GMTMA Mobility Minute
By Greater Mercer TMA
GMTMA Mobility MinuteApr 18, 2022
Episode 15: Season Finale
We’re looking back on the highlights of our successful 15-episode run. In this recap, we’ll talk about the concepts we’ve learned, the amazing people we had on our show, and how we can all get involved in making transportation safer, easier, greener, and more human-centric in Mercer and Ocean County. Because this episode is so information-heavy, we’re compiling all the links and resources you need in our blog.
On the Move (GMTMA Blog Post): https://gmtma.org/resources-from-mobility-minute/
Thank you to our guests being so generous with their time and for sharing their expertise and experiences with us. Thank you to you, our dear listeners, for supporting this podcast week after week!
Contact Us
Did something pique your interest? Visit our website gmtma.org, DM us on Instagram @mobilityminutepod, or reach out to Greater Mercer TMA at tma@gmtma.org for queries, comments, and feedback.
Greater Mercer TMA is social!
Twitter: @gmtma
Facebook: @gmtma
Instagram: @greatermercertma
Episode 14: What is a 15-Minute City?
Today's explainer covers the basics of a 15-minute city concept and talks about the benefits of compact development. This short but sweet episode discusses how building denser, more resource-rich neighborhoods and cities can improve access, economic sustainability, air quality, quality of life, equity, and public health.
Contact Us
Did something pique your interest? Visit our website gmtma.org, DM us on Instagram @mobilityminutepod, or reach out to Justine Recio from the Greater Mercer TMA at jrecio@gmtma.org for queries, comments, and feedback.
Greater Mercer TMA is social!
Twitter: @gmtma
Facebook: @gmtma
Instagram: @greatermercertma
Episode 13: How do we advocate for a more bikeable and walkable region? with Sonia Szczesna
Sonia Szczesna is an urban planner, community activist, avid cyclist, and the Director of Active Transportation at Tri-State Transportation Campaign. She joins us today to talk about bike-ped advocacy, transportation safety, and community activism. We explore different ways to get involved from the hyperlocal level and to the policy level in New Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia area--- joining community groups, showing up to public meetings, and joining county action teams. She also talks about her work with Circuit Trails for Mercer County and how building more bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure can save lives.
Want to Get Involved? Reach out to one of the groups below:
- https://www.trentoncycling.org/
- https://wwbpa.org/
- https://www.circuittrails.org/
- https://www.visionzero4nj.org/
Episode 12: How do we make public transit more equitable? with Jerome Horne
As one of Mass Transit Magazine's 40 Under 40 in 2020, Transit Center's Jerome Horne is one of the brightest stars in the transit space and the Twitter realm today. He joins us for a long, incredibly insightful talk about public transit and its impact as a tool for equity, healing, and social change. In 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement and the pandemic shed some light on longstanding issues around race, transportation, and equity in our communities. We talk about how we can move forward together to improve in the way we provide service and shape ridership experience, to actively work towards inclusivity in transit leadership, and prioritize providing a sense of dignity and security for people who use public transit.
Jerome also talks about his unique path to planning, how the field of Urban Planning has space for everyone, and how we can inspire each other to make our cities a better place to live in.
CONTACT INFO & RESOURCES
Jerome is @jahorne on Twitter and Instagram. You can also find him on LinkedIn. Visit the Transit Center's website to learn more about their work. (www.transitcenter.org)
- Equity in Practice: A Guidebook for Transit Agencies (2021) - https://transitcenter.org/publication/equity-in-practice-a-guidebook-for-transit-agencies/
- Transit Equity Dashboard (New!) - https://dashboard.transitcenter.org/
Episode 11: How do we apply traffic demand management (TDM) in our neighborhoods? with Justin Schor
How do we maximize traveler choices in our neighborhoods, especially suburban and semi-urban communities? Do high-density developments cause traffic congestion? How do we reduce car trips and empower people to walk, bike, and take transit locally? We talk to Justin Schor of Wells and Associates (DC) Justin Schor is the co-head of Wells + Associates’ Transportation Demand Management practice about real-life applications of transportation demand management (TDM).
Find out more about Justin Schor from Wells + Associates website.
Get the book, Building a Multimodal Future: A Book for Everyone Who Works with TDM Policies.Episode 10: What is TDM?
