EASYriderSafety AwAreness

FALL/WINTER 2011-12

Driving Distractions

& how YOU can avoid them!

AlsO insiDe, Behind the scenes at PatCO Complete Streets in NJ NJ Safe Routes to School

EASYrider

Treat your employees to sweeter commute alternatives!

www.driveless.com

EMPLOYERS,

carpool • vanpool • train • bus • shuttle

This Cross County Transportation Management Association advertismement is funded by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.

The Federal Government and the State of New Jersey assume no liability for the contents

Our FREE services will help your employees find the commute method that is right for them, improving morale, increasing productivity and adding to your opportunities to recruit from a new or larger geographic area.

4A Eves Drive | Suite 114 | Marlton, NJ 08053

EASYrider

This Cross County Connection Transportation Management Association publication is funded by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. The Federal Government and the NJTPA assume no liability for the contents.

CROSS COUNTY CONNECTIONTRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

4A Eves Drive, Suite 114Marlton, NJ 08053ccctma@driveless.comP (856) 596-8228F (856) 983-0388

www.driveless.com

NONPROFIT ORG.PRESORTED STANDARD

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

Cherry Hill, NJPermit No. 241

sPeCiAl eDiTiOn

Driving Distractions

Scan the QR tag with your smart phone for easy access to driveless.com!

PublisherCCCtMa

Marlton, NJ

Creative DirectorJoseph Wilson

Graphic DesignerBrandi Kerekes

Contributing WritersGraydon Newman

Dacid CalarediSaiful

Marianna SperryJohn Hainswor th

Copy editorJosef Wilson

Ronda UrkawitzLauren Mnasfield

Copy editorLauren Mansfield

This Cross County Connection Transportation Management Association publication is funded by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. The Federal Government and the NJTPA assume no liability for the contents.

EASYrider

4a evens Drive | Marlton, NJ 08053 856.596.8228

www.driveless.com

Board of Trustees Officers:

Carol Ann Thomas, President* Burlington County Dept. of Engineering

Alan Maiman, Vice President*NJ TRANSIT

Thomas M. Howell, P.E., Treasurer*Taylor Wiseman & Taylor

Barry J. Lem*

Vincent CorteseNJDOT - Region South Operations

General Manager*Delaware River Port Authority/PATCO

Sandra BrillhartUSDOT, Federal Highway Administration

Kevin Becica*Camden County Department of Public Works,

Division of Engineering, GIS

Richard Orth, P.E., P.P. Secretary*Orth-Rodgers & Associates, Incorporated

Thomas CzernieckiEvesham Township

Juhan Runne, Esquire*Archer & Greiner

John WardDel. Valley Regional Planning Commission

* Executive Committee Member

Cross County Connection Staff:

William J. Ragozine, Executive Director

Ronda R. Urkowiz, Program Director

Joseph Wilson, Marketing Director

Mari S. Svoboda, Office Manager

John A. Hainsworth, Senior Transportation Specialist

David Calderetti, Commuter Services Coordinator

Saiful Alam, GIS Specialist

Graydon Newman, Transportation Specialist

Lauren Mansfield, Marketing Outreach Specialist

Brandi Kerekes, Graphic Artist

Marianne E. Sperry, Administrative Assistant

Rachele Gaspari, Administrative Assistant

Cross County Connection will assist communities at no cost with the following SRTS elements: Travel Plans - Document existing conditions- Identify assets, barriers, goals and actions - Outline responsibilities and funding sources

Bike/Walk Events & Education Assistance- Walking School Buses- Bike Rodeos - Assemblies- Safety education and “How To” teaching materials

Evaluation and Monitoring- Establish baseline of existing conditions- Student arrival/departure counts - Parent/Caregiver surveys- Measure progress and adjust program as needed

SRTS Infastructure ProgramNJDOT offers local governments and schools a grant program for the planning and implementation of pe-destrian and bicycle infrastructure projects near schools. This is a highly competitive program and communi-ties who participate in non-infrastructure programs and activities, such as SRTS Travel Plans, School Wellness programs and school walk/bike activities may receive extra points on their grant applications.

