Township Projects
Route 94 Access Management Plan Updates

March 27 , 2006
The Route 94 Highway Access Management Plan Work Group met for the last time on February 27, 2006. A draft document has been completed and currently under review by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. A presentation on the status of the Access management Plan (AMP) was made to the Township Council for their information on March 27, 2006.

The AMP document identifies optimal access locations which future development must accommodate. These locations are based on traffic generation, projections and the geometry of the roadway. Future road improvements have been incorporated into the draft document. Land use projections along with traffic generation calculations have been considered and serve as the basis for access locations and management. The AMP process provides for the preservation of roadway mobility, safety and operations along the Route 94 corridor.

January 11, 2006
The Route 94 Access Management Plan is nearly completed. Monthly meetings of the Study Work Group have been ongoing since August, 2004. Data collection and analysis of highway segment traffic counts have been finalized. Traffic projections along with traffic generation calculations have been completed and analyzed to estimate traffic impacts and the need for road improvements and traffic signal locations. Additionally, optimal access locations will be identified and proposed for approval prior to development plan approvals. Future land uses have been reviewed to determine the future highway capacity and associated road improvements. It is expected that the Route 94 roadway width would be increased to accommodate left hand turning lanes and deceleration lanes to facilitate right turns without stopping traffic and creating longer travel times. There are no plans to widen the roadway to four lanes. Other local and County roads are being evaluated for alternate routing. The project is anticipated to be completed by March, 2006.

June 30, 2005
The Route 94 Highway Access Management Plan Work Group has been diligently meeting every month to review the progress made by Maser Consulting. Existing driveway and potential future driveway locations have been evaluated. New development applications including concept plans presented by developers have been reviewed for consistency with NJDOT criteria.

The Township has requested that the NJDOT consider amending the contract with the New Jersey Office of Smart Growth and New Jersey Department of Transportation to extend the contract through December 31, 2005. Additional time would be needed to further evaluate the effect of development in the Hardyston Township area accessing the Route 94 corridor.

The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 25th at 2:00 p.m. in the Council Meeting Room. Anyone interested in attending or have any questions about the study should contact Fred Suljic, Project Manager, in the Office of the Township Manager at 973-764-4055 x 2289 or e-mail at fsuljic@vernontwp.com.

October 13 , 2004
Vernon Township has been awarded grant funds from the New Jersey Office of Smart Growth (OSG) and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) to prepare a Highway Access Management Plan for the entire section of State Highway 94 throughout Vernon Township from Hardyston Township to Warwick, New York. Vernon is the third municipality Statewide to participate in a State sponsored and funded Highway Access Management Plan project. This initiative addresses one of the action items identified in Vernon's Town Center Implementation Plan. Access Management Plans provide for a comprehensive action plan to control and regulate the locations and number of access drives onto Route 94. This process helps to balance the need to preserve roadway mobility, safety and operations in anticipation of the Mountain Creek Resort development plans and future land development along the Route 94 corridor.

Access Management Plans are intended to avoid uncoordinated planning and access permits which lead to excessive access points and future deterioration of roadway operations. Also, public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian circulation opportunities will be considered.

The study corridor width extends 1,000 feet on either side of Route 94. The Plan will examine the development potential of underdeveloped lands and determine what transportation impacts may occur on Route 94.

The Township chose to take the lead in managing the study. The study will take 12 months to complete. A work group comprised of township personnel, business owners, citizens, representatives from State transportation agencies, County Engineer's Office and N.J. Department of Transportation staff meets every third (3rd) Monday at 2:00 p.m. in the municipal council meeting room to review monthly progress with the Township's traffic engineering consultant - Maser Consulting.

Anyone who wishes to attend or has questions may contact Fred Suljic, Project Manager, in the Office of the Township Manager at 973-764-4055 ext. 2289 or e-mail at fsuljic@vernontwp.com.