What comes to mind when you think of solutions to traffic congestion? Underground tunnels? High-speed pod transportation? Elon Musk? The real solutions are simpler, less costly, more environmentally-friendly, and much more effective than that. 😊🌱🎙
In a world plagued by 'soul-crushing' traffic congestion, our quality of life can be vastly improved by finding alternatives to getting around by car. Our episode today explores the vast range of transportation demand management strategies, and talks about how everyone benefits from a TDM approach.
Special Episode: A Conversation with Jeff Perlman
You asked, we delivered--- we're diving deeper into my conversation with Jeff Perlman, Director of Planning at the NJTPA (North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. We talk about Jeff’s path from molecular biology to urban planning, as well as his experiences and ideas about planning in a world changed by the pandemic. Jeff is also an adjunct professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, so he shares some valuable lessons about the history of planning.
Episode 9: What are Some Challenges and Benefits of Electric Vehicle Adoption? with Sean Greene
Sean Greene (DVRPC) returns to answer some critical questions about electric vehicle adoption. Electric vehicles are an imperfect but impactful solution to some of our biggest environmental and transportation challenges-- they can help us reduce our dependence on non-renewable fuel and energy sources and significantly improve our regions air quality. We also take time to discuss some of the bigger picture questions, like where EVs fall in the grander scheme of sustainability, climate change, and conservation.
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) helps municipalities and counties plan for and develop workplace and residential charging infrastructure. Their tool, the DVRPC/UC Davis Electric Vehicle Planning Toolkit is an interactive, map-based tool that can help map EV distribution and projected demand. The DVRPC also has a rich library of resources about electric vehicles below:
- Electric Vehicle Information Clearinghouse: https://www.dvrpc.org/EnergyClimate/ElectricVehicle/
- Electric Vehicle Resource Kit for Municipalities: https://www.dvrpc.org/energyclimate/alternativefuelvehicles/evmuniresource
Episode 8: How Is New Jersey Getting Ready for Electric Vehicles?
Conversations around electric vehicles (EV) have been hot and happening in the last year. New Jersey is leading the charge for EV adoption with big goals for electrification and infrastructure development by the year 2030. This episode will explain how New Jersey is working towards electric vehicle adoption and will explore some of the incentives and benefits available to New Jerseyans looking to shift towards EV adoption.
We've compiled all these resources in a reference list for you: gmtma.org/episode-8-resources-electric-vehicle-nj/
Episode 7: How do we start making our streets safer for all people? with Leigh Ann Von Hagen
March is Women's History Month! We're joined by Leigh Ann Von Hagen, a powerhouse of a woman and planner who has dedicated her talents to sustainability, environmental justice, and improving New Jersey transportation systems to be safer and more accessible for all people. We talk about how to advocate for the changes we want to see, and where to find the resources we need as we challenge status quo. Leigh Ann has over twenty year of experience in the transportation-planning field with a focus on developing sustainable and equitable transportation and land use solutions for communities. She is Managing Director and Adjunct Professor with the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center and a founder of the Planning Healthy Communities Initiative at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Leigh Ann manages the NJ Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School Resource Center and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center, and helps oversee the statewide School Crossing Guard Training program.
Here's where to find the resource centers mentioned in this episode:
To contact the NJ Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center:
Telephone: (848) 932-2899
Fax number: (732) 932-3714
Email: bikeped@ejb.rutgers.edu
Or reach them on Twitter @njbikeped!
To contact the Safe Routes Resource Center:
Telephone: (848) 932-7901
Fax number: (732) 932-3714
Email: srts@ejb.rutgers.edu
Episode 6: What makes a Walkable and Bikeable Neighborhood?
Surging gas prices have many of us wondering why we can't live on our cities without relying on cars. This week we're talking about Complete Streets Policies and the conditions that make car-free or car-reduced lifestyles a real, viable option for people.
Complete Streets in Ocean County and Mercer County NJ: gmtma.org
Learn more about Complete Streets here: saferoutesnj.org/complete-streets-in-new-jersey/
Contact Us
Did something pique your interest? Visit our website gmtma.org, DM us on Instagram @mobilityminutepod, or reach out to Justine Recio from the Greater Mercer TMA at jrecio@gmtma.orgfor queries, comments, and feedback.
Greater Mercer TMA is social!
