A new report released today details the catastrophic path the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund is on, showing the Fund will run out of money by mid-2011 at the latest, placing road repairs, transit services and vital federal funds at risk. The 12-page analysis, titled, "Spiral of Debt: The Unsustainable Structure of New Jersey's Transportation Trust Fund," was written by Regional Plan Association in conjunction with Tri-State Transportation Campaign and New Jersey Future. It details revenue sources and expenditures, and shows how the nearly $900 million in tax revenues raised for the fund every year will, by next year, be dedicated entirely to paying off interest and principal on old debt.
(New York, NY) A new study released today by Regional Plan Association and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA compares how towns, cities and counties in the New York Metropolitan Region are planning for climate change and carbon reduction. Thirty municipalities participated in the survey, which asked whether a
series of fifteen climate action programs, including monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste, supporting alternative energy use, managing water and implementing transit-oriented development, were either in place or in planning stages.
A new study released today by Regional Plan Association examines how mayors from six communities in Connecticut and New York can revitalize their downtowns, promote transit oriented development, and provide residents with more walkable and livable communities. The 18-page report summarizes recommendations that resulted from a two-day-long intensive planning exercise in which the mayors of six cities, towns, and villages from New York and Connecticut worked with a resource team consisting of experts in planning, design, development, transportation, and landscape architecture. Each mayor presented his/her case study or specific problem to resolve, which was then followed by an hour and one-half brainstorming session about the solutions.
The Business Alliance for Northeast Mobility, a coalition of more than 30 chambers of commerce and civic organizations, urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Appropriations Chairman David Obey in letters today to increase funding in the economic stimulus bill for transit and rail - the backbone of the Northeast economy. Increased funding will put people to work making necessary rail improvements and ensure the long-term economic competitiveness of the Northeast Megaregion.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's blue-ribbon Commission on Sustainability unveiled its final set of recommendations today on ways the New York region, the MTA and the transit industry can become more environmentally sustainable. The report includes recommendations for policymakers and legislators in urban and suburban regions across the country, and those in the Federal government, interested in stimulating and greening the economy.
RPA released the findings of its 3rd Annual Long Island Mayors and Supervisors' Institute that was held at Adelphi University this past summer. The report details community design solutions produced by a resource team of experts that encourage transit-centered development in five Long Island downtowns, including Rockville Centre, Port Washington, Copiague, Speonk and Riverhead. Modeled on a national program and funded by the One Region Funders' Group, the Institute paired the resource team with four Town Supervisors and one Village Mayor over a multi-day work session.
A preliminary study released by the Regional Plan Association issues recommendations for how to revive water-dependent maritime uses and highlights their importance to the Region's economy and quality of life. The 47-page draft report for discussion, Making Waterfronts Work, lays out four major areas where steps can be taken to support maritime uses. These include preparing a regional inventory of such maritime uses; assessing maritime economic impacts and contributions; convening a regional forum of key decision-makers; and developing a toolbox of financial incentives and land use protections for local and state governments to employ to ensure the viability of this sector. Summarizing current research and synthesizing interviews with nearly 50 stakeholders, the report also found that port facilities throughout the region have declined significantly over the past six decades. The report was conducted in partnership with University of Rhode Island's Coastal Institute IGERT Project.
Are investments in parks and open space worth the price? A report just released by Friends of Hudson River Park, "The Impact of Hudson River Park on Property Values", demonstrated how about twenty percent of the value of properties in the two blocks adjoining the Hudson in Greenwich Village can be attributed to the Hudson River Park. Spread across all the properties in the study area, including those that did not change hands, the value attributable to the park is about $200 Million. The cost of building this section of Park: $75 million. Regional Plan Association conducted the data analysis in the report and was a member of the steering committee that directed the Report's conclusions. Friends are now assessing if a "Park Improvement District" might be used to assess the property owners to help pay for the Park's upkeep. 
Redevelopment, Mobility & Waterfronts
A discussion paper prepared for the Working Forum on Ferries, November 6, 2006.
Planning Workshop Convened to Develop Mayor Booker's 100 Day Vision for Newark.
October 18 - A report released today revealed that a well-designed program to allow developers to pay for the rights to build at greater densities than ordinarily allowed could help pay to save tens of thousands of acres of open space in the New Jersey Highlands region. According to the report, a transfer of development rights (TDR) market-based program could generate from $250 million to well more than $1 billion over a multi-year period to invest in open space with little or no public investment.
Regional Plan Association released a report on November
14, 2005, describing the many positive aspects of Moynihan Station. The
report was designed to inform a wider audience about the project and
focuses on its economic, transportation and historic preservation
benefits. The report was released at a meeting of the Fine Arts
Federation that featured a keynote address from Maura Moynihan,
Executive Director of the Friends of Moynihan Station.
A report released by RPA Monday warns of an impending transportation catastrophe and calls for reforming the way that transportation is funded in New Jersey. The study, entitled "Putting the Trust Back in the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund," notes the severity of the transportation funding shortage for both capital and operating expenses, and warns that without reform the Fund could easily empty to $0 again even after tax increases.
RPA is working with the Rauch Foundation and key stakeholders on Long
Island to produce an index that will measure Long Island's quality of
life and help achieve a consensus on problems and solutions among the
Island's leaders and citizens. RPA's primary role is to produce
research and analysis that will help articulate the issues agenda. As
an initial product, RPA has produced a Long Island Profile that
summarizes demographic, economic and environmental facts and trends.
RPA is also providing statistical and issues analysis to support a
series of quality of life polls and serves on the project's Advisory
and Technical committees.
In 1996 Regional Plan Association released A Region at Risk: The Third Regional Plan for the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut Metropolitan Area, published by Island Press. The Executive Summary of this landmark publication presents RPA's analysis of the Three E's (Economy, Environment and Social Equity) and proposes Five Campaigns (Mobility, Greensward, Centers, Workforce and Governance) for promoting quality of life in the tri-state area.
This is joint report by RPA and the Long Island Association that appear in Regional Plan News #116. 
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