Members of the NJTPA’s young adult advisory committee, UpNext North Jersey, participated in a walking audit November 1 in High Bridge. The 2-hour visit – complete with crisp fall weather and colorful foliage – was part of public and stakeholder outreach for the Hunterdon County Bicycle Plan, being funded through the NJTPA’s Subregional Studies Program.
UpNext members joined NJTPA staff, local cycling advocates and residents, and officials from High Bridge and Hunterdon County’s Division of Planning. The walk audit was planned – with help from the Public Outreach and Engagement Team at Rutgers University’s Voorhees Transportation Center – to help identify potential biking and walking improvements, missing links, or potential connectivity and safety issues. A worksheet was created to document what the group observed.
Beginning at the High Bridge train station and ending with a discussion at Borough Hall, the tour covered the historic downtown (including schools, churches, shops, pedestrian crossings, and intersections), two locations slated for redevelopment, as well as a portion of the 17-mile Columbia Trail, which is a major draw for cyclists.
The NJTPA conducts UpNext North Jersey recruitment on a rolling basis. The group is seeking civic-minded young adults, between the ages of 21 and 30, who are interested in networking opportunities, learning more about the NJTPA’s programs, and providing input for projects, draft products, and studies like the Hunterdon County Bicycle Plan. Interested in joining or know someone who might be? Fill out the brief online form or email njtpa@njtpa.org.