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Milford Borough Joins Statewide Pedestrian Safety Campaign

Milford Borough Joins Statewide Pedestrian Safety Campaign

Mayor Henri Schepens has announced that Milford Borough will be the latest Hunterdon County community to conduct a Street Smart NJ pedestrian safety education campaign aimed at reducing pedestrian-motor vehicle crashes. Street Smart NJ is a collaborative effort between public, private and non-profit organizations.

Milford Borough will work with goHunterdon to educate people who are driving and walking. Special emphasis will be on speeding and the use of crosswalks.

“Milford is a walkable community,” says Mayor Schepens. “Our children walk to school and residents walk to the post office and shops for local errands. Visitors enjoy strolling through our quaint town to visit our local businesses. We have teamed up with goHunterdon to educate both pedestrians and motorists to make them aware of their roles in ensuring everyone’s safety.”

Street Smart NJ is one of many initiatives in New Jersey working to help the state reach its goal of zero pedestrian fatalities. The campaign reminds people that everyone has a role to play in making our streets safer. Drivers need to obey speed limits and stop for people crossing; people walking need to use crosswalks (marked and unmarked) and cross with the signals; and everyone needs to avoid distractions.

The Milford Borough campaign launched on April 25 and will continue into May. During the campaign educational materials will be on display in Milford, through local businesses, public locations, and via social media. Street Smart NJ messaging will be visible on street signs, table tents, brochures, posters, coasters, and take out coffee sleeves. Window clings will displayed in storefronts to remind pedestrians to use crosswalks. And, just in time for the new plastic bag ban, reusable Street Smart NJ branded shopping bags will be distributed within the community.

The statewide Street Smart NJ campaign is managed by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) and began in 2013.

The Milford Borough Street Smart NJ campaign is the fourteenth (14th) campaign conducted in Hunterdon County. Prior campaigns include Califon Borough, Town of Clinton, Flemington Borough, Frenchtown Borough, High Bridge Borough, Tewksbury Township, and the City of Lambertville. More information about Street Smart NJ campaigns in Hunterdon County may be found: https://www.gohunterdon.org/bike-ped-programs/street-smart-nj/overview

Businesses, organizations and individuals interested in helping to promote the Street Smart NJ message in Milford Borough should contact Ryan Fisher, goHunterdon Safety Programs Coordinator, rfisher@gohunterdon.org.

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Municipal Officials Charged Up by Electric Vehicle “Breakfast Talk”

Municipal Officials Charged Up by Electric Vehicle “Breakfast Talk”

goHunterdon and the Hunterdon County Department of Planning and Land Use hosted a virtual “Breakfast Talk” on New Jersey’s Model Statewide Electric Vehicle (EV) Municipal Ordinance on March 11, 2022. Approximately 48 local municipal representatives participated in the session which was held via Zoom.

Panelists included Maria G. Connolly, PP, AICP, Local Planning Services, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Mark Warner, ChargeEVC, Cathleen Lewis, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Andrea Friedman, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, and Joe Lustig, Raritan Township Environmental Commission.

“The virtual ‘Breakfast Talk’ format is a great way to share useful, timely information about topics of concern with our municipal partners,” said Carrie Fellows, Director of the Department of Planning & Land Use. “We’re delighted to partner with goHunterdon for this program on the new EV Ordinance, and bring this panel of experts to a Hunterdon County audience.”

The Model Statewide Municipal Electric Vehicle (EV) Ordinance was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy in July 2021 and published by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs on September 1, 2021. The law requires that Electric Vehicle Supply/Service Equipment (EVSE) and Make-Ready parking spaces be designated as a permitted accessory use in all zoning or use districts and establishes associated installation and parking requirements related to EVSE in New Jersey’s 565 municipalities.

The intent of the model statewide ordinance is to ensure that municipalities are requiring installation of EVSE and Make-Ready parking spaces in a consistent manner and also to provide an ordinance that can be easily used by every municipality with no or minimal amendments by the municipality.

The model statewide ordinance is mandatory and is in effect for all municipalities. Municipalities are allowed to make changes to the “Reasonable Standards” portion of the ordinance through the normal ordinance amendment process, but may not change the parts of the ordinance that were required by the legislation (installation and parking requirements). For municipalities with existing EV ordinances, the statewide ordinance supersedes those requirements.

