The New Jersey Safe Routes Resource Center (NJSRRC), supported by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) through funds provided by the Federal Highway Administration, enjoyed many successes during 2023. Notably, NJSRRC hosted the New Jersey Safe Routes Academy webinars in September and continued to provide training across the state through the NJ Crossing Guard Training and Resources program which is supported through a partnership between NJDOT and the NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety. In addition, the Safe Routes Resource Center’s partnership with NJ’s Regional Safe Routes Coordinators housed at all 8 NJ Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) continued to flourish. A list of 2023 Resource Center highlights is provided below:
Technical Assistance
- Recognized 295 (724 total for the 3-year certification duration) schools and municipalities through the NJ Safe Routes to School Recognition Program in coordination with NJDOT and the eight Transportation Management Associations in New Jersey.
- Developed and posted two (2) new SRTS videos:
- Published 21 Safe Routes to School Scoop Blog articles for the newsletter, including:
- Back to School with Healthy Habits: Walk and Bike Your Way to Success
- Ruby Bridges: A Pioneering Civil Rights Activist Who Continues to Inspire Today
- Navigating Driveways Safely to Protect Children
- International Walk and Roll to School Month 2024
- Congratulations to the 2023 Winners of the NJ Safe Routes to School Recognition Program!
- Getting to Know Your TMA (one article covering all 8 NJ TMAs)
- Safe Routes Throughout New Jersey – Monthly updates of events and programs coordinated by all 8 NJ TMAs
- Authored New Jersey State Policy Lab Article:
- Reviewed Sustainable Jersey (SJ) and Sustainable Jersey for Schools Actions:
- School and school district submissions for three (3) SJ for Schools actions (Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety & Promotion Initiatives, Safe Routes to School District Policy, School Travel Plan for Walking and Bicycling)
- Municipal submissions for five (5) SJ actions (Safe Routes to School, Complete and Green Streets for All Policy, Bicycle and Pedestrian Audits, Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, Bicycle and/or Pedestrian Improvement Projects)
- Updated website resources:
- NJ Safe Routes Resource Center website has been viewed 16,870 times by 6,510 users
- NJ Crossing Guard Training & Resources Program website has been viewed 16,749 times by 5,926 users
- Responded to 108 Help Desk requests submitted to srts@ejb.rutgers.edu or (848) 932-7901
Education and Training
- Hosted the annual Safe Routes Academy webinars every Thursday in September with 156 registered attendees:
- Coordinated three (3) NJDOT Safe Routes to School Program Grant Application Trainings:
- August 10th Applying for 2024 SRTS Funds
- September 7th Applying for 2024 SRTS Funds
- October 14th Applying for 2024 SRTS Funds
- Presented at conferences and summits, including:
- Oregon DOT Safe Routes to School Webinar: School Zone Safety Strategies
- NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety and NJ Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Data Driven Countermeasures Training: SRTS and Crossing Guards
- Morris County Municipal Transportation Forum 2023: Complete Streets, Building Support and Achieving Results
- National American Planning Association (APA) Conference: Implementing Complete and Green Streets for All
- TransAction NJ: Improving Walking and Bicycling Safety in School Zones
- NJ Society of Municipal Engineers: Factors Influencing the Fatality of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Involved Crashes in New Jersey
- NJ Bike and Walk Coalition SAFE Network Meeting: Safe Routes to School!
- Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Regional Safety Task Force Meeting on “Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) and You.”
Research
- Researched topics to inform decisions and policy, including the following reports:
- Made significant progress on our 2023-2024 research topics to inform decisions and policy, including the following:
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- Safe Routes to School and Sustainable Jersey
- Analysis of the Effectiveness of SRTS Parent Surveys and Student Travel Tallies
- Investigating the Safe System Approach and School Zone Safety in partnership with Rowan University
NJ Crossing Guard Training and Resources
The NJ Crossing Guard Supervisor Training Program and direct training to municipal crossing guards is supported by the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety with funding from Federal Highway Administration. In 2023, the NJ Crossing Guard training program:
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- Coordinated two (2) online Crossing Guard Supervisor Trainings (3-hour training class)
- Presented two (2) direct in person Crossing Guard trainings in Trenton and Passaic. Police officers from Trenton and Passaic assisted in training and Spanish translation as needed.
- Recorded and updated a Crossing Guard Training video for police officers to use in direct Crossing Guard training sessions.
Check out the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center’s 2023 Year in Review here!