Transit-Oriented Development
Transit oriented development, or TOD, is generally defined as mixed-use residential and commercial development that is designed to take advantage of public transportation access. TOD is an important component of smart growth because it allows people to live, work and play without having to rely on a car. TOD also allows the state to grow in a way that takes advantage of existing infrastructure and does not consume our limited open space.
Elements of good transit oriented development include pedestrian-friendly design, a mix of compatible uses, connectivity to the surrounding community and a mix of housing options. New Jersey Future supports the expansion of TOD near New Jersey’s transit stations, and encourages municipalities to enact zoning that allows such development to occur.

What’s the difference between a street and a road? Focusing on the different primary purposes of each could help bring clarity to the discussion over how to address the traffic congestion on major arteries like Route 1 in Mercer County, and how best to implement a bus rapid transit system there.

A new survey shows that office workers in the Garden State want many of the amenities that smart-growth locations offer, including food, access to transit, and access to downtowns.

The proposed Grow NJ bill in its current form undermines the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit goals. We urge adoption of four amendments that will keep the incentives properly focused.

Gov. Chris Christie today released a new State Strategic Plan, a blueprint for state investment in sustainable economic growth. The governor also announced Executive Order No. 78, authorizing a cabinet-level steering committee to drive implementation. The State Strategic Plan is intended to meet both the spirit and the statutory requirements of the State Planning Act.

Sen. Menendez introduces an updated Livable Communities Act, including funding to spark private investment in transit-oriented development.

A train station can provide increased mobility and increase the number of people who have access to goods, services and employment opportunities. It can be the core of a vibrant, walkable downtown. New Jersey Future’s easy-to-understand guide provides answers to the most-asked questions about this kind of development. March 2011.

To the NJ Department of Transportation and Commissioner Jack Lettiere for a significant shift in transportation decision-making toward the use of modern, community-friendly and environmentally friendly solutions to New Jersey’s transportation problems.

Collaborative initiative using transit to bolster redevelopment along the Haddon Avenue corridor.
Oct. 11, 2011 — A new statewide poll commissioned in part by New Jersey Future shows that New Jersey residents think the way the state has developed over the last 20 years has made it less affordable and more difficult to travel. They support more compact communities with greater transportation choices, protection of critical resources like drinking water, and regional coordination of land-use planning efforts.
December 27, 2011 — New Jersey has grown and developed during the past quarter-century in much the same way as it did during the half-century that preceded it—ever outward, from established places where infrastructure already exists to sprawling suburbs that encroach on environmentally sensitive areas.
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