How do you see yourself getting around in the future? Would you consider driving an electric vehicle or riding in a self-driving car or shuttle? Are there regional transportation projects that you want prioritized for funding?

These are some of the questions the public will be asked as Warren County works with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) on the region’s next long range transportation plan, Connecting Communities. The plan will detail new programs and recommend policies and transportation investments for the next 25 years, including projects in Warren County.

The NJTPA region includes 13 counties in northern and central New Jersey and is home to 7 million people, with the population expected to hit 7.8 million in 2050. The NJTPA works with local partners and state agencies to provide more than $3 billion in transportation investments annually. In order for the region to be eligible to receive federal transportation funds for programs and projects, the NJTPA must adopt a long-range transportation plan every four years.

“This plan will set a vision for the future of transportation in North Jersey and help prioritize regionally significant projects,” said Warren County Commissioner Director Jason J. Sarnoski, who serves as Second Vice Chair of the NJTPA Board of Trustees. “I hope Warren County residents will complete the survey and participate in events and share their ideas about transportation with the NJTPA to ensure Connecting Communities meets the needs of our municipalities.”

The NJTPA has approved funding for several projects in Warren County, including the Complete Streets Policy Implementation Plan, which is underway, and will develop strategies for rural and small-town roads that enable safe access for all people who need to use them, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, trucks and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Warren County currently is working with the NJTPA to develop a Local Safety Action Plan, which will identify strategies for improving safety across the county. The NJTPA also funded the Warren County Transportation Plan, which was completed in 2021 and identifies transportation projects and phases to implement them. In November, the NJTPA Board approved $1.5 million for a Morris Canal Greenway trail improvement project in the Lopatcong Creek Area in Greenwich Township. The Board also previously approved nearly $1.4 million for the Phillipsburg Riverfront Heritage Trail project in 2023.

Public input plays a critical role in the plan. The feedback the NJTPA gathers through an online survey and events will be considered and incorporated into the plan, which the NJTPA Board of Trustees is expected to adopt in September. Everyone who lives in the NJTPA region is encouraged to participate.

The survey launched today and is available in six languages – English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Chinese and Korean. Virtual public outreach will begin later this month with a Let’s Talk Transportation event on January 28 at 11:30 a.m. focused on creating a safe biking and walking transportation network.

The NJTPA will also be conducting pop-up outreach at events throughout the region this spring. To share your ideas, interests, and concerns about the future of transportation in northern and central New Jersey, please take the NJTPA’s brief survey and sign up for virtual events at the Connecting Communities website: njtpa.org/connecting.

The NJTPA is the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for 13 northern New Jersey counties. Under federal legislation, MPOs provide a forum where local officials, public transportation providers and state agency representatives can come together and cooperatively plan to meet the region’s current and future transportation needs. It establishes the region’s eligibility to receive federal tax dollars for transportation projects.

The NJTPA Board consists of one local elected official from each of the 13 counties in the region (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren), and the cities of Newark and Jersey City. The Board also includes a Governor’s Representative, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the Executive Director of NJ Transit, the Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a Citizen’s Representative appointed by the Governor.