Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements for Two New Brunswick Populations. Final group project for Dr. Pucher's Bike-Ped Seminar, Fall 2011, Rutgers Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Authors: Jonathan Hawkins, Aimee Jefferson, Dorothy Le, David Nelson, Tiffany Pryce, Sofia Recalde

2. Bicycling’s New Image

3. The “unseen” population
…where’s everybody else?

4. Bike Infrastructure Inequity - NYC

5. Bike Infrastructure Inequity - NYC

6. A Tale of Two Bikeways
GOAL
Create equitable bicycle and pedestrian
corridors in New Brunswick to ensure all
residents have access and receive the benefits
of cycling infrastructure and resources
distributed by the city.

7. Study Area and Corridors

8. Considerations for
New Brunswick Residents
Access to Access to jobs
Low-moderate and transit
campus
income
Language
Bicycle
barriers
infrastructure
needs
Bicycling as a
Basic bicycle
positive status
education Stigma of bicycling
symbol/culture
Rutgers Local New Brunswick
Students Residents

9. New Brunswick Demographics
Key Demographic Data for New Brunswick, 2010 Census
Population, 2010 55,181
Black persons, percent, 2010 16.0%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2010 49.9%
Foreign-born residents, percent, 2010 35.5%
Residents who speak other language than English, percent* 50.5%
Non-native English speakers who speak English well, percent * 29.2%
Non-native English speakers who speak Spanish or Creole* 87.0%
Per capita income in past 12 months* $17,391
Median household income* $45,645
People of all ages in poverty, percent* 25.6%
Owner-Occupied Households, percent 23.9%
Source: US Census, 2010; *American Community Survey 2005-2009

10. Rutgers Student Body
Characteristics of Rutgers Student Body
Academic Year 2010 - 2011
Total Enrollment 38,912
Undergraduate 30351
Graduate 8912
Undergraduates who live on-campus, percent 44.2%
White 16,915 (47.6%)
Asian 7,929 (22.3%)
Latino 3,525 (9.9%)
Black 2,699 (7.6%)
International 2,117 (6.0%)
Other (includes multi-race/ethnicity and unknown) 1,608 (4.5%)
American Indian 41 (0.1%)
Source: Rutgers University Headcount Enrollment Fall 2010 & Common Data Set: 2010-11, http://oirap.rutgers.edu/;

11. Percent households earning
less than $25,000 annually
Source: 2005-2009 ACS

12. Percent Latino/Hispanic
Source: 2010 Census

13. Percent Spanish speakers who reported
speaking English “less than well”
Source: 2005-2009 ACS

14. Percent Black/African American
Source: 2010 Census

15. Percent individuals who walk to work
Source: 2005-2009 ACS

16. Percent individuals who take public
transit to work
Source: 2005-2009 ACS

17. Focusing on Rutgers Students…

18. Evaluation
• Existing:
– Groups: Outdoors Club,
Rutgers Cycling Team, WBBB
– Survey results
– Master Plan:
• "Of central importance is
College Avenue itself"
• More housing behind Student
Center and College Avenue Gym
• Long term:
– Bicycle Friendly University
status
– Bicycle Master Plan
– Ped/Bike advisory board
Image credits: League of American Bicyclists (top 2)

19. The Master Plan
Proposed campus bike College Avenue Campus
network
Image credit: Rutgers University
Image credit: Rutgers University Master Plan
Master Plan

20. Mode Choice Shift
Current College Ave Potential College Ave
Mode Choice Mode Choice
Car
10% Car*
10% Bus
Bus
Bicycle 12%
23%
4%
Walk
Bicycle 28%
Walk
50%
63%
*No data collected for car shift
• 51% of College Ave students would replace within-campus bus trips with bike-share trips
• 55% of College Ave students would replace within-campus walk trips with bike-share trips
*Source: Knight Biking Studio

21. Education
• Short term:
– Repair classes
– Group rides
• Long term:
– Skills classes
– Collaborate with
enforcement
– Create bicycle repair
space
• GSA has pump
• Outdoor Club’s “The
Image credits: WBBB (top), Stanford
(left), Rutgers Cycling Club (bottom)
Shed”

