The Regional Center Partnership of Somerset County has announced the launch of a new and more user-friendly web site that will better communicate the mission, goals, and accomplishments of the organization that serves as the interlocal planning forum for the municipalities of Bridgewater, Raritan, and Somerville.
The site may be accessed at www.rcpsomersetnj.org.
The easily navigated website will direct visitors to a full complement of information on the genesis, formation, purpose, and history of the Regional Center. The information also provides demographic data, lists of major employers, and describes completed projects, community grants, updates on current initiatives, completed studies, and future plans.
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Key components of the site that focus on planning, development, and the benefits of the Regional Center designation are:
• Links to the Regional Center Strategic Plan, the Suburban Disadvantage Economic
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Competitiveness initiative, and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Enhancement initiative
• An explanation of the Regional Center designation, a member list, and meeting dates and
location
• A list of community Challenge Grants and major projects
• Links to Annual Reports, Newsletters, resources and partner organizations, and a photo gallery
• Contact information
The Regional Center designation for Somerset County, approved by the New Jersey State Planning Commission in 1996, has provided a forum allowing the three municipalities to work together to plan development as a cooperative unit. The Somerset County Regional Center was the first designated multi-jurisdictional regional center in the state, serving as the focal point for enhanced planning and expedited public review.
BACKGROUNDER
The Somerset County Regional Center is the strategic center of the County consisting of 12.6 square miles encompassing Raritan Borough, Somerville Borough, and a portion of Bridgewater Township. The Center is connected by U.S. Route 206, U.S. Route 202, U.S. Route 22, State Route 28, and I-287
with public transit options and serves as the focal point of County government and the regional economy.
The Regional Center designation illustrates the State Planning Commission’s support for:
• encourages achievement of policy objectives in growth areas;
• enables development and redevelopment by reclaiming of brownfields;
• makes available priority funding for economic and community programs that provide for
assistance with redevelopment in existing downtown business districts, new infill
development opportunities, and residential and non-residential development along major
highway and mass transit corridors;
• will foster establishment of more effective mass transportation linkages and may provide priority funding for key intersection and corridor improvements and improved pedestrian accessibility;
• support for linear open space concepts, for the planning and design of new and existing active recreation facilities, for passive open space acquisitions, and for new and existing historic preservation and revitalization programs.
