Funding is provided by a program that supports planning and development of more livable neighborhoods.
TRENTON -- New Jersey and Pennsylvania communities will be receiving $1.8 million in grant money for 26 revitalization projects.
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) announced the communities that will be recipients of the grant money earlier this month.
Projects include a new redesign plan for the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, a plan for transit-oriented development near the Woodcrest PATCO station in Cherry Hill Township, additional parking infrastructure in Princeton, and Delaware River waterfront development in Trenton.
The grants are given to community projects designed to create residential, employment and retail opportunities, improve the character and quality-of-life and enhance existing transportation infrastructure.
Funding is provided through the Transportation and Community Development Initiative -- a program that supports planning and development of more livable neighborhoods.
DVRPC is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Greater Philadelphia Region, providing grant funding to Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer counties in New Jersey and Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania.
Local projects include:
Burlington County, N.J.
River Route Circulation Plan, $175,000. The plan will focus on safety, functional, and operational problems with the goal of providing investment strategies that will combine transportation improvements with economic development.
Conceptual Design Plan to Route 130 Intersection, $100,000. An analysis is planned for the communities of Beverly, Delanco, and Edgewater Park to determine future traffic volumes for an intersection along Route 130.
Camden County, N.J.
Woodcrest Station Transit-Oriented Development Plan, $60,000. Cherry Hill Township's plan calls for an area adjacent to the PATCO Woodcrest Station to develop a location that includes a mixture of housing, offices, retail and other amenities along an easily walkable route.
Walter Rand Market Feasibility & Station Redesign, $100,000. The City of Camden has put forth a plan to overhaul the Walter Rand Transportation Center and capitalize on existing transportation infrastructure to help transform the derelict facility into a world-class transportation center.
Mercer County, N.J.
Princeton Parking: Inventory, Analysis & Recommendations, $65,000. The study aims to find a balance between travel modes, parking needs, and future economic development in Princeton's downtown. Parking demands will be assessed with short and long-term recommendations for future residential parking needs.
Waterfront Reclamation and Redevelopment Project, $100,000. The Downtown Trenton Waterfront Reclamation Redevelopment Project plans for Trenton to reclaim its connection with the Delaware River. Route 29 could be rebuilt as an urban boulevard and surface parking lots will be replaced by pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development. Funding will be used to identify studies, review FEMA regulations, and develop a market analysis and promotional materials for the project.
Bucks County, Pa.
Economic Development Analysis, $80,000. A Bristol Township study will be performed to determine economic improvements as a result of connecting I-95 and Route 13.
Philadelphia
The program will provide $310,000 for a total of four studies: A study to examine upgrades to accommodate development and increase transportation access and safety, a study that will evaluate solutions affordably to maintain sidewalks, a Complete Streets Calculator which will analyze the social and financial impact of complete streets and a project to engage the city's research community to develop innovative thinking around Vision Zero -- a plan to make the city's streets less deadly.
Greg Wright may be reached at gwright@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregTheWright. Find NJ.com on Facebook.