About the Document
This is a report titled "15-Minute Neighborhoods: A Pathway to Creating Healthier, More Just, Resilient, and Sustainable Communities in New Jersey", published in April 2024. Its authors are Jon Carnegie, June Greeman and Jacob Thompson of the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University. It was prepared by the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center for the New Jersey Climate Change Alliance, the NJ Climate Change Resource Center, the New Jersey State Policy Lab and The Nature Conservancy. Its subject is how a multi-goal planning framework can achieve carbon-neutral transportation choices while supporting healthy, just and resilient communities.
The 15-Minute Neighborhood Concept
- The report describes 15-minute neighborhoods as places offering easy access to parks, schools, gathering places, social services, healthy fresh food and other amenities within a comfortable walk or bike ride.
- In urbanized settings, they also provide frequent and reliable public transit.
- The report stresses that destinations alone are not enough; a safe, convenient and climate-resilient network of walkways, bicycle facilities, traffic calming, green infrastructure and lighting is also needed.
Methodology
- Phase 1 included a literature review, a national thought leaders' webinar with over 100 participants, desktop data analysis for eight New Jersey counties, and eight county stakeholder workshops attended by 150+ participants.
- Phase 2 worked with three municipalities representing urban, suburban and rural place types: Newark (Essex County), Cherry Hill Township (Camden County) and Bridgeton (Cumberland County), with three graduate planning studio teams in Spring 2023.
- Stakeholder interviews were held in Bridgeton and a public workshop in Cherry Hill; resident workshops in Newark and Bridgeton had low attendance.
Key Findings
- Many residents in the three case study communities live within a 15-minute walk of amenities, and almost all live within a 15-minute bike or e-bike ride.
- Safe pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure was lacking in all three communities, and road widths were often too wide for cars only, which stakeholders identified as an opportunity for road diets.
- Too much impervious surface was observed in all three case study locations, particularly Bridgeton and Newark.
- Existing zoning was identified as an impediment to complete 15-minute neighborhoods in all eight counties and the three case study communities.
Vision and Targets for 2050
- The report sets a vision for a healthier, more just, resilient and sustainable New Jersey.
- Aspirational targets include enabling 80% of residents to live in complete 15-minute neighborhoods, building 10,000 miles of protected bicycle lanes, reducing per-driver VMT 30% by 2035 and 50% by 2050, and expanding tree canopy to 40% in every municipality.
Planning and Policy Recommendations
- The report proposes ten recommendations, including embracing the 15-minute model in the state plan update, a statewide VMT reduction strategy, a statewide protected bicycle lane network, a statewide e-bike incentive program of up to 50 percent of purchase price, and expanded green infrastructure.
- Other recommendations address zoning reform, climate adaptation and more effective government decision-making.
Why It Matters for New Jersey Urban Policy
The report sets out its vision and recommendations for state and local leaders, metropolitan planning organizations, transit agencies and advocacy organizations working on New Jersey's communities, and it calls for a communications strategy to build public support for the changes it proposes.