goHunterdon extends its congratulations to High Bridge Borough on it’s recent designation as a New Jersey Transit Village.
The designation marks High Bridge as the 36th New Jersey municipality to be recognized since the initiative began in 1999 and the first Hunterdon County municipality to achieve the designation.
The state’s Transit Village Initiative connects designated municipalities with a task force, including the NJ Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and NJ TRANSIT that help implement mixed-use development and Complete Streets accommodations near transit facilities.
“To receive a Transit Village designation, municipalities must create redevelopment plans that promote economic activity around public transportation,” NJDOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor said. “High Bridge’s plan to spur new business activity in its downtown area with more clean options – walking, cycling, and mass transit – will enhance the quality of life for residents, and make High Bridge safer and greener.”
High Bridge’s primary objective in its Transit Village District is to preserve and encourage a walkable, bikeable and transit-friendly environment to improve the downtown area and create a vibrant community complete with jobs, housing, recreation, entertainment, and multiple modes of transportation. The High Bridge Rail Station, located on Main Street, is the western terminus on the NJ TRANSIT Raritan Valley Line, which takes passengers to and from Newark and Manhattan’s Penn Station.
The NJDOT-administered Transit Village Initiative provides participating municipalities with planning expertise and grant opportunities to redevelop land near train or other transit facilities in a way that promotes economic activity and the use of public transportation.
Other municipalities designated as New Jersey Transit Villages include Pleasantville, Morristown, Rutherford, South Amboy, South Orange, Riverside, Rahway, Metuchen, Belmar, Collingswood, Bloomfield, Bound Brook, Cranford, Matawan, New Brunswick, Journal Square/Jersey City, Netcong, Elizabeth, Burlington City, Orange, Somerville, Montclair, Linden, West Windsor, East Orange, Dunellen, Summit, Plainfield, Park Ridge, Irvington, Hackensack, Long Branch, Asbury Park, Newark, Atlantic City, and now, High Bridge.