Princeton Praised for Bicycling Policies in New Report

Princeton was praised in the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center’s first Bicycling Benchmarking Report for New Jersey, released on Wednesday.

Princeton was praised for “its high bicycle mode share among residents, its extensive off-road bicycle infrastructure, and bicycle-friendly policies” in the report.

Princeton was one of 10 municipalities the report says are exemplary in their investment in a safe and convenient bicycling environment.

In January, Princeton introduced an ordinance to replace parking for cars with bicycle lanes on Hamilton Avenue between Harrison Street and Snowden Lane.

That ordinance was subsequently tabled while the town works on a Master Plan for Biking.

Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert calls bicycling an integral part of Complete Streets and she endeavors to promote safe and responsible bicycling by providing suitable accommodations.”

The goal of the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center (BPRC) is to help create a safer and more accessible walking and bicycling environment through research and education.

It is supported by the New Jersey Department of Transportation through funds provided by the Federal Highway Administration. It is managed by the Voorhees Transportation Center’s (VTC) Pedestrian and Bicycle Practice Group at Rutgers University.

The report released on Wednesday highlights many of the benefits that come from implementing bicycle infrastructure and policies, and is designed to inspire municipalities across the state to examine their bicycling policies and compare them with other towns.

A total of 60 municipalities were surveyed on their level of spending on bicycling, their bicycle policies, and their implementation of programs such as Safe Routes to Schools and Complete Streets, among many other bicycle related metrics.

Other towns highlighted for their positive bicycle policies included Belmar, Chatham, Hoboken, Jersey City, Montclair, Newark, New Brunswick, Ocean City and West Windsor.

The report finds there is still room for improvement in bicycle policies throughout the state, including those that were praised.

To view the full report, click here.