If your community would like to participate in the SRTS program or obtain more information, please call 856-596-8228 or contact:Ronda R. Urkowitz, P.P., AICP, Program Director at Urkowitz@driveless.comDavid Calderetti, Commuter Services Coordinator at Calderetti@driveless.comLauren Mansfield, Marketing Outreach Specialist at Mansfield@driveless.com

Cross County Connection

(SRTS)

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Features

Landscape of DistractionDriving, riding, walking.

Bike Crash PreventionIncluding bike safety tips.

Pedestrian safetyfind safe footing...

Anti-idlingIdling & your Health.

seatbelt safetyDon't forget the backseat!

the excuses Behindnot Using seatbelts

CCCTMA on the scene

sustainable Jersey

Complete streetsLesson Learned.

Trip Chaininganother option to save time & money.

right of PassageHow we choose to travel.

Journey to workHow did you get to work today?

Air Quality Partnership

2011 Behind thescenes @ PATCO

there is more to PatCO than you thought! Check out our exclusive visit to the PatCO headquarters where we got a deeper look into the mechanics and workshops that keep PatCO running, clean and neat! pg: 10

the New PennsaukenTransfer station

The first phases of construction to build a new rail transfer in Pennsauken is near completion. follow the story here! pg: 16

South JerseysrTs

New Jersey's Safe Route to School Program is part of a nationwide effort to make walking and bicycling to school safer and more accessible for children. pg: 17

EASYrider

interested in receiving CCCTMA news and publications electronically?Just email us at CCCtMa@driveless.com to

sign up for forthcoming e-publications!

1016

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The FirsT PhAse OF COnsTrUCTiOn to build a new rail transfer

station in Pennsauken, Camden County is nearing completion. Officially

named the Pennsauken Transit Center, the site will be a true multi-modal

transportation hub that is accessible by rail, bus, car, bicycle, and on foot. Fi-

nal plans include a 280-space parking lot, bus pickup and drop off area, as well

as bicycle lockers and racks. Once the station opens to the public in early 2013

passengers will be able to transfer between the Atlantic City Rail line and the

River LINE light rail using newly constructed rail platforms which will finally

link the two rail services.

Construction of the transit center is spread over two phases. Phase I of the

project, which is almost complete, includes the River LINE elements such as

a 200 foot platform with an overhanging canopy as seen in the photo. Phase

I work also calls for the installation of ticket vending machines, a security

system, platform lighting, and other amenities for River LINE passengers.

The seCOnD PhAse of the project includes construction of the neces-

sary infrastructure to move passengers between the elevated Atlantic City

Rail line and the River LINE platform below. Two-story platforms 300 feet

in length will be built on both sides of the Atlantic City Rail line in order to

facilitate the arrival and departure of passengers on the elevated right-of-way.

Staircases will provide access to the elevated platforms along with two eleva-

tors to allow disabled passengers free movement between the Atlantic City Rail

platform and the River LINE platform below.

Phase II also includes the construction of a 280-space parking lot for com-

muters as well as a dedicated bus drop-off area for connecting services. Ame-

nities at the site include the installation of a passenger communication system

to alert riders of possible delays in service. Derousse Avenue will also receive a

facelift with improvements such as resurfacing, curb cut-outs, crosswalks, and

on-street lightning. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2012 and

the Pennsauken Transit Center is scheduled to open for service in early 2013.

PennsAUken TrAnsiT CenTerPhase i Construction Nears Completion

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£¤130

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River R

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Derousse Ave

Westfield Ave

Sherman Ave

Cove Rd

River L

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AC Rail

¬«73

River Rd

Betsy Ross Bridge

36th StreetStation

Pennsauken/ Route 73 Station

Pennsauken Transit Center

16

The Pennsauken Transit Center will be located on Derrouse Avenue in Pennsauken just off of River Road where the two rail lines cross over each other at the base of the Betsy Ross Bridge.

The

A 280-space park and ride lot will be paved in the open area shown here.

follow the on-going updates of the re-decking of the Walt Whitman Bridge @ driveless.com!

by: John Hainsworth

LandscapeTURN

ENGINESOFF!

Leaving a motor vehicle running releases

a large amount of pollution into our

Earth’s Atmosphere?

Every gallon of gas used produces about 19 pounds of carbon dioxide!

Did You Know that...

School Bus drivers in New Jersey have pledged to not idle their vehicles more than three

minutes - for the benefit of the children’s health!

Diesel exhaust contains a likely cancer -causing particle known as soot.