A recording of the March 11 session is available on goHunterdon’s YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/GdbPTmdPN-Y

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Students to Complete in Electric Vehicle Challenge

Students to Complete in Electric Vehicle Challenge

goHunterdon’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Challenge program engages Hunterdon students in grades 6-8 to learn about alternative energy and electric vehicles by designing, building, and racing electrically powered model cars.  Students learn about the environmental impacts of fossil fuels and how electric vehicles offer an alternative to the traditional combustion engine used in many cars.

More than 440 students at nine (9) Hunterdon schools (Kingwood Township School, East Amwell Township School, Woodglen School, Alexandria Middle School, Immaculate Conception School, High Bridge Middle School, Reading Fleming Intermediate School, Franklin Township School, and Readington Middle School) are participating in the program this school year. Lessons on greenhouse gases, vehicle emission, and climate change are interspersed with lessons on design, engineering, gear ratios, and prototype building.

Students have been tasked with transforming a few components including a motor, wheels, axles, and a battery pack into a unique and functioning model race car. Beyond these materials, students may use anything they like to build their vehicle. The only two required materials that must be used are the battery pack and motor; everything else is fair game.

Student teams from several participating schools will convene for a countywide race in May to determine the fastest electrically powered model vehicle.

The Hunterdon Electric Vehicle Challenge is made possible with the financial support of sponsors 3M, Green Power Energy, and ExxonMobil Research & Engineering.

For more information on the EV Challenge: https://www.gohunterdon.org/sustainable-hunterdon/ev-challenge

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Hunterdon to “Welcome Cyclists” During Bike Month

Hunterdon to “Welcome Cyclists” During Bike Month

May is National Bike Month, promoted by the League of American Bicyclists and celebrated in communities from coast to coast. Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling.

goHunterdon will celebrate National Bike Month by welcoming cyclists to Hunterdon County.

“Hunterdon County has become a premier bicycling destination within the region,” says Caryl Harris, goHunterdon Bicycle Specialist. “Hunterdon County’s winding country roads, open spaces, trails, mountain biking, and gravel routes offer something for cyclists of all ages, abilities, and interests,” she notes.

The theme for Hunterdon County Bike Month 2022 will be “Cyclists Welcome”, with a number of efforts planned to attract bicyclists to Hunterdon County for the spring and summer cycling season. “goHunterdon has promoted bicycling within Hunterdon County under our “Bike Hunterdon” initiative for the several years,” says Tara Shepherd, Executive Director. “The Bike Hunterdon website offers a wealth of information on various bicycle routes, bike shops, and amenities that bicyclists will enjoy when they ride in Hunterdon County.”

“We’ve updated the website with new bicycle routes, new bike shops and clubs, as well as places to stay, eat, and socialize while riding in Hunterdon County,” says Caryl Harris.  “Many of the new routes include stops at local breweries, wineries, and farm markets,” she notes.

Throughout the month, social media will be used to promote Hunterdon’s bicycling assets. A crowd sourcing campaign will help goHunterdon to identify businesses and destinations that are particularly welcoming to cyclists. “We’ve created an online form that can be used to nominate businesses that offer the types of amenities that support bicycling~ availability of bike racks, grab and go food items, access to restrooms, and offering water for refillable water bottles,” says Harris.

“We’ll continue to promote the “Pedal and Park” Bike Rack Loan Program to local businesses,” says Harris. The program offers businesses a portable bike rack on loan for a period of up to one month to evaluate if a bike rack would be used and of value to the business. “And, we will continue to compile an inventory of available bike racks across Hunterdon County for listing on the Bike Hunterdon website,” she notes.

Supporting bicyclists is good for the local economy. A study by the Outdoor Industry Association (2017) found that bicycling participants spend $83 billion nationally on ‘trip-related’ sales (bicycle tourism).

“The theme of “Cyclists Welcome” coordinates with Hunterdon County’s new tourism initiative, Explore Hunterdon, The Other Side of Jersey. “Outdoor recreation is a major component of tourism in Hunterdon and bicycling is a huge part of that. We’re known for our scenic rides and the Bike Hunterdon initiative continues to do a great job getting the word out to cyclists everywhere,” says Marc Saluk, Hunterdon County Economic Development Director.

Special presentations and promotions are planned throughout the month as part of Hunterdon County Bike Month. Follow Bike Hunterdon on social media for more information:  facebook.com/groups/bikehunterdon and instagram.com/bikehunterdon