NJ Transit Looks to Continue to Partner on TOD Projects

NEWARK—After a number of successful projects and a recent outreach to developers for a project adjacent to its Aberdeen-Matawan and Bayonne stations, NJ TRANSIT says it is renewing its focus on Transit Oriented Design developments, and is encouraging local community partners interested in new development to learn more about opportunities with the agency.

“NJ TRANSIT is committed to Transit Oriented Development, which combines quality housing and robust shopping and dining with the advantage of easy access to rail and bus service to other communities,” said NJ TRANSIT president & CEO Kevin Corbett. “We encourage any local government interested in sustainable and environmentally sensitive growth to reach out to NJ TRANSIT about opportunities to work together in a mutually beneficial partnership.’’

Under Corbett and with the support of NJ Department of Transportation Commissioner and Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, NJ TRANSIT is working to ensure the communities it serves get the most out of mass transit. By tying mixed use developments to the organization’s rail stations and bus lines via transit-oriented design, municipalities can enhance their residents’ quality of life by providing not just local neighborhood amenities but easy access via NJ TRANSIT to the incredible resources available in the Garden State, the agency states.

NJ TRANSIT touted a number of prior TOD projects including The Link at Aberdeen Station, which was officially opened to the public in October 2018, with a combination of apartments, stores, restaurants and walkable access to the Aberdeen-Matawan Station. The project was a partnership between NJ TRANSIT, Aberdeen Township and the developer BNE.

In April 2019, the Borough of Matawan announced a new mixed-use development adjacent to the Aberdeen-Matawan Rail Station. The development, which will be on seven acres of NJ TRANSIT-owned land along the New Jersey Coast Line, is part of an extensive transit-oriented development project spearheaded by Matawan since 2001. A call for developers to express their interest went out in May.

Soon after, the City of Bayonne and NJ TRANSIT announced on June 25th a collaboration to create an innovative new mixed-use development along the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR). The development is slated to be built on four and a half acres of NJ TRANSIT owned land adjacent to the Bayonne 34th Street Station.

Last month, NJ TRANSIT announced a partnership with Somerset Development LLC to create a vibrant, new mixed-use Transit Oriented Development (TOD) project through a sale and lease agreement with the developer for land adjacent to the Somerville Train Station with access to the borough’s revitalized and bustling downtown. In addition to the new neighborhood, the developers will construct a new road that will connect State Route 206 with the rail station to provide easier access to mass transit for a significant portion of western Somerset County.

NJ TRANSIT has identified additional opportunities for similar TOD projects in Bordentown, Bound Brook, Camden, Hoboken, Trenton, and other communities throughout the Garden State. Municipal leaders interested in learning more about how NJ TRANSIT can support their community with Transit Oriented Design should contact Sean Massey, Director of Transit Oriented Design, at smassey@njtransit.com.

To promote transit-oriented development opportunities on and near NJ TRANSIT properties, NJ TRANSIT has developed a website to host project documents for interested bidders and members of the community to access. The website, at https://www.njtransitdevelopment.com/, launched in May with the Matawan project’s Request for Qualifications. Interested developers and builders should visit the site regularly as it will be the prime location for posting of upcoming opportunities to bid on NJ TRANSIT-related development projects, the agency notes.