Removing transportation barriers to give all residents better access to work, shopping, schools, medical appointments and other places is the focus of a Monmouth County study intended for use by county and local government, state agencies, private developers, and others.
The study, Monmouth PATHS: Access for All, was funded through the NJTPA Subregional Studies Program. It pays particular attention to the needs of the County’s low-income, minority, elderly, young or disabled residents who face the greatest transportation challenges. Among the day-to-day barriers are limited transit connectivity, limited access to information about options, gaps in the sidewalk network, challenging cycling conditions, missing curb ramps, lighting, security concerns, and long crossing distances across wide roadways, among others.
Building upon a data analysis of these and other barriers, the study team gathered extensive input through a technical advisory committee, three meetings of an Experiences Committee (composed of representatives from advocacy and community groups), three public meetings, and an online survey. The survey garnered 617 comments left by 499 respondents.
The study identifies nine strategies to help address the barriers:
- Adopt design standards that support active modes like walking, biking, and scootering for all users.
- Develop multi-modal programs that prioritize mobility for the County’s transportation disadvantaged populations.
- Improve County-wide active mode connections between neighborhoods, land uses, and municipalities.
- Consider improving access to transit by addressing transit stop conditions and first- and last-mile challenges.
- Investigate potential improvements to transit service and explore increasing transit connections to major activity centers to the west of the County.
- Implement policies that encourage mixed-use, multi-modal-supportive development patterns that provide a variety of housing options.
- Improve connections between the County’s transportation disadvantaged populations and critical services necessary for wellness such as healthcare, education, recreation, grocery stores, and pharmacies.
- Improve safety for all roadway users.
- Enhance transportation-supported sustainability and resilience efforts.
Each strategy is presented with a series of tools, 64 in all, that can be used to address the barriers in the County’s various landscapes (transects), identified as rural areas, villages, suburban areas, town centers and shore towns. The findings build upon a previous study, Monmouth Within Reach, which focused on the heavy summer travel in the County by those accessing the Jersey Shore and other tourist destinations.
Examples of recommended measures include construction of sidewalks along street frontages for new development and as part of roadway projects, expanding and updating existing sidewalks, creating segregated bike facilities, adding painted or permanent curb extensions, updating traffic signals to make them more accommodating to pedestrians, adding street trees and furniture, and facilitating bike/scooter sharing (including possibly through public libraries).
The final report is available here.