New Jersey

New Jersey SRTS Program

Managed by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), New Jersey’s federally funded Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program is the source for state coordinator contact details, federal SRTS funding amounts, SRTS applications and guidelines, and state SRTS program information.

Quick Links

New Jersey SRTS Federal Funding  |  Application Guidelines
State Advisory Committee  |  State Outreach Programs
Evaluation Methods  |  Success Stories
New Jersey Partner Affiliates  |  Legislation and Policies

New Jersey SRTS Federal Funding

New Jersey’s SRTS funding from FY2005-2009* totals $15,883,526 and includes the following annual apportionments:

* Funding for SRTS is being continued into FY2010 at FY2009 levels.

Application Guidelines

NJDOT announced the FY2012 Safe Routes to School Grant Solicitation. Please read the letter describing eligible projects and details of the grant application process. Applications are due by December 30th, 2011.

New Jersey has now awarded more than $13.5 million in federal-aid SRTS grants for projects and programs in 84 towns and 192 schools. Every county in the state is now home to at least one SRTS project.

On May 8, 2009, NJDOT awarded $5.4 million in federal SRTS funds, providing grants for projects in 37 municipalities, in amounts ranging from $16,000 to $300,000. Thirty-two infrastructure projects and 12 non-infrastructure projects were funded.

New Jersey awarded their first cycle of grants in July 2007. The NJDOT received 274 applications for over $75 million in projects. $4.15 million was awarded to programs in 30 municipalities. NJDOT announced the second round of SRTS grants in December 2008. Twenty infrastructure projects were funded at over $3.5 million and eleven non-infrastructure projects received more than $430,000.

Get more information about New Jersey's SRTS program from The Safe Routes Scoop, NJDOT's monthly newsletter developed by New Jersey's SRTS Resource Center.

State Advisory Committee

NJDOT’s Office of Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs convened a Technical Advisory Committee in 2001 to investigate ways to implement SRTS and utilized consultant resources to help develop a statewide program. A SRTS Strategic Plan was prepared by the NJDOT with assistance from The National Center for Bicycling and Walking, The RBA Group, and The Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University.

The New Jersey SRTS Coalition was formed with the official launch of the SRTS program in 2006, made up of members of the former Technical Advisory Committee as well as representatives from various state and county agencies, local advocacy groups, and non-profits. The Coalition, which meets twice a year, is asked to give direction and feedback on progress of the statewide program and to monitor the progress of the program according to the NJ SRTS Strategic Plan. See http://www.njbikeped.org/body.php?page=interest_srsc.

State Outreach Programs

Representatives from the NJDOT Office of Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs have spoken about SRTS at numerous conferences around the state for several years. In 2005, a demonstration program was conducted in three towns. In the fall of 2006, a series of open houses was held to promote the overall program and explain the grant application process. These open houses were run again in early 2008 with the help of New Jersey’s eight Transportation Management Associations (TMAs).

New Jersey piloted the level two training from the National Center for SRTS in 2007 to local program coordinators and their partners. Local Leadership Workshops were held again in 2008 and a Federal-Aid Workshop for Grant Recipients was offered in May of 2009. Walking School Bus Training has taken place in three towns to date and plans for Walk to School Day Training are in the works.

The Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC) at Rutgers University is working with NJDOT to evaluate their success in reaching those most in need of SRTS funds. VTC also runs a SRTS list-serve and a help desk. The VTC produces a Who’s Who Guide for SRTS in New Jersey and a newsletter, Safe Routes Scoop, twice a year. VTC is also assisting NJDOT—along with the RBA Group and the National Center for Bicycling and Walking—with an Urban SRTS Demonstration project in three NJ cities.

Evaluation Methods

Applicants who are awarded NJDOT SRTS project and program funding are required to submit pre- and post-implementation data on their projects. Travel behavior data is gathered using the National Center for Safe Routes to School Student Arrival and Departure Tally Sheet. A Parent Survey has been modified from the National Center’s original and is available in the Getting Started section of the NJDOT SRTS web site. VTC will be tabulating survey results for NJDOT. VTC is tabulating survey results for NJDOT.

Success Stories

Borough of Netcong, NJ - Reversal of Bike Ban - July 2009
Wharton, New Jersey: Innovative Student Involvement

New Jersey Partner Affiliates

Find out which organizations in your state have pledged their support for the Safe Routes to School movement. New Jersey Partner Affiliates.

Legislation and Policies

Stop for Crossing Guards

Effective August 1, 2007, fines for failure to comply with a school crossing guard signal to stop were increased to not less than $150 for a first offense. For a subsequent offense the operator shall be fined not less than $300. (N.J.S.A. 39:4-80.1)

Double School Zone Fines

A bill was introduced in January 2006 [S999 (Buono)], which would allow municipalities to double fines for moving violations in school zones, but it has not moved forward.

Pedestrian Crosswalk Laws

New Jersey’s pedestrian laws have been strengthened. Effective April 1, 2010, motorists must stop and remain stopped for pedestrians in crosswalks or risk a $200 fine, 15 days of community service and four points on their licenses. This legislation doubles the fines and increases the portion of each fine to be deposited into the “Pedestrian Safety Enforcement and Education Fund” (N.J.S.A. 39:4-36).

Statewide Health Initiative

Safe Routes to School has been included in the New Jersey Obesity Prevention Action Plan and the Governor’s Pedestrian Safety Initiative [http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/approved/20060918.html], both announced in 2006. SRTS is also included in the state’s Comprehensive Highway Safety Improvement Plan (CHSIP).

Complete Streets Policy

The NJDOT instituted a Complete Streets Policy in December 2009 and several municipalities in New Jersey have done the same. The Office of Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs held a day-long workshop on the policy for NJDOT managers and staff in June and again in August. A Complete Streets Summit for local stakeholders was held on October 22nd.