

TABLE 5.

Criterion Three:

Proximity to Business Parks SCORE

PROXIMITY TO BUSINESS PARK

0

Greater than 2 miles

2

1.5 to 2 miles

3

1 to 1.5 miles

4

0.5 to 1 miles

5

0.25 to 0.5 miles

6

0 to 0.25 miles

Criterion Four: Estimated Employment at Business Parks Accordingly, the estimated number of employees working at each of the business parks was chosen as an indicator of the potential usage for the bicycle facilities. Employment data at this level is very difficult to obtain. Therefore, several sources were used including the Burlington County Division of Economic Development data, employer surveys, and projections based on acreage calculations. Once the employment estimates for the business parks used in Criterion Three were obtained, the bicycle facilities were scored based on the size of the business park’s estimated employment. The scoring system is shown in Table 6.

TABLE 6.

Criterion Four:

Estimated Employment SCORE

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

0

Less than 100

1

100-400

2

400-700

3

700-1,000

4

1,000-1,300

Criterion Five: Proximity to River LINE, PATCO, and Atlantic City Rail Line The proximity of the bicycle facilities to the stations along the River LINE, PATCO and Atlantic City Rail Lines was chosen because bicycles are allowed on these trains at all times. Additionally, the River LINE has bicycle racks on board, thus making bicycling an excellent option for commuters. These accommodations allow the bicycle to be used as a mode of transport in conjunction with the rail line. As shown in Table 7, the bicycle facilities were scored based on their proximity to rail stations.

TABLE 7.

Criterion Five:

Proximity to Rail Stations SCORE

PROXIMITY TO RAIL STATION

0

Greater than 2 miles

1

1.5-2 miles

2

1 to 1.5 miles

3

0.5 to 1 miles

4

0 to 0.5 miles

10

11

BICYCLE FACILITY RANKING PROCESS

FINDINGS Each bicycle facility was scored and ranked based on the above criteria. Within each municipality, the score of all bicycle facilities was averaged. Table 8 shows the municipal location of those bicycle facilities that received the seven highest average scores. The highest possible score is a 24 which shows that the bicycle facility is most conducive to commuting. The lowest possible score is a 0 which shows that the bicycle facility is least conducive to commuting. As Table 8 shows, the range of the seven highest scores varies significantly from a low of 9.71 to a high of 20.66. This range in scores demonstrates the extreme variation in commuter attractors throughout Burlington and Camden counties.

TABLE 8.

Highest Ranking Facilities Averaged by Municipality

RANK

MUNICIPALITY

SCORE

1

Pennsauken

20.66

2

Voorhees

14.30

3

Cherry Hill

12.56

4

Gibbsboro

11.70

5

Mt. Laurel

11.21

6

Moorestown

11.13

7

Lindenwold

9.71

This analysis also examined the overall scores of each bicycle facility in each municipality (refer to Table 9). The overall score is comprised of the individual scores of all of the existing and proposed facilities within the municipality thus indicating the volume of facilities in the municipality. The higher the overall score, the greater the number of facilities within the municipality. However, it also demonstrates that a municipality’s sheer number of bicycle facilities does not necessarily

indicate greater commuter attractiveness. For example, Medford Township has the highest overall score at 457, but scored only 4.30 out of 24 points when averaged. Although Medford Township has a large volume of bicycle facilities, they are not located close to the attractors; thus making Medford’s facilities less attractive to commuters.

TABLE 9.

Overall Facility Scores by Municipality

RANK

MUNICIPALITY

SCORE

1

Medford

457

2

Evesham

411

3

Mt. Laurel

372

4

Cherry Hill

289

5

Moorestown

267

6

Pennsauken

186

SUMMARY Overall, 27 bicycle facilities, in 14 municipalities scored a 9 or higher. An additional 50 facilities scored between 6 and 8 points and are dispersed amongst 12 municipalities. Given the large number of facilities and their dispersed locations, it was necessary to further prioritize these facilities in terms of which ones should be built first. The following analysis builds upon the above findings by identifying and prioritizing the gaps in the bicycle network in Burlington and Camden counties.

PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN NETWORK

4: PRIORITIZATON OF GAPS IN BICYCLE NETWORK P ROPOSED BICYCLE FACILITIES R E COMMENDED FOR CONSTRUCTION Cross County Connection has identified 27 proposed facilities, located within 14 municipalities, in Camden and Burlington Counties that have a score of nine or higher. A score of nine (out of a maximum of 24) is the minimum that Cross County Connection has deemed appropriate for commuting purposes, since it demonstrates that the facilities are located closely to several of the attractors deemed important for commuting purposes. These proposed bicycle facilities have the greatest potential to improve the regional bicycle facility network, if constructed. Although other proposed bicycle facilities have the potential to improve bicycle commuting, their lower ranking and limited funding dictates that they not be recommended for construction at this time. Cross County Connection recommends that the following “missing links” in the bicycle network be considered immediately for implementation. The construction of these links will provide improved access to employment destinations for commuters who want to bicycle to work. The following eight maps provide details for the 27 proposed bicycle facilities that received a score of 9 or higher under the ranking process. In addition to the location of the proposed facility, information is also provided on the bicycle facility’s ranked score and attractors which make the facility a good candidate for construction. Each facility can also be found on Figure 10, which provides a region-wide view of the proposed facilities recommended for construction.

12

13 PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN NETWORK

BORDENTOWN CITY TABLE 10.

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Bordentown City

BICYCLE FACILITY NAME/MAP

#

Park Road/ #4

SCORE

17

ATTRACTORS • • • •

0.5 mile from Route 130 Two miles from 3-5 NJT bus routes 0.5 miles of River LINE station 1.5-2 miles of Roebling Redevelopment Area

FIGURE 2. Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Bordentown City

THE BOROUGH OF GIBBSBORO TABLE 11.

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Gibbsboro

BICYCLE FACILITY NAME/MAP

FIGURE 3. Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Gibbsboro

#

SCORE

Winding Way/ #11

13

Berlin Rd. Bikeway/ #13

12

Cricket Field Connection/ #14

12

Stacks Rd. Bikeway/ #16

11

Green Briar Bikeway/ #19

10

Bridgewood Lake Bikeway/ #20

10

Hilliard’s Creek Wildlife Preserve Bikeway/ #21

10

Old Egg Harbor Rd. Bikeway/ #22

10

White Sands Branch Bikeway/ #25

9

Haddonfield-Berlin Rd. Bikeway/ #27

9

ATTRACTORS • • • •

1.5 to 2 miles from Route 73 Less than 2 miles from Voorhees Corporate Center and Berlin Business Park Less than 2 miles from PATCO and Atlantic City Rail Line Lindenwold Station Less than 2 miles of 1 to 7 NJT bus routes

PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN NETWORK

CHERRY HILL TOWNSHIP TABLE 12.

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Cherry Hill

BICYCLE FACILITY NAME/MAP

#

River to Bay Greenway/ #5

SCORE

17

ATTRACTORS • • • •

0.5 mile from Route 70 Less than 2 miles from 9 or more NJT bus routes 0.5 mile to 1 mile from PATCO Woodcrest Station 1.5-2 miles of Voorhees Corporate Center

FIGURE 4. Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Cherry Hill

EAST ATLANTIC BIKEWAY TABLE 13.

Proposed Bicycle Facility-East Atlantic Bikeway

BICYCLE FACILITY NAME/MAP

East Atlantic Bikeway/ #10

#

SCORE

13

ATTRACTORS • Less than 2 miles from multiple PATCO stations and Atlantic City Rail Line Lindenwold Station • Less than 2 miles from Voorhees Corporate Center • Less than 2 miles from 3 to 7 NJT bus routes

FIGURE 5. Proposed Bicycle Facility-East Atlantic Bikeway

14

15 PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN NETWORK

EVESHAM TOWNSHIP TABLE 14.

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Evesham

BICYCLE FACILITY NAME/MAP

#

SCORE

Sycamore Avenue/ #12

12

Tomlinson Mill Rd./ #17

11

Kettle Run Rd./ #18

10

ATTRACTORS • 1-1.5 miles from Berlin Business Park • Less than 2 miles from one to two NJT bus routes • 1 to 1.5 mile from Route 73 FIGURE 6. Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Evesham

MT. LAUREL TOWNSHIP TABLE 15.

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Mt. Laurel

BICYCLE FACILITY NAME/MAP

#

SCORE

Moorestown-Mt. Laurel Rd./ #6

16

Union Mill Rd./ #8

13

Larchmont Blvd./ #23

9

Mt. Laurel Rd./ #24

9

Centerton Rd./ #26

9

ATTRACTORS FIGURE 7. Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Mt. Laurel

• 0.5 mile from Route 38 • 1.5 miles from East Gate Business Center • Less than 2 miles from 5 to 9 NJT and BurLink bus routes

PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN NETWORK

PENNSAUKEN TOWNSHIP TABLE 16.

