Funding Opportunities and Programmatic Insights for Advancing Shared Use Paths, Trails, and Greenways in New Jersey
Trail networks are valuable assets that strengthen communities and support regional vitality. They provide options for walking, biking, and rolling, connecting people to key destinations and fostering a sense of place. Beyond transportation, trails promote health, sustainability, and economic development, offering benefits that extend across urban, suburban, and rural landscapes. In New Jersey, investing in these essential networks not only addresses mobility and safety challenges but also creates healthier, greener, and more connected communities.
In an effort to more fully understand the trail funding, development, and the implementation process in New Jersey, the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University (Rutgers-VTC) worked with New Jersey Future to investigate trail and active transportation funding programs in the state. This research project aims to describe and evaluate federal and state funding programs for trails, investigate local funding opportunities, and compare the trail development process in New Jersey to those of neighboring states. As a part of this research effort, Rutgers-VTC investigated milestones in trail development in New Jersey, documented funding programs at the federal and state levels, researched county funding opportunities and statewide trail development processes, and conducted interviews with subject matter experts in New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
The focus of this report is on shared use paths and trails which serve a transportation purpose, distinct from trails primarily used for hiking or other types of recreation.
