Comment on the Draft DVRPC TIP for NJ

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is accepting public comments for the New Jersey 2022-2025 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TIP is the regionally agreed upon list of priority transportation projects over a four-year period, as required by federal law. The TIP document contains a multimodal list of all projects that intend to use federal funds, along with all non-federally funded projects that are regionally significant, with estimated costs and schedules.

With our ambitious goal of reaching 500 miles of trails by 2025, the four counties in New Jersey that have Circuit Trails should be trying to add at least 60 miles of new trails over the next 4 construction seasons. A tall order, but with 40 miles of projects already moving towards construction and another 60 miles in the pipeline, we believe this goal can be achieved with adequate funding, dedicated right of way and most importantly, political will.

In 2017, our Circuit Action campaigned for more Circuit Trails funding. The New Jersey Counties responded by pledging at least 1 million dollars in the 2018 competive Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAC) funds for Circuit Trails project. They went well above and beyond that pledge. The past two rounds of competive CMAQ set aside $5 million dollars for trails, nearly half of the money allocated in our region of New Jersey. That commitment and the outcomes were a direct result of public comments from folks like you! Our number one ask this year is to write in support of continued prioritization of Competitive CMAQ funds for major Circuit Trails projects.

However, CMAQ is not the only source of money that can be used to fund Circuit Trails as well as critical bicycle and pedestrian projects that allow people to walk, bike or take public transit to the trails.  We're urging the DVPRC to utilize all possible sources of funding to build out the network and add new 60 miles of Circuit Trails by 2025.  Here are some of the sources of funding that New Jersey must increase and accelerate spending of in order for the region to reach 500 miles by 2025:

• Local Municipal Aid - We ned more dedicated State funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects and support to implement these projects.
• Recreational Trails Funds - We need enhanced capacity for NJDEP’s Recreational Trails Program and a return of the funding source while increaising the size of individual project awards.
• Transportation Alternatives Set Aside (TASA) - NJDOT should allocate federal TASA funding to fund the design stages of trail development and increase the maximum award to at least $2 million dollars to allow for more significant development rather than piecemeal projects.

Additionally, there are five Circuit Trails projects that have been listed in the Draft TIP and we need to make sure that County officials know that we want these projects to be prioritized for funding and completed.

1) Delaware River Heritage Trail - D&R Greenway Connector in Mercer County

2) Rancocas Creek-Laurel Run in Burlington County

3) Dinosaur Trail-3) College Drive; 4) Fossil Park Roadway, a potential addition to the Dinosaur Trail and 5) Glassboro Elk Trail in Gloucester County