22. Encouragement
• Short term:
– Register bike and get free
lights (Stanford)
– Bike route map in
welcome packet
– Fun rides (Critical Mass)
• Long term:
– Commute Club:
incentives for motorists
(Stanford)…and bus
riders?
Image credit: movementbureau.blogs.com (top), SF
Weekly (web) (bottom)

23. Campus Commuting (all campuses)
NJ Transit or Bicycle Other
other non- Local shuttle 1% 0%
Rutgers Bus 1%
Service Walk
1% Train 10%
Vanpool
3%
0%
Droppoed off by
someone not going
to campus
1%
Don't commute to
Carpool or dropped campus
off by someone 45%
going to campus
1%
Drive car
37% Overcrowded buses 
Need for alternative
transportation
Image credit: Knight Riding studio
*Source: 2010 Rutgers University Transportation Survey

24. Enforcement
• Short term:
– “Fix-It tickets”
(Davis)
– Target certain areas
• Long term:
– Bicycle citation
diversion classes
(Davis, Pima etc.)
– Motorist
education classes
(Northwestern)
– Vulnerable
Roadway User
law (Oregon)

25. Engineering
Short term Long term
– Bike racks – Separate facilities
• Prioritization list – Close off campus core
• Make more secure (Davis)
– Make bike racks more – Codify into Master Plan
secure
Image credit: VERTICES, LLC

26. College Avenue

27. College Avenue

28. College Avenue Perspective

29. Route 18 Trail Link

30. Huntington Street Split

31. Brower Plaza

32. Brower Plaza Perspective

33. R U Hungry Plaza

34. Chelsea Traynor Memorial Bridge

35. Focusing on local New Brunswick residents…

36. Pedestrians and Bicyclists as an Afterthought

37. Challenges of Bicycling in Low Income
Communities (LIC)
- Biking is seen as a recreational activity
- Concern for personal safety
– Wide roads, cars drive at high speeds
– Higher rates of crime
– Quality of physical environment
• Dimly lit streets
• Lonely areas, vacant lots
• Poor road/sidewalk conditions

38. Additional Challenges to LIC
• Initial Costs – $100+
• “Where do we put them?”
• Stigma that biking is for the poor

39. Potential Benefits to LIC
• Minimal maintenance costs
• Increased flexibility
• Accessible to the non-licensed
• Positive health impacts

40. Transportation to Work Mode Share
0.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30 Whites
Blacks
0.20
Latinos
0.10
0.00
Car, truck, or van - Car, truck, or van - Public transportation Walked Taxicab, motorcycle, Worked at home
drove alone carpooled (excluding taxicab) bicycle, or other
means
Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey

41. Increasing City-Wide Cycling
• Community
Organizations
• City Government
• Rutgers University

42. Partnering with Local Organizations
Unity Square Partnership

43. New Brunswick Government
• Infrastructure improvements
• Bicycle plan
• More bike racks
• Improved lighting, roads
• Increase presence of law enforcement
• Safe Routes to School

44. French and Suydam Corridor

45. French St and Joyce Kilmer Ave

46. French St and Joyce Kilmer Ave

47. French St Cross Section

48. French St and Bayard St

49. French St and Bayard St

50. Suydam St Cross Section

51. French St and Suydam St

52. French St and Suydam St

53. Suydam St and Commercial Ave

54. Suydam St and Commercial Ave

55. Town-Gown Relationships
• Civic Engagement and
Service Education
Partnerships (CESEP)
• Ralph W. Voorhees
Center for Civic
Engagement
55

56. Light Up New Brunswick
A Bike Light Giveaway
Program

57. New Brunswick Rides
Bicycle Ambassador Program
• Ambassadors from different
neighborhoods
• Bicycle Safety Education
• Promote “Share the Road”
spirit
• Appear at local events
• Public outreach at schools,
senior centers, cultural
centers
• Monthly rides

58. New Brunswick Bike Hub

59. The End
Questions?