Twitter: @gmtma
Facebook: @gmtma
Instagram: @greatermercertma
Episode 5: Who's In Charge of Clean Air? with Sean Greene
Today's episode is about air quality and the intersection of transportation and the environment. We have Air Quality Programs Manager, Sean Greene, from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) joining us today for a conversation about the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and how we can collaborate to do that in creative and meaningful ways.
Learn more about what the DVRPC does to mitigate air pollution here: dvrpc.org/airquality
Curious about the policies and programs that we talk about in this conversation?
- Clean Air Act: epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview
- Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program: fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/cmaq/
Contact Us
Did something pique your interest? Visit our website gmtma.org, DM us on Instagram @mobilityminutepod, or reach out to Justine Recio from the Greater Mercer TMA at jrecio@gmtma.orgfor queries, comments, and feedback.
Greater Mercer TMA is social!
Twitter: @gmtma
Facebook: @gmtma
Instagram: @greatermercertma
Episode 4: How Do We Start Driving Less?
Can you imagine a world without cars? No? What about a world with less cars on the road? Our episode today provides simple, easy, and sustainable ways to reduce your dependence on cars. We talk about walking, cycling, carpooling, and taking public transit, and how you can start today.
Carpool Resources: Go to njrideshare.com to register and find a match. Visit gmtma.org/rideshare for more information or call us at (609) 452-1491 ext. 224 to speak to someone.
Mobility Guides for Mercer County and Ocean County, NJ: gmtma.org/mobility-guide/
GMTMA offers travel instruction too! Contact sdacosta@gmtma.org to arrange for a travel training program.
Contact Us
Did something pique your interest? Visit our website gmtma.org, DM us on Instagram @mobilityminutepod, or reach out to Justine Recio from the Greater Mercer TMA at jrecio@gmtma.orgfor queries, comments, and feedback.
Greater Mercer TMA is social!
Twitter: @gmtma
Facebook: @gmtma
Instagram: @greatermercertma
Episode 3: Why Does Traffic Congestion Happen?
Today’s episode of Mobility Minute is about something that affects many New Jerseyans and millions of people all over the world. Why does traffic congestion happen in the first place? Is road widening a real solution? And if it isn't, what can we actually do to alleviate traffic congestion and its harmful outcomes? All this and more, answered on Mobility Minute.
Contact Us
Did something pique your interest? Visit our website gmtma.org, DM us on Instagram @mobilityminutepod, or reach out to Justine Recio from the Greater Mercer TMA at jrecio@gmtma.org for queries, comments, and feedback.
Greater Mercer TMA is social!
Twitter: @gmtma
Facebook: @gmtma
Instagram: @greatermercertma
Episode 2: Who Makes Transportation Planning Decisions? with Jeff Perlman
Transportation planning affects everyone, whether they know it or not. Ever wonder who calls the shots? We've invited guest speaker Jeffrey Perlman, Director of Planning at the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) to talk about how transportation planning works on a regional and local level in New Jersey. We talk about different components of regional planning as well as who gets to be part of the planning process.
Learn about the NJTPA's Plan 2050: Long Range Plan and how it affects what goes on in your neighborhood here: https://www.njtpa.org/Planning/Plans-Guidance/Plan-2050.aspx
Contact Us
Did something pique your interest? Visit our website gmtma.org, DM us on Instagram @mobilityminutepod, or reach out to Justine Recio from the Greater Mercer TMA at jrecio@gmtma.org for queries, comments, and feedback.
Greater Mercer TMA is social!
Twitter: @gmtma
Facebook: @gmtma
Instagram: @greatermercertma
Episode 1: What is Greater Mercer TMA?
Welcome to Mobility Minute, a bite-sized podcast for people On The Move. This episode is an introduction to Greater Mercer TMA, what we do, and why we do it. Join podcaster and transportation planner Justine Recio every week as she and guest speakers talk about transportation, urban planning, and sustainability in Mercer and Ocean County, New Jersey and beyond!
Contact Us
Did something pique your interest? Visit our website gmtma.org, DM us on Instagram @mobilityminutepod, or reach out to Justine Recio from the Greater Mercer TMA at jrecio@gmtma.org for queries, comments, and feedback.
Greater Mercer TMA is social!
Twitter: @gmtma
Facebook: @gmtma
Instagram: @greatermercertma