1

2

3Diesel exhaust worsens asthma, bronchitis, existing allergies and may contribute to decreased lung function, lung cancer and heart disease.

4

Anti-Idling Tips:

Turn engines off if idling more than three minutes!Use Commute Alternatives:

Try to avoid congested roads when possible!

Learn more @ driveless.com

Walk, Ride a Bicycle, Bus, Train or Carpool

( It also poisons our plants & animals! )

Source: http://www.nj.gov/dep/stopthesoot/index.htm

fects of cell phone use still significantly impairs driving behavior. The

impairment results in a phenomenon called “inattention blindness.”

This blindness mutes the awareness of important visual information,

such as the presence of stop signs and braking behavior of surround-

ing traffic.

States such as New Jersey have made strides towards reducing dis-

tracted driving by passing laws banning the use of hand held mobile

phones while driving. Despite those efforts, the most significant con-

tributing circumstance to traffic fatalities in New Jersey continues to

be “driver inattention,” which includes distracted driving. One could

argue that regulation has not yet been able to effectively deter dis-

tracted driving because

distractions like cell

phone calls and even the

purchase of movie tickets

are still legally permitted.

Even if the necessary

regulation was present,

could it be enforced?

These are important questions, but there are a few things we already

know. In an increasingly diverse landscape of distraction, a driver’s

primary responsibility is still safety. Efforts to reduce the distractions

available to drivers are extremely important, but the driver will always

be the last and most important step in safe driving behavior. Just

because you can reserve your favorite table at a local restaurant as you

merge across six lanes of traffic, does not mean that you should.

Henry Ford produced the iconic Model T for nineteen years with such

luxury features as a speedometer gauge, headlamps, and…a top. In the

intervening 84 years, cars have gotten faster, safer, more fuel efficient,

and more comfortable, but are recent technological innovations starting

to make less sense for drivers?

The amount of technology available in automobiles has quickly

increased in the last 15 years. One would now be hard pressed to buy

a new car without a host of electronic gadgets from DVD players to

in-dash computers. However, these amenities, including GPS units, cell

phone integration, and digital music players all compete for one limited

resource: driver attention. Just as we are answering the question of

“what electronic options can be offered to drivers,” we need to ask “what

electronic options should be used by drivers?” The automobile industry

is fiercely competitive, and somewhat unsurprisingly the most successful

U.S. automaker in recent years, Ford Motor Company, has also developed

one of the most widely used infotainment software systems called Ford

SYNC. Using this system and others like it which are offered by nearly

every automaker, drivers may make phone calls, get directions, and even

stream music. With some in-dash software systems like Toyota’s Entune,

you can even make a restaurant reservation or get movie tickets. Just

how safe these systems are, however, has been a matter of debate.

When Ford is questioned about the safety of SYNC, the company has

pointed to a Ford-commissioned 2009 study performed by the Virginia

Tech Transportation Institute. This study found that using the voice-

controlled SYNC software was safer than manually operated hand-held

devices such as cell phones and digital music players. While this may

certainly be true, it does not mean that making calls or sending text mes-

sages using this system is safe, only that it is less unsafe than behavior

that claimed nearly 1,000 U.S. lives in 2009.

A study performed by the University of Utah has found that the use of

both hands-free and hand-held cell phones presented a significant safety

risk to drivers and the general public. In fact, this study found that the

driving impairments were identical with both hands-free and hand-held

cell phone use. These researchers also found that the impairments of

using a hands-free or hand-held cell phone can be as profound as the

impairment of driving drunk. Much of this is due to the “cognitive

impairment” resulting from cell phone use. Even though a driver may

have their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, the distracting ef-

Distractionby: Graydon Newman

The Delaware Valley Air Quality Partnership wants to remind you of the

effects that poor air quality has on our health and the actions that can be

taken to reduce air pollution in our region. The partnership has launched

a new website to help spread this important message and provide resources

for employers and residents to take action and improve the air we all

breathe. Visit the partnership’s new website for more information how your

company can join and help improve air quality in our region:

http://www.airqualitypartnership.org

Don’t forget that you can also receive daily air quality forecasts year-

round free of charge. The Enviroflash alert system sends automated

email and text message alerts when unhealthy air quality is forecast.

