Reconnecting Jobs to Transit

Tim Evans • New Jersey Future

Edward J. Bloustein School 20th Anniversary Symposium

April 26, 2012

New Jersey Future is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings together concerned citizens

and leaders to promote responsible land-use policies. The organization employs original research, analysis and advocacy to build coalitions and drive land-use policies

that help revitalize cities and towns, protect natural lands and farms, provide more transportation choices

beyond cars, expand access to safe and affordable neighborhoods and fuel a prosperous economy.

Transit-Rich New Jersey

• NJ has one of the best and most extensive rail transit systems in the country

• 11.2 percent transit commuting rate (2010) – 2nd-highest in US, after New York (27.8%)

Transit Ridership to the Big City

70.6 percent of NJ residents who work in Manhattan ride transit to work (39.1 percent by rail or ferry and 31.5 percent by bus)

24 percent of NJ residents who work in Philadelphia ride transit to work (20 percent by rail and 4 percent by bus)

Intra-New Jersey commuting only manages a 5 percent transit ridership rate – no better than the national average. WHY?

NOTE: Destination-based commute mode shares are from 2000 Census

The Problem: Job Decentralization

• “Job sprawl” – the opposite of center-based job growth

• Decentralization away from transit

• Job loss in transit-accessible job centers

Job losses near transit; job

gains along the highway

[traffic-maximizing strategy]

Data source: NJ Department of Labor Spatial data sources: NJTransit (rail lines); NJ Department of Environmental Protection (county and municipal boundaries)

Decentralization Away from Transit

• More traffic

• Longer commutes [24.9 minutes in 1980 → 30.3 minutes in 2010]

• More greenhouse-gas emissions

Most of New Jersey’s job growth since 1980 has taken place in scattered suburban locations accessible only by automobile

Result:

Decentralization Away from Transit

(Note: Commute mode shares are tabulated by municipality of employment, not residence.) Data sources: NJ Department of Labor (employment); U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census (commute mode shares), analyzed by NJ Transit; NJ Office of Smart Growth (residential density)

Changing Commuting Characteristics Among Municipalities Comprising Half of Total Statewide Private-Sector Employment

Job losses near transit;

job gains along the highway

Data sources: NJ Department of Labor (employment); U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census (commute mode shares)

Commuting Characteristics in Large Job-Losing and Job-Gaining Municipalities (1980-2003), Tabulated by Municipality of Employment

Put jobs back near transit 88 percent of employed New Jerseyans work in NJ, but only 5 percent of intra-state commuters ride transit…definitely room for improvement

The Solution:

BONUS: Redevelop older, often distressed job centers

Strengthen “home-grown” transit nodes as a way to maintain transit ridership growth in wake of ARC Tunnel cancellation

More Transit Hubs…But

Where? [suggestions from Getting to Work]

Can we be systematic about

prioritizing candidates?

Prioritizing TOD Investments

Database of all 243 distinct transit stations in New Jersey:

• 10 multi-modal stations

• 205 served only by rail

• 12 ferry terminals

• 16 major bus terminals not served by any other modes

Prioritizing TOD Investments

• Operating characteristics of each station: current ridership, number of lines/modes serving, parking spaces available, transfers required to reach major destinations

• Characteristics of station neighborhood [as defined by NJT]: median HH income, vehicle ownership, population density, vacant housing units – basically ANY data published at Census tract level

• Characteristics of station’s host municipality: per-capita property tax base, property tax rate, land development (% built-out) – basically ANY data published at muni level

Prioritizing TOD Investments

• Hoboken Terminal: all 3 rail modes, bus terminal, ferry

• Newark – Penn Station: all 3 rail modes + bus terminal

• Trenton: commuter rail [NJT + SEPTA], LRT, bus terminal

• Walter Rand Transp. Ctr. (Camden): LRT (River Line), rapid transit (PATCO), bus terminal

• Journal Square [Jersey City]: rapid transit (PATH) + bus terminal

• Exchange Place [Jersey City]: rapid transit (PATH) + ferry [HBLR station also nearby]

• 4 have commuter rail and are bus terminals: Metropark, New Brunswick, Asbury Park, Atlantic City

10 multi-modal transit stations:

Prioritizing TOD Investments

• Hoboken Terminal: 9 [7 commuter rail lines + PATH + HBLR] (+ Raritan Valley)

• Secaucus Junction: 8 [all commuter rail] (+ Raritan Valley)

• Newark – Penn Station: 5 [3 commuter rail lines + PATH + Newark light rail]

• Newark - Broad St.: 4 [3 commuter rail lines + Newark light rail]

• Trenton: 3 [NJT Northeast Corridor + SEPTA + River Line]

• Camden - Walter Rand Transp. Ctr.: 2 [River Line + PATCO]

• Lindenwold: 2 [PATCO + Atlantic City commuter rail line]

• Newport/Pavonia (Jersey City): 2 [HBLR + PATH]

• Newark Airport, North Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Linden, Rahway: 2 [Northeast

Corridor and North Jersey Coast]

• 10 stations served by both Morristown and Gladstone branches of M&E

• Pennsauken Transit Center – to be located at crossing of River Line and Atlantic City

commuter rail line

Stations served by multiple rail lines:

Population density (2009) > 20,000 per

square mile in station area

• 9th St. (HBLR) [Hoboken]

• 2nd St. (HBLR) [Hoboken]

• Hoboken Terminal

• Harborside (HBLR) [Jersey City]

• Grove St. PATH [Jersey City]

• Lincoln Harbor (HBLR) [Weehawken]

• Bloomfield Ave (Newark Subway) [Newark]

• Journal Square [Jersey City]

• Harsimus (HBLR) [Jersey City]

• Park Ave (Newark Subway) [Newark]

• Orange St. (Newark Subway) [Newark]

• Elizabeth

> 15% vacant housing units in station area (excluding shore towns)

• Entertainment Center (River Line) [Camden] • Asbury Park • Aquarium (River Line) [Camden] • Walter Rand Transp. Ctr. [Camden] • Cooper St. (River Line) [Camden] • City Hall PATCO [Camden] • Trenton • Hamilton Ave (River Line) [Trenton] • East Orange • Atlantic City • Park Ave (Newark Subway) [Newark] • Garfield Ave (HBLR) [Jersey City]

> 45% of households in station area having

zero vehicles available

• Warren St. (Newark Subway) [Newark]

• Washington St. (Newark Subway) [Newark]

• Newark Airport [Newark]

• Norfolk St. (Newark Subway) [Newark]

• Military Park (Newark Subway) [Newark]

• Journal Square [Jersey City]

• Paterson

• Newport / Pavonia [Jersey City]

• Newark – Penn Station

Prioritizing TOD Investments

Can we be systematic about prioritizing candidates? YES

Thank you!

Tim Evans

Director of Research

timevans@njfuture.org

New Jersey Future

137 W. Hanover St.

Trenton, N.J. 08618

609-393-0008 ext. 103

http://www.njfuture.org