The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission announced recipients for its Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) grant program and Collingswood has been awarded $72,000 as part of a multi-municipal application with Haddon Township for a Bicycle and Pedestrian Enhancements Master Plan.
TCDI funding focuses on linking land use and transportation planning. The goal of the Collingswood and Haddon Township Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan is to develop a bicycle and pedestrian network that helps to further connect the two communities with a specific focus on travel to the Haddon Avenue corridor and other assets throughout the two communities.
Also, the study will look at the best way to create a seamless, safe and reliable bicycle and pedestrian network between the municipalities of Collingswood and Haddon Township will facilitate and encourage both utilitarian and recreational travel by walking and bicycling. Smart planning will maximize multimodal connections for visitors, commuters and residents to assets including NJ Transit bus connections, the PATCO Speedline, Zip Car (located in Collingswood), The Camden County Spine Trail, various public park trails, The Camden Greenway and The Circuit Trails of Greater Philadelphia and ultimately the East Coast Greenway.
“Striving for more walkable and connected downtowns has been a goal of ours and a big part of our success as we’ve grown,” said Collingswood Mayor James Maley. “This grant will help connect a lot of the final dots and fill in areas that will streamline transportation between streets and towns for all users.”
“Haddon Township is excited to partner with our neighbor in this effort to not only create links between our two communities but also to encourage more sustainable ways to travel to and from our towns and throughout the region,” said Haddon Township Mayor Randy Teague.
Additionally, public input is a major factor in the effort. Community outreach, including surveys and public meetings, were listed as specific tasks in the grant application with the goals of analyzing conditions and getting feedback from residents and community groups of all backgrounds and abilities to identify and address problem areas for pedestrians and cyclists. The grant team’s goal is to create a plan that will meet current and future demands for safe and sustainable modes of transportation accessible to as many people as possible.
About Collingswood: Collingswood is a historic NJ town 10 minutes outside Philadelphia. Known for its eclectic downtown and BYO restaurant scene it has taken home national recognition including being named the Best Small Town Food Scene in America by USA Today, a Top 10 Transformed Community by Forbes, the Best Place to Go Car Free by Men’s Journal magazine, a Classic Town of Greater Philadelphia by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and a Great Place in America (Haddon Avenue) by the American Planning Association. For more information visit www.collingswood.com.
