NJDOT designates the
City of Orange as new Transit Village

(Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced the designation of Orange City’s Orange Station area as the state’s 20th Transit Village. The City of Orange was awarded $100,000 as a part of its designation.

“I congratulate the City of Orange for taking the initiative to revitalize its community through transit-oriented land use planning and redevelopment,” said Governor Jon S. Corzine. “This Transit Village designation can stimulate Orange’s economy and improve quality of life.”

The Transit Village initiative strives to redevelop and revitalize communities around mass transit stations to make them an appealing choice for people to live and work, thereby reducing reliance on the automobile and strengthening local economies. The benefits of Transit Village designation include the state’s commitment to municipal redevelopment, eligibility for NJDOT Transit Village grants, priority status for state funding, technical planning assistance, and coordination among state agencies as part of the state's inter-agency Transit Village Task Force.

The Transit Village initiative designates municipalities with a bus, train, light rail station or a ferry terminal that have embraced a Smart Growth vision. That vision includes opportunities for growth and economic revitalization; a commitment to compact, mixed-use development; a strong residential component including affordable housing; and jobs, restaurants, arts and entertainment and preservation of a rich architectural character within walking distance of a passenger transportation facility. The Transit Village initiative seeks to bring more housing, businesses and people into communities with mass transit stations.

Applications for Transit Village designation are accepted on a rolling basis. The Transit Village Task Force reviews applications and makes recommendations to the NJDOT Commissioner, who has final approval of designations. NJDOT, NJ TRANSIT, the Commerce and Economic Growth Commission, the Council on the Arts, the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Economic Development Authority, the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, the Office of Smart Growth, Main Street New Jersey and the Redevelopment Authority serve on the Transit Village Task Force.

The Transit Village initiative began designating municipalities in 1999. Pleasantville, Morristown, Rutherford, South Amboy, South Orange, Riverside, Rahway, Metuchen, Belmar, Collingswood, Bloomfield, Bound Brook, Cranford, Matawan, New Brunswick, Journal Square/Jersey City, Netcong, Elizabeth and Burlington City have been designated.