ccctma burlington camden bicycle report

8/14/2019 CCCTMA Burlington Camden Bicycle Report

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BICYCLE FACILITIES REPORT

BURLINGTON AND CAMDEN COUNTIES

Cross County Connection Transportation Management Association

JUNE 2004


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BICYCLE FACILITIES REPORTCross County Connection Transportation Management Association

BURLINGTON AND CAMDEN COUNTIES

JUNE 2004


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Cross County Connection TMA was formally incorporated in 1989 through the efforts of a group ofsouthern 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 liabil ity for the contents.


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I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................. 1

II. INVENTORY..................................................................... 4

III. BICYCLE FACILITY RANKING PROCESS........................... 8

IV. PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN BICYCLE NETWORK.......12

V. CONCLUSION................................................................ 21

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Purpose

Goals

Methodology

Other Studies and Related Work

Inventory Findings

Summary

Criteria

Findings

Summary

Proposed Bicycle FacilitiesRecommended for Construction

Bicycle Facility Improvement Areas

Summary

Next Steps

Funding Sources for Bicycle Facilities

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS


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LIST OF FIGURES

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Bicycle Facilities InventoryProposed Bicycle Facilities in Bordentown City

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Gibbsboro

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Cherry Hill

Proposed Bicycle Facility-East Atlantic Bikeway

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Evesham

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Mt. Laurel

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Pennsauken

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Voorhees

Proposed Improvement Areas and Proposed Missing Links

Recommended and Existing Bicycle Facilities

Inventory of Bicycle Facilities

Inventory of Bicycle Facilities by Mileage

Criterion One: Proximity to Commuter Roadways

Criterion Two: Number of Bus Routes within Two Miles

Criterion Three: Proximity to Business Parks

Criterion Four: Estimated Employment

Criterion Five: Proximity to Rail Stations

Highest Ranking Facilities Averaged by Municipality

Overall Facility Scores by Municipality

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Bordentown City

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Gibbsboro


Proposed Bicycle Facility-East Atlantic Bikeway


Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Mt. Laurel


Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Voorhees

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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE OF CONTENTS


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1: INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE

The purpose of Cross County Connections 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.

GOALS

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.

METHODOLOGY

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

INTRODUCTION 1


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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 Jerseys

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 Whitmans 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 thestate. 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 McGreeveys leadership,

weve made many strides in improving the lives of

New Jerseys 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 Whitmans and

McGreeveys 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 andPedestrian 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 Connections Bicycle FacilitiesReport in Perspective

In contrast, the Cross County Connection Bicycle

Facilities Report examines the county and municipal

bicycle facilities network specifically for commuting

INTRODUCTION


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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

Connections 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 inter-

municipal 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.

INTRODUCTION


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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


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County Connection met with municipal and county

representatives to correct the data; thus all parties

received up-to-date information.

Cross County Connections 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.

INVENTORY 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.

INVENTORY

Public Transit Access

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 Countys 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.

Those public transit facilities within a two mile buffer

of the bicycle facility were identified. The two mile

buffer was adopted from theNew 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

theNew Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan,

TABLE 1. Inventory of Bicycle Facilities

EXISTINGFACILITIES PROPOSEDFACILITIES TOTALALLFACILITIES

On-road Off-road Total On-road Off-road Total Grand Total

183 59 242 100 48 148 390

TABLE 2. Inventory of Bicycle Facilities by Mileage

EXISTINGFACILITIES PROPOSEDFACILITIES TOTALALLFACILITIES

On-road Off-road Total On-road Off-road Total Grand Total

95.2 63.5 158.7 183.8 86.6 270.4 429.1


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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.

SUMMARY

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 asignificant employment base and is served by NJ

Transits 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.


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BICYCLE FACILITY RANKING PROCESS 8

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3: BICYCLE FACIL ITY

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:

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

CRITERIA

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.

RANKING PROCESS


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Criterion One:

Proximity to Commuter RoadwaysRoutes 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.

Criterion Two:

Proximity to New Jersey Transit and/orBurLink Bus Routes and Number of NearbyTransit 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.

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 wouldmost 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.

TABLE 3. Criterion One:

Proximity to Commuter Roadways

SCORE DISTANCEOFBICYCLEFACILITYFROMCOMMUTERROADWAY

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

TABLE 4. Criterion Two:

Number of Bus Routes within Two Miles

SCORE NUMBEROFBUSROUTESWITHINTWOMILES

0 0

2 1 to 2

3 3 to 5

4 5 to 7

5 7 to 9

6 Greater than 9

9 BICYCLE FACILITY RANKING PROCESS


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The business parks in Camden and Burlington

Counties were identified using county maps, Chamberof Commerce information, field investigations

and local knowledge and experience. The bicycle

facilities were scored as shown in Table 5.

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

parks estimated employment. The scoring system is

shown in Table 6.

