Pictured L-R: Jennifer Marandino, Executive Director, SJTPO; Shailen Bhatt, 21st Administrator of the FHWA; Daniel Hutton, Senior Planner, Urban Engineers; Douglas Whitaker, Engineer, Cumberland County
 

The Cumberland County Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Action Plan has recently been honored with two prestigious awards for its outstanding commitment to prioritizing the safety of cyclists and pedestrians on roadways and intersections in Cumberland County, NJ. The plan received the National Roadway Safety Award from the Federal Highway Administration and the Roadway Safety Foundation, as well as the Outstanding Plan Award through the Planning Excellence Awards from the American Planning Association New Jersey Chapter (APA NJ).

Urban Engineers prepared the plan in partnership with the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO) and Cumberland County. Urban’s detailed Safety Action Plan helped several local communities secure federal funding to design and implement much-needed roadway safety improvements.

With 91% of bicycle and pedestrian crashes concentrated in Cumberland County's three urban centers – Vineland, Millville, and Bridgeton – improving roadway safety in this section of New Jersey is critical for large segments of the population to improve transportation accessibility and equity for all.

Between 2012 and 2016, 536 crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians accounted for 2.9 percent of all collisions in Cumberland County yet resulted in 21.6 percent of all fatal and severe injury crashes countywide. The comprehensive plan addresses this issue and serves as a regional model for enhancing bicycle and pedestrian safety in South Jersey. Its success lies in a strategic, data-driven, and community-centric project identification and advancement approach.

The $400,000 cost of developing the plan yielded $32 million worth of federally funded projects. The corridors were selected based on public input and bicycle and pedestrian crash history. The largest project, funded with a $20 million federal grant, will improve Chestnut Avenue in Vineland. Other corridors planned for improvements include 3rd Street/Wheaton Avenue in Millville, High Street in Millville, East Avenue in Vineland, Irving Avenue in Bridgeton, and Atlantic Street in Bridgeton.

Jennifer Marandino, PE, Executive Director for South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization, stated, " I am extremely proud of SJTPO’s long-standing commitment to traffic safety. SJTPO has been able to utilize limited resources to strategically provide critical technical support to our partners that will save lives and prevent crashes on South Jersey roadways. In partnership with NJDOT and FHWA, SJTPO has leveraged $400,000 in federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds to develop the Cumberland County Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, which led to more than $30 million dollars in safety improvements in Cumberland County. I am excited to see the commitment to meaningful safety improvements that keep us on the road to zero.”

Ken Fulmer, Urban’s President and CEO, added, "The success of the plan, resulting in over $30 million in federal funding, underscores the importance of addressing the specific challenges faced by urban centers. It's a proud moment for all those involved and a call to continue championing innovative solutions for safer, more accessible communities."

Visit the project page to learn more about the Cumberland County Bike and Pedestrian Safety Action Plan.