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UpNext North Jersey

Passaic County Freeholder John Bartlett speaks to UpNext members at an event in Paterson.Join Up Next!

We're seeking young adults with ideas for how to improve transportation and make northern and central New Jersey a vibrant place where people want to live. The group is open to residents of our 13-county region ages 21 to 30.

Click here to learn more about our ongoing recruitment.

Click here to apply! Applications must be submitted by September 30.
 

About UpNext

The NJTPA created UpNext North Jersey to engage young adults in our region in the transportation planning process. It was established in the Public Engagement Plan that the NJTPA Board adopted in late 2018.

This informal advisory group, launched in 2019, consists of about 25 young adults. It is open to residents in the NJTPA region who are ages 21 to 30. The group provides input on various NJTPA projects and programs, most recently the Active Transportation Plan, which is under development, and Plan 2050: Transportation, People, Opportunity (adopted in September 2021).

UpNext members visit Great Falls National Historic Park in Paterson.Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, UpNext members visited the Paterson Museum and Great Falls National Historic Park. The group shifted to virtual meetings and activities in 2020. UpNext members provided the NJTPA with input on its series of Plan 2050 background papers and also participated in an “Active Transportation Challenge,” documenting walking or biking challenges and opportunities in various locations.  

In-person events resumed in  November 2022, with a walking tour of active transportation improvements in Jersey City. A tour of the Port in Newark is planned for January 2023. These events give UpNext members a unique opportunities to engage with thought-leaders and decision-makers, in addition to offering visits to unique transportation-related locations and more.

UpNext North Jersey is one several initiatives aimed at reaching groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in the transportation planning process. In the past, the NJTPA has used civic dinner parties, part of our Set the Table initiative, to engage young adults. This advisory group builds off of that effort.

Check out the Public Engagement Plan to learn more.