The Township of West Orange, New Jersey, participated in the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) Complete Streets Technical Assistance (CSTA) Program in 2020. The CSTA Program selected eight municipalities to receive up to $10,000 in technical assistance to advance complete streets projects. This report identifies several recommendations to promote walking as a means of travel and improve the pedestrian experience along a corridor on the eastern edge of West Orange, adjacent to Washington Elementary School and a business district. This report calls for improving pedestrian conditions along the corridor; addressing missing signage and parking concerns; re-imagining the intersection of Main Street and Washington Street; and providing safe access to Washington School through a bicycle boulevard concept on neighboring roadways.
The recommendations in this report were developed using a collaborative process with municipal employees and township stakeholders. The process included a virtual Walkable Community Workshop (WCW) that was held on July 29, 2020. A follow-up public meeting was conducted on September 17, 2020 to collect feedback before finalizing the recommendations. Both meetings were conducted virtually rather than in-person due to COVID-19.
The lessons learned by all participants during the virtual workshop can be applied to other municipal- owned roadways in West Orange. The field audit form, information about the NJTPA’s Street Smart NJ pedestrian safety education program and a list of potential funding resources can be found in this report’s appendices. These resources can be used to conduct other walking audits and projects within the town.
Read full report: West Orange: Washington St., Main St., & Franklin Ave. Walkable Community Workshop (2020)