These daily air quality forecasts can be used as a guide to limit sports

or outdoor activities when ozone levels are unhealthy. It’s also impor-

tant to do your part to reduce pollution on Air Quality Action Days

by following the recommendations below.

TAke ACTiOn TO reDUCe winTer TiMe Air POllUTiOn!

• Take Transit - ride the bus, train, subway or trolley to work

• Rideshare - join a carpool or vanpool

• Many summertime tips to prevent air pollution can also be done in the

winter to help reduce particle pollution.

• Use wood stoves and fire places wisely and sparingly. If you must burn

wood, burn only untreated hardwood in a properly maintained stove.

• Refrain from burning trash or yard waste. Burning your garbage out

doors can release toxic particles into the air harming the health of your

family and neighbors

• Don’t “top off ” your fuel tank. This is never a good idea, no matter

what time of day. Spillage adds about two tons of pollution a day to

our air.

• Turn off your engine when you stop your car for a minute or more.

• Get regular engine tune-ups and car maintenance checks.

(This is a year round recommendation.)

To sign up for Enviroflash alerts and for further information on how you can help improve the air we breathe visit Cross County Conneciton’s Air Quality page at www.driveless.com or the Delaware Valley Air Quality

Partnership’s website at: http://www.airqualitypartnership.org

Air Quality Partnership Launches New Website

2 15

The

ofDistraction

Distracted Driving claimed nearly 1,000 lives in 2009 alone!

LIkE MOST TRANSPORTATION CHALLENgES, BICYCLE

CRASHES ARE CAUSED BY MANY FACTORS AND

HAvE jUST AS MANY METHODS OF PREvENTION.

SAFETY EFFORTS LIkE DRIvER EDUCATION, BETTER

BICYCLE FACILITY DESIgN, AND BICYCLIST TRAININg

ALL WORk TOgETHER TO INCREASE SAFETY BY

ADDRESSINg THE THREE PARTIES OFTEN INvOLvED

IN BICYCLE ACCIDENTS – THE BICYCLIST, THE DRIvERS

AROUND THEM, AND THE BUILT TRANSPORTATION

ENvIRONMENT IN WHICH THE CARS AND BICYCLES

TRAvEL. WHILE BICYCLISTS AND DRIvERS ARE

USUALLY THE ONLY ONES MENTIONED IN CRASH

REPORTS, THE BUILT TRAvEL ENvIRONMENT CAN

PLAY A BIg ROLE IN EITHER CONTRIBUTINg TO OR

PREvENTINg AN ACCIDENT.

Three of the most common types of bicycle accidents even have names: 'Right Hook', 'Left Cross,' and 'Broadside'. The following outlines a few things bicyclists, drivers, and those responsible for creating and maintaining transportation facilities may do help prevent these all-too-common accidents.

RIgHT HOOkA Right Hook takes place when a car overtakes or nearly overtakes a bicycle, then makes a right turn directly in front of the bicyclist.

BICYCLISTS: Make sure you are visible. Use a headlight and taillight (even in daytime), wear reflective clothing or accessories, and equip your bike or helmet with a mirror to increase your awareness of surroundings. Avoid riding in a right turn lane unless you are making a right turn. Do not ride up alongside a vehicle with the expectation that they are aware of you. Position yourself so that you are visible to surrounding cars.

DRIvERS: Be aware of your surroundings. Check your mirrors and blind spot when turning to make sure that a bicycle is not “hiding” around your car. Use your turn signal to ensure that others around you are aware that you are going to turn.

TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS: Where appropri-ate, place “Share the Road” signs and/or pave-ment markings to help increase motorist aware-ness of bicycles. Where bike lanes are present, consider adding dashed bike lanes, or “skip stripes,” through the intersection if not already present and right-turn-on-red restrictions for motor vehicles. Avoid routing bike lanes to the right of right-turning motor vehicles.

LEFT CROSSA Left Cross occurs when a car makes a left turn directly in front of, or into a bicyclist.

BICYCLISTS: Similar to previous, be sure you are visible to other roadway users. Try to make eye contact with drivers in opposite lanes to make certain that they see you. If you are unsure that the driver sees you, make sure that you have adequate stopping room to prevent being hit. Avoid passing vehicles on the right, or riding to the right and be-hind a car where you are not visible to oncoming traffic.