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Pennsauken

BICYCLE FACILITY NAME/MAP

#

SCORE

Cooper River Bike Path Extension/ #1

19

Pennsauken Riverfront Trail/ #2

19

ATTRACTORS

FIGURE 8. Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Pennsauken

• Less than 2 miles from Routes 73 and 38 • Less than 2 miles from Airport Circle Business Park, Delair Juction, and Pennsauken Industrial Park • Less than 2 miles from 7 to 9 NJT bus routes • 1.5 miles from River LINE 36th St. Station • 0.5 miles from PATCO Collingswood Station

VOORHEES TOWNSHIP TABLE 17.

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Voorhees

BICYCLE FACILITY NAME/MAP

#

SCORE

Kresson Gibbsboro Rd./ #3

18

River to Bay Greenway/ #5

17

Cooper Rd./ #7

14

Somerdale Rd./ #9

13

Dutchtown Rd./ #15

11

ATTRACTORS FIGURE 9. Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Voorhees

• Less than 1.5 miles from Voorhees Corporate Center and Berlin Business Park • Less than 1.5 miles from Route 73 • Less than 2 miles from Atlantic City Rail Line Lindenwold Station

16

17 PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN NETWORK

B I C YC L E FAC ILITY IMPROVEMENT AREAS Cross County Connection has grouped the 27 proposed bicycle facilities recommended for construction into three Bicycle Facility Improvement Areas, as shown on Figure 10. These three areas were chosen because Cross County Connection believes they are important in the development of a regional commuter bicycle network. Cross County Connection believes it is necessary to work with the municipalities located in these areas to fund their proposed facilities to build a regional bicycle commuting network.

Route 73 Corridor Area The most significant gap areas for commuter purposes are the lack of interconnection both at the municipal level and between Burlington and Camden Counties along Route 73. For example, Mt. Laurel has five proposed facilities with scores of nine or more. Yet there are no interconnections with surrounding municipalities, nor are there any facilities that connect with Camden County. In Camden County, Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Gibbsboro and Voorhees there are 18 proposed facilities that score nine or more. However, there is only one connection between Voorhees and Cherry Hill and two connections between Voorhees and Gibbsboro. Pennsauken and Cherry Hill share facilities at Cooper River Park. The border between Voorhees, Evesham and Cherry Hill Townships is an area with good potential for inter-municipal and inter-county connections. Therefore, the gaps that exist between these municipalities are significant in their lack of inter-municipal connectivity. There are also no existing connections between Burlington and Camden Counties.

East Atlantic Bikeway Area The proposed East Atlantic Bikeway is also a high value corridor with a score of 13 overall. The proximity of the East Atlantic Bikeway to major commuter attractors, such as PATCO, the Atlantic City Rail Line and New Jersey Transit bus routes, makes it an excellent corridor for commuters. However, there are currently no connections between the East Atlantic Bikeway and other bicycle facilities in Camden County that are significant for commuting purposes. For example, the Bikeway could be connected to Somerdale Road in Voorhees and the Cooper River bicycle facilities. This would create a continuous network of bicycle facilities that would link Cherry Hill and Voorhees to the communities along the East Atlantic Bikeway. It would allow commuters the ability to use the connected bike facilities as a transportation option to PATCO and the Atlantic City Rail Line.

Pennsauken to Bordentown City Area The area from Pennsauken to Bordentown City and between the River LINE and Route 295 is an area with much potential. Pennsauken and Bordentown City have three facilities that score above nine in the criteria. The large volume of business parks that are in close proximity to the River LINE is a good indicator of this area’s potential. As a result, the addition of bicycle facilities along the River LINE’s route would be an excellent use of commuting resources. Also, the BurLink shuttles that connect with the River LINE to the bicycle facilities in Moorestown and Willingboro, provides an excellent means of commuter transportation.

PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN NETWORK

S U MMARY The Proposed Bicycle Facilities Recommended for Construction and the Bicycle Improvement Areas are interrelated. The proposed facilities were identified as high ranking because of their proximity to the attractors. Cross County Connection recommends constructing these facilities because they will complete significant “missing links” in the regional bicycle facilities network. The Bicycle Improvement Areas were identified because they have significant regional capacities for improving the bicycle facilities network. Should facilities be constructed in these areas, they would be in close proximity to the attractors and therefore create a comprehensive multi-modal transportation infrastructure in Camden and Burlington Counties. An example is the Pennsauken to Bordentown City Improvement Area, as shown in Figure 10. In the north, the proposed Park Road facility in Bordentown City connects to the Bordentown River LINE station. In the south, there is the Pennsauken Riverfront Trail. The River LINE parallels Route 130 and there are numerous business parks throughout the area. These business parks have large commuter populations that could use bicycle facilities to reach the River LINE, New Jersey Transit bus routes and BurLink shuttle routes. The rationale in designating this Area is that the River LINE can be used as a starting point for new bicycle facilities. These new bicycle facilities would connect with the River LINE and expand southeast into central Burlington County, thereby connecting with the proposed facilities and surrounding municipalities. Furthermore the Route 73 Improvement Area connects the Pennsauken to Bordentown Improvement Area along the border of Burlington and Camden Counties. Should facilities be constructed in both areas, it would create a large interconnected network of bicycle facilities for commuters.

Additionally, the East Atlantic Bikeway Improvement Area is in an excellent position to expand the bicycle facilities in Camden County. The East Atlantic Bikeway Area is located close to multiple attractors, as shown in Figure 10. The Area would act as a bridge, allowing facilities in the surrounding municipalities to link into it and lengthen their commuting potential throughout Camden County. When taken together, the Proposed Bicycle Facilities Recommended for Construction (the missing links) and the Bicycle Improvement Areas, as shown on Figure 10, compliment each other. They identify the areas where gaps exist and fill in the “missing links”. The 27 proposed facilities scored a nine or higher based on the criteria. A score of nine is the minimum that Cross County Connection deemed appropriate for commuting purposes because it demonstrates that the facilities are located closely to several of the attractors. Because of their proximity to the attractors, they are situated excellently to close the gaps in the existing bicycle facilities network. The Bicycle Improvement Areas then identify regions that have significant gaps in the bicycle facilities network for additional bicycle facility funding and development, as recommended by Cross County Connection. Figure 11 illustrates the connections between the existing facilities, the facilities proposed for construction and the Bicycle Improvement Areas. The completion of the missing links within the Bicycle Improvement Areas provides the needed connections with the existing bicycle facilities to create a region-wide bicycle network.

19

CONCLUSION

5: CONCLUSION Cross County Connection will offer technical assistance to counties and municipalities that have proposed bicycle facilities recommended for construction and/or are located in the Bicycle Improvement Areas. These local governments would benefit from identified funding sources and grants as well as technical resources, such as the GIS capabilities of Cross County Connection. These resources are at the disposal of local governments to help implement the findings in this report.

NEXT STEPS The next steps are to eliminate the gaps in the regional bicycle facility network and to assist Burlington and Camden Counties as well as the municipalities to identify possible sources of funding to bridge the gaps. Cross County Connection has identified 10 sources of state funding listed in the next section of this report. Cross County Connection will assist counties and municipalities through the following steps: 1. Meet with local governments on an as needed basis to help identify possible grant sources, determine eligibility and aid in the completion of the funding applications; 2. Research funding options for the on-going maintenance and upkeep of bicycle facilities after construction. Assist with completion of applications and technical reports; 3. Act as liaison between local governments and funding sources for application, funding and technical assistance; 4. Offer assistance to local governments who are designing and constructing bicycle facilities by identifying best location of facilities based on GIS analysis.

21

22 CONCLUSION

5. Through meetings and regular contacts, identify municipalities without bicycle facilities and encouraging the design and construction of such facilities; 6. Update and report on Burlington and Camden Counties’ bicycle facilities via contact with local governments and the development of an interactive web-based map on the Cross County Connection website. While Cross County Connection can assist the counties and municipalities, it is ultimately their responsibility to fund and build the bicycle facilities.

F U N D I N G S O URCES FOR BICYCLE FAC I L I T I E S The following are possible sources of funding for the design and construction of the proposed bicycle facilities. If a municipality is interested in a particular program, it is recommended that they contact that program’s administrative agency directly or visit their website for more information. Please refer to the New Jersey Smart Growth Planning and Program Resources Guide for a complete list of all of the programs that the State offers in various areas of smart growth. The Resources Guide is located on the internet at www.state.nj.us/dca/osg/docs/techassist110102.pdf.

State Programs Bicycle Projects, Local System Program Agency: Contact: Target: Internet:

NJDOT Local Aid and Economic Development Stephen Moy 856-586-6618 Municipalities www.state.nj.us/dot

Promotes alternate modes of transportation. These funds are available for local projects that will result in either the creation of a new independent bicycle facility or in making an existing roadway bicycle compatible. Approximately 50 projects are funded every year.

