tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37712842.post6868571499624286368..comments2024-03-12T15:49:33.657-04:00Comments on Vision Zero NJ: Will a slight uptick in the economy mean a return to sprawl in New Jersey?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37712842.post-8752031990631614362014-11-20T02:49:36.478-05:002014-11-20T02:49:36.478-05:00Not quite Frank. Every open-space referendum has ...Not quite Frank. Every open-space referendum has passed in New Jersey as far as I can remember included the last one this past election day. This new referendum changed the state constitution and now creates a stable source of funding for open-space, parks and trails from the corporate income tax.Andrew J. Besoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03652399372790924762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37712842.post-79436787921041775702014-11-09T11:10:35.743-05:002014-11-09T11:10:35.743-05:00Much of the blame for this falls squarely on the N...Much of the blame for this falls squarely on the NJ voter. Wasn't there a major open space referendum some years ago that proposed raising the gas tax by some pittance, to help fund buyout of development rights? As I recall, it was soundly rejected.Frank Warnockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11325908927984960623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37712842.post-38443688541082166862014-11-03T21:56:58.287-05:002014-11-03T21:56:58.287-05:00Thanks for your comments. As an bicyclist and urb...Thanks for your comments. As an bicyclist and urban planner myself, and lifelong Jersey resident, the pattern I see is that the houses come first. These people likely work at pharma jobs in the Somerville / Morristown areas maybe Verizon in Bernardsville. Then more houses come till the point that commercial development becomes viable in these far flung areas. After the shopping comes, then the offices, then the higher density development and then all the cycling is shot to hell by this point! A good example of this is the North Branch area on Rt 22 in Somerset County.<br /><br />Yes, some of these people will commute to NYC but most just work at the offices on the I 287 ring. Andrew J. Besoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03652399372790924762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37712842.post-59255751550887766442014-11-03T13:14:18.287-05:002014-11-03T13:14:18.287-05:00As someone who grew up in South Jersey and now liv...As someone who grew up in South Jersey and now lives in one of the area's only actual charming old towns, I find this development extremely depressing. Does no one in New Jersey know what Strong Towns are about? Do New Jersey municipalities think that the federal government is going to be able to fund their sprawling infrastructure forever? All they're doing is making more towns that'll cost us all more money and from which every kid who's old enough to drive moves away from when they go to college. You look at people moving back to old towns in the state and you realize people here are absolutely insane.Josephnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37712842.post-17275801742091843672014-11-03T11:58:16.198-05:002014-11-03T11:58:16.198-05:00This is part of the "induced demand" cyc...This is part of the "induced demand" cycle. <br /><br />First, Christie steals the ARC tunnel money to widen NJ highways. <br />Second, less congestion on NJ roads leads people to expand commuting distances.<br />Third, developers start putting in McMansions, office buildings, and shopping malls in distant places.<br />Fourth, the next Christie widens highways again.<br /><br />Sadly, since the tax revenues from the new building aren't enough to pay for all the infrastructure to support those McMansions, we all pay a big price.<br /><br />For more on this: http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDx1000Lakes-Chuck-Marohn-The The Amateur Transporterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11004281174306673509noreply@blogger.com