The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) recently received $75.9 million in federal funding to rebuild 12.5 miles of Route 35 in Ocean County damaged by Superstorm Sandy, but questions remain about some of the project’s specifics. In a February press release, NJDOT said the rebuilt Route 35 would have “complete streets features,” but the Notice to Contractors makes no mention of bicycle accommodations. When Tri-State attempted to obtain the project’s plans through the state’s OPRA laws, our request was denied.
While NJDOT Commissioner Jim Simpson is on the record endorsing Route 35 as a complete street, it remains unclear to what extent the project will include such safe street improvements, with all references to safe pedestrian infrastructure being couched with the phrase “where possible,” and no specific statements incorporating cycling infrastructure.
New Jersey cannot afford to miss this opportunity to rebuild Route 35 so that it accommodates more than just cars. Tourism at the New Jersey shore brings in about $19 billion in revenues for the state, counties and municipalities. Adding bike lanes and pedestrian amenities along Route 35 could help to attract even more tourism dollars to the area while also providing greater transportation choice that could help alleviate the notorious traffic congestion of the summer months. Doing so is hardly unprecedented in New Jersey. Ocean City, which passed a Complete Streets policy in 2011, has been able to enhance its already robust tourism opportunities by becoming more bicycle friendly.
If NJDOT is going to be a national leader on Complete Streets, the agency must ensure that the policy it adopted in 2009 remains at the forefront of rebuilding efforts throughout the state.
This is a really important place to have better provisions for bikers and walkers! About two weeks ago I biked on Route 35 from Seaside Heights to Mantoloking and back. The island is so narrow on much of that stretch, that Route 35 is the only north south option. Along much of the route, the shoulders were wide enough to accommodate a bike, but it sure would have been nice to have a proper bike lane. There are also sections that are downright dangerous for bikes, like near the on-ramps to the bridges to the mainland in both Seaside Heights and Mantoloking. We had to get off our bikes and walk.
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