Regional Center of Somerset County Outlines Next 5 Years

By Rich Reitman

The Regional Center Partnership 2015 “Visioning Session” was held at the Somerset County Park Commission Headquarters in Bridgewater with participants from the Partnership Board and key stakeholders.

The results of the Workshop will help direct the organization’s agenda for the next five years. The specific objectives were to determine the current priorities and issues on which the Regional Center Partnership will focus its resources. Of key consideration are the Regional Center communities’ relationship to the Somerset County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and the Somerset County Priority Growth Investment Areas (PGIA).

Facilitating the meeting was Courtenay Mercer, New Jersey Director for the Regional Plan Association (RPA). The main topics for the breakout sessions were Transportation Linkages, Economic Competitiveness, and Recreation, Tourism, & Health.

Chairman Troy Fischer led off the session stating that it is time to assess the Regional Center’s accomplishments since the adoption of the 2006 Regional Center Strategic Master Plan and determine the steps to be taken through 2020. He noted that times have changed, land use patterns have shifted, and the Millennial generation has created new demands, all requiring a greater resiliency on local and regional levels.

Ms. Mercer introduced the RPA’s Fragile Success study that describes the vulnerability of the metro region, highlighting factors that should be considered when defining the Regional Center’s five-year plan.

She noted that the average household income in the region has declined in the last 25 years at a faster rate than the national average with discretionary income dwindling and an affordability crisis approaching. Job growth has yet to reach pre-recession levels and major infrastructure projects have taken too long and have generally come in well over budget. Commuting between New Jersey and New York is facing a crisis with peak hour capacity now at 24 trains per hour. With the potential closure of one tunnel for necessary repairs sometime in the next 20 years, capacity will be reduced to six trains per hour.

The session outlined issues to be addressed in the next 5 years that will help support the Regional Center mission of providing leadership, technical support, and assistance to the county and three municipalities that will shape planning policies to ensure that the Regional Center will continue to be the premier location to live, work and recreate.

Among the most obvious topics to be addressed will be the need to define alternative transportation sources for people movement both locally and regionally. In addition to the stated problems getting to and from New York City, there are issues of “The Last Mile” connectivity from local train stations to the work place and the increasing demand for bike/pedestrian mobility.

There is also a need to explore alternative funding sources for infrastructure improvements, safety initiatives and marketing, including renewed stress on health and wellness initiatives. With a renewed focus on resiliency, the Regional Center of Somerset County will serve residents effectively and efficiently for the next five years.