Local Aid for Centers of Place Agency: Contact:

NJDOT Local Aid and Economic Development Stephen Moy 856-586-6618 Designated Centers of Place Internet: www.state.nj.us/dot Program is available to communities that qualify as approved “Centers of Place” through the State Development and Redevelopment Plan and also certain Pinelands Communities as determined by the Pinelands Commission. Funds are available for non-traditional transportation, such as bikeways, that advance municipal growth management objectives. Approximately 10 projects are funded every year.

County Aid Program Agency: NJDOT Local Aid and Economic Development Contact: Stephen Moy 856-586-6618 Target: Counties Internet: www.state.nj.us/dot Funds are appropriated by the NJ Legislature annually for the improvement of public roads and bridges under county jurisdiction. Public transportation and other transportation projects are also included.

Local Aid for Designated Transit Villages Agency: NJDOT Local Aid and Economic Development Contact: Stephen Moy 856-586-6618 Internet: www.state.nj.us/dot Program is available to communities that have been designated as Transit Villages by the State of New Jersey. Its focus is on projects in a community that plan and encourage mixed-use redevelopment near passenger transportation facilities. Transportation initiatives may include bike paths, sidewalks, streetscaping and signage.

Local Planning Assistance-Bicycle and Pedestrian Agency: NJDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs Contact: Sheree Davis 609-530-6551 Internet: www.state.nj.us/dot Provides technical assistance to counties and municipalities that desire to undertake various planning activities for

CONCLUSION

non-motorized modes. Studies undertaken are to be locally-driven planning studies and require a partnership agreement to commit staff and financial resources. Program is extremely competitive.

National Recreational Trails Program Agency: NJDEP Natural Lands Management Contact: Larry Miller 609-984-1339 Email: [email protected] Internet: www.state.nj.us/dot Provides assistance to governments and non-profit land owners for developing and maintaining trail facilities. Trails can be for non-motorized, multi-use and motorized purposes.

Transit Village Initiative Agency: Contact: Email:

NJDOT Monica Etz 609-530-5957 [email protected]

The Transit Village Initiative helps to redevelop and revitalize communities around transit facilities to make them an appealing choice for people to live, work and play, thereby reducing reliance on automobiles. Transit Villages stress mixed-use developments that incorporate residential and commercial uses. Bicycle facility planning and connections to the Transit Village may be one of the aspects taken into consideration when the State examines a municipality’s application.

Transportation Enhancement Program Safe Street to Schools Projects, Local System Program Agency: NJDOT Local Aid and Economic Development Contact: Stephen Moy 856-586-6618 Internet: www.state.nj.us/dot Funds projects that improve safety for school children walking or bicycling to school. Focuses on projects that create safer walkways, bikeways, street crossings, and improve motorists’ awareness of school children. Approximately 50 projects are funded each year.

Smart Future Planning Grants Agency: NJ DCA Office of Smart Growth Contact: Charles Latini 609-633-7734 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.state.nj.us/dca/ Provides funds for planning initiatives that meet Smart Growth objectives, including more livable and sustainable communities. Encouraged proposals include: those consistent with established statewide and regional planning precepts; multiple municipality or county partnerships, so as to effectively address issues that transcend local municipal boundaries. Matching funds are not required, but applicants are encouraged to seek multiple sources of funding, including offerings of in-house staff time. The Smart Future Grants support bicycle facility planning.

23

Agency: Contact:

NJDOT Local Aid and Economic Development David Hawk Stephen Moy 856-586-6618 Target: Municipalities, counties, non-profits, state agencies Internet: www.state.nj.us/dot/ Program is available through TEA-21 to support nontraditional transportation projects whose objectives support more livable communities, enhance the travel experience, and promote new transportation investment partnerships. Program focus is on transportation projects designed to preserve and protect environmental and cultural resources and to promote alternative modes of transportation. Bicycle and Pedestrian improvements are included among the projects that are fundable under this program. Approximately 40 projects are selected to participate in the program annually.

24 CONCLUSION

S U M M A RY Cross County Connection has identified six steps that will assist local governments in the funding and construction of bicycle facilities. In addition, 10 state funding sources have been identified that incorporate bicycle facilities into their funding programs. In conjunction with the Proposed Bicycle Facilities Recommended for Construction and the Bicycle Improvement Areas, Cross County Connection plans to address each of the six steps to assist local governments implement the findings made in this report.