Access to Opportunity
State transportation agencies across the country are uniting around the concept of pursuing the next groundbreaking initiatives in transportation, referred to as the Moonshot vision.
Community-Centered Transportation Vision
A transportation system focused on connecting communities, moving people and goods, and meeting customer needs at all scales, from local to global – delivered as a partnership between state departments of transportation and other public, private and civic partners. – AASHTO – NCHRP20-24(138)A.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has joined other states to focus on the concept of Access to Opportunity, specifically to help address the transportation needs of ALICE in New Jersey.
So, who is ALICE?
ALICE describes households or individuals who are employed and make just enough money to be above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), but not enough to pay for basic expenses. ALICE households span all races, ages, ethnicities, and abilities, however, ALICE households disproportionately tend to be households of color. ALICE often includes essential workers and workers with two or more jobs who live paycheck to paycheck and must make impossible choices, like whether to receive healthcare or buy groceries. Nationally, there were 35 million ALICE households in 2022. Here in New Jersey, 26% of total households were ALICE.
ALICE households depend on transportation to connect with community and to reach jobs, school and childcare, healthcare, stores, and social services. However, transportation access can be unreliable, inflexible, and limited.
ALICE in their own words:"Transportation is an issue also... Not everybody has a car, and even if you do, that gets expensive. It's not just gas, it's car insurance and AAA (American Automobile Association) and all the extras. So, [residents] might sacrifice their vegetable intake to save money by not driving to a grocery store further away."
"If you're not on the main road and you miss the bus, that's it. You won't be getting there."
"Transportation is... a real problem. If you don't have your own vehicle, then your ability to get to any of the services that are available is relying on public transportation... there is very minimal public transportation or resources that are provided through programming that, again, are being stretched thin because there's only so much to go around."
"There are stretches of roads where there's not even access to the buses. There's a shuttle that you have to pay for, and it doesn't run all the time. I think transportation has always been an issue for our county [Atlantic], because our county is so big and that it's always been an issue."
NJDOT's Moonshot Approach
To address the transportation issues prevalent among the ALICE population across New Jersey, NJDOT plans to employ several strategies. The Department’s vision centers around a cultural shift towards a community-centered approach that will look to meet community needs through partnerships with public, private, academic and civic sector participants.
- This approach will align with Complete Streets policy, requiring that future roadway improvement projects include safe accommodations for all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders and the mobility impaired.
- Elements of project design will weigh the effects a project may have within a community and evaluate elements that can benefit ALICE populations.
- Through the entirety of the project delivery process, starting with concept development, the Department will serve as transportation advocates for ALICE communities.
- NJDOT, through the Division of Local Aid, is uniquely positioned to leverage its grant administration capabilities to tailor grant programs specifically to address this mobility issue.
- By supporting innovative and impactful projects, the Department can help eliminate some of the effects of transportation gaps and inflexible transportation services felt by ALICE households, and provide ALICE individuals with broader career, social, educational and medical care opportunities.
- NJDOT has launched a pilot competitive mobility grant program, called the Transportation Accessibility & Mobility Program (TAMP), for southern New Jersey. The program will fund transportation projects that enhance accessibility, expand services, improve efficiency and flexibility, and open pathways to alternate modes of travel in the target region. The goal is to evaluate the pilot program to see how it can be replicated.
- The Department’s focus on the mobility insecurities being experienced by ALICE individuals has deepened our understanding of who ALICE is and has also heightened our awareness of the transportation challenges impacting our own workforce. This increased awareness has initiated mitigation efforts within the Department.