Case Study:

NEW JERSEY TRANSIT (NJ TRANSIT) seeks to implement the South Jersey Bus Rapid Transit (SJBRT) system to provide high-quality transit service from the New Jersey counties of Gloucester and Camden, with direct connections to the cities of Camden, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

An Alternatives Analysis (AA) study, completed by NJ TRANSIT in 2012, identified the SJBRT system as the locally preferred alternative (LPA) for improving South Jersey’s mass transit system along a congested corridor that includes the Atlantic City Expressway, New Jersey Routes 42 and 55, Interstates 76 and 676, and downtown Camden and Philadelphia. The AA confirmed findings that both the heavy rail and the light rail alternatives face considerable barriers to implementation, as well as much higher costs, while the SJBRT system provides the benefits of light rail and is easier to implement at a lower cost. The proposed SJBRT system includes three major park and rides with approximately 1,600 new parking spaces, three miles of shoulder bus lanes, special BRT vehicles, new and upgraded station stops, real-time bus arrival information, off-board fare collection, and transit signal priority at selected intersections. Dedicated lanes for bus users during peak rush hours, technological innovations, fewer stops, and improved stations will give riders a transit experience that is quicker and more reliable than traditional bus service.

InGroup has been engaged to provide agency coordination and public outreach for the project, which is now in the environmental review phase, during which NJ TRANSIT will prepare a refresh of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment (EA) for the SJBRT system. Services provided by InGroup include:

• TAC Meeting Coordination
• Public Open House Coordination
• Website Design and Copywriting
• Outreach Documentation