Criterion Five:Proximity to River LINE, PATCO, andAtlantic 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 5. Criterion Three:

Proximity to Business Parks

SCORE PROXIMITYTOBUSINESSPARK


2 1.5 to 2 miles3 1 to 1.5 miles

4 0.5 to 1 miles

5 0.25 to 0.5 miles

6 0 to 0.25 miles

TABLE 6. Criterion Four:

Estimated Employment

SCORE ESTIMATEDNUMBEROFEMPLOYEES

0 Less than 100

1 100-400

2 400-700

3 700-1,000

4 1,000-1,300

TABLE 7. Criterion Five:

Proximity to Rail Stations

SCORE PROXIMITYTORAILSTATION


1 1.5-2 miles

2 1 to 1.5 miles

3 0.5 to 1 miles

4 0 to 0.5 miles

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FINDINGS

Each bicycle facility was scored and ranked basedon 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 extremevariation in commuter attractors throughout Burlington

and Camden counties.

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 municipalitys

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 Medfords

facilities less attractive to commuters.

SUMMARY

Overall, 27 bicycle facilities, in 14 municipalitiesscored 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.

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

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

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12PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN NETWORK

PROPOSED BIC YCLE FACILITIESRECOMMENDED 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 closelyto 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 beconsidered 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 facilitys ranked score and attractors which

make the facility a good candidate for construction.

Each facility can also be found on Figure 10, whichprovides a region-wide view of the proposed facilities

recommended for construction.

4: PRIORITIZATON OF GAPS

IN BICYCLE NETWORK


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TABLE 11. Proposed Bicycle Facilities in

Gibbsboro

BICYCLEFACILITYNAME/MAP # 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

Hilliards 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

TABLE 10. Proposed Bicycle Facilities inBordentown City


Park Road/ #4 17

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

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

ATTRACTORS

FIGURE 3.Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Gibbsboro

THE BOROUGH OF GIBBSBORO

BORDENTOWN CITY

FIGURE 2.

Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Bordentown City

13 PRIORITIZATION OF GAPS IN NETWORK


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TABLE 13.Proposed Bicycle Facility-EastAtlantic Bikeway


East Atlantic Bikeway/ #10 13

TABLE 12. Proposed Bicycle Facilities inCherry Hill


River to Bay Greenway/ #5 17


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

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

ATTRACTORS

FIGURE 5.Proposed Bicycle Facility-East Atlantic Bikeway

EAST ATLANTIC BIKEWAY

CHERRY HILL TOWNSHIP

FIGURE 4.




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TABLE 15. Proposed Bicycle Facilities inMt. Laurel


Moorestown-Mt. Laurel Rd./ #6 16

Union Mill Rd./ #8 13

Larchmont Blvd./ #23 9

Mt. Laurel Rd./ #24 9

Centerton Rd./ #26 9


Evesham


Sycamore Avenue/ #12 12

Tomlinson Mill Rd./ #17 11

Kettle Run Rd./ #18 10

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

ATTRACTORS


1.5 miles from East Gate Business Center

Less than 2 miles from 5 to 9 NJT and BurLink bus routes

ATTRACTORS

FIGURE 7.Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Mt. Laurel

MT. LAUREL TOWNSHIP

EVESHAM TOWNSHIP

FIGURE 6.




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TABLE 17. Proposed Bicycle Facilities inVoorhees


Kresson Gibbsboro Rd./ #3 18

River to Bay Greenway/ #5 17

Cooper Rd./ #7 14

Somerdale Rd./ #9 13

Dutchtown Rd./ #15 11


Pennsauken


Cooper River Bike Path

Extension/ #1

19

Pennsauken Riverfront Trail/ #2 19

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

ATTRACTORS

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

ATTRACTORS

FIGURE 9.Proposed Bicycle Facilities in Voorhees

VOORHEES TOWNSHIP

PENNSAUKEN TOWNSHIP

FIGURE 8.




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BICYCLE FACILITY I MPROVEMENTAREAS

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 intheir 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 ahigh 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 areawith 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 areas potential. As a result, the

addition of bicycle facilities along the River LINEs

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.



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SUMMARY

The Proposed Bicycle Facilities Recommendedfor 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. Shouldfacilities 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 businessparks 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 Route73 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 BicycleImprovement 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 tocreate a region-wide bicycle network.



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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.

21CONCLUSION


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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.

FUNDING SOURCES FOR BICYCLE

FACILITIES

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

programs administrative agency directly or visit their

website for more information. Please refer to theNew

Jersey Smart Growth Planning and Program ResourcesGuide 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: NJDOT Local Aid and Economic Development

Contact: Stephen Moy 856-586-6618Target: Municipalities

Internet: 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


Contact: Stephen Moy 856-586-6618

Designated Centers of Place


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



Target: Counties


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 VillagesAgency: NJDOT Local Aid and Economic Development



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 andPedestrian

Agency: NJDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs

Contact: Sheree Davis 609-530-6551


Provides technical assistance to counties and municipalities

that desire to undertake various planning activities for


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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]


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.

Safe Street to Schools Projects, Local System

Program




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


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.

Transit Village Initiative

Agency: NJDOT

Contact: Monica Etz 609-530-5957


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 municipalitys

application.

Transportation Enhancement Program


Contact: 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 non-

traditional 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.

23CONCLUSION


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SUMMARY

Cross County Connection has identified six steps that willassist 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.

24 CONCLUSION


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ccctma burlington camden bicycle report

Documents