DRIvERS: Again, be aware of your surroundings. Do not try to “beat the light” when turning left. Make left turns with the expectation that there may be a bicycle or pedestrian crossing your path.

TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS: “Share the Road” signs and pavement markings, and “skip striped” bike lanes through intersections may both be used to increase motorist awareness of bicycles.

PREVENTIONCrash

BROADSIDE CRASHA Broadside crash is one in which a bicycle or motor vehicle fails to properly yield the right of way and car strikes the bicyclist or vice versa.

BICYCLISTS: Ride with, not against, the flow traffic on the right side of the road. Obey traffic controls at intersections such as stop signs and traffic lights. Use caution when approaching driveways and cross streets even if you have the right of way. If it is safe to do so, consider taking the full lane to increase your visibility and room to maneuver. Also, take the previously mentioned measures to increase your visibility.

DRIvERS: Use extra caution when exiting driveways and anticipate vehicles travelling on the far right hand side of the roadway. Just as above, obey traffic controls at intersections such as stop signs and traffic lights.

TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS: Consider including rotated bicycle symbols in bike lanes that are ori-ented to motorists exiting or turning into driveways. If appropriate for the roadway context and orien-tation of driveways, examine placing bike lanes on the left side of a one-way street. All of the engineering and signage treatments listed above are currently permitted by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices and may be implemented immediately.

Bikeby: Graydon Newman

Right Hook Left Cross Broadside Crash

nationwide, but overall those who choose to bike account for barely 1% of the commuting population.

With this in mind, is there anything you can do differently on your commute? The other options are closer than you think. There may be a bus or train you can take instead of driving into the city. Choosing a responsible mode of transportation doesn’t only apply to your commute. How about a quick bicycle ride to the corner store on a Sunday morning instead of driving to pick up the paper? Biking when fewer drivers are on the road is a great way to get started.

For the most part, it comes down to choice. Many of us choose to drive alone, yet have access to public transportation. Many of us can walk or bike, but we choose to drive alone instead. We are creatures of habit, yet have the ability to exercise free will. Not only do we have the ability to choose what is convenient, but what is responsible. The next time you get in your car think about that choice and some of the other options that are available to you. Some of the options out there just might surprise you.

Journey to Work

HOW DID YOU gET TO WORk TODAY? Hopefully you carpooled, took public transit, or if it was nice out you decided to walk or ride a bike. But, chances are you drove alone. Most of us choose to every day even with other options readily available. Deciding to use an alterna-tive mode even one day each week is a good start. Let’s take a look at how we choose to commute compared to the rest of the county. Using the most up-to-date census information available we created a chart showing the modes of travel that commuters commonly use.

The mode split of commuters in New Jersey is compared side-by-side with Philadelphia and the United States as a whole. Not surprisingly, driving alone is far and away the most popular mode used. The national rate of driving alone is at 76%, which is similar to the observed rate of commuters in New Jersey (72%). The percent of those who drive alone in Philadelphia is barely over 50%, which in comparison is much lower and speaks volumes of the amount of transit service in the city.

New Jersey commuters choose public transit 10% of the time, which is almost double the national average. This can be attributed to the robust transit services available throughout the state. In fact, NJ TRANSIT is still the nation’s largest public transportation system and seamlessly connects with other transit systems across many state boundaries. Philadelphia commuters choose public transit at a very high rate as public transit accounts for over 25% of the commuting done in the city. When people have viable trans-portation options, they take advantage.

Working at home is a growing option to commuting all together but still has yet to impact the observed rates of any other commuting mode. The percentage of those who work at home is between 3% and 4% for all three areas studied. Telecommuting centers are becoming more popular in other parts of the nation where city centers are further away from rural populations.

Walking and biking to work is making a comeback with the help of stronger legislation programs such as complete streets. If the environment is conducive to walking or biking then commuters will chose these modes. Case in point, the observed rate of walking in an average city is over 8%, while in New Jersey and the rest of the U.S it is only around 3%. Biking to work is also more prevalent in an average city compared to statewide or

"NEW jERSEY COMMUTERS CHOOSE PUBLIC TRANSIT 10% OF THE TIME,

WHICH IS ALMOST DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AvERAgE. "

14 3

Often a dream, sometimes a comedy but usually an epic...

by: John Hainsworth

BICYCLE SAFