Route
9 Corridor Master Plan
Ocean
County
Background
The Route 9 corridor between South
Toms River and Tuckerton Borough
in Ocean County is a two-lane rural
roadway which runs parallel to the
Garden State Parkway and provides
the only alternate north-south route
in the county. Route 9 serves as
an important connection among the
various townships and boroughs along
the Atlantic shore. Over the last
20 years, Route 9 has experienced
rapid suburban development and tourism
related pressures that have created
tremendous traffic congestion and
safety concerns along the corridor.
Project
description
The Route 9 Corridor Master Plan is an
excellent example of the NJFIT initiative
providing a holistic context sensitive
approach to the entire corridor by examining
and making integrated transportation,
land use and design recommendations.
This study relied on an extensive public
outreach process that included the formation
of a strategic advisory group, a series
of stakeholder interview sessions and
interactive design workshops to identify
issues, opportunities and potential solutions
for the corridor. The study divided the
corridor at Ocean Township into two-halves:
the north corridor (11 miles) and the
south corridor (19 miles). Through this
public process, specific transportation,
land use and community character/economic
development and environmental goals were
developed for the two sections of the
corridor. There goals were translated
into six corridor guiding principles
that provided the framework for the Route
9 Corridor Master Plan. These guiding
principles included:
- Balance regional mobility
and local access needs
- Focus on improving
capacity where it counts
- Reconnect and enhance
the transportation network
- Strengthen community
character
- Provide alternatives
to the car
- Match growth to infrastructure
limitations
The Route 9 Corridor Master
Plan provides descriptions,
detailed recommendations
and example design illustrations
to support each principle
throughout the corridor.
Twenty-four specific action
items to reduce the congestion
and improve the safety
on Route 9 as well as to
enhance the quality of
life for residents along
the corridor are grouped
into four different categories
(network enhancements,
transit enhancements, roadway
improvements and land use
modifications) and provided
as a conclusion to the
Master Plan document.
 |
 |
Illustration
of recommended urban
enhancements in Tuckerton |
Project
status
The Route 9 Corridor Master Plan and
a Route 9 Corridor Coalition Agreement
for voluntary participation by corridor
municipalities in plan implementation
were completed in 2005. Berkeley
Township is advancing
its Master Plan for
development of a town
center along Route
9. Improvements
for the intersection of Route 9 and Ocean
Gate/Korman Roads were completed in 2010.
Final design plans
for the Route 9 and
Lacey Road intersection
have been completed. |
The Route 9 Corridor
Master Plan is well
into implementation. |
NJFITness
goals advanced by the Route
9 Corridor Master Plan
are rated on a scale of
one to three stars, with
three stars indicating
the most strongly pursued:
The
NJFIT tools that are
most applicable to this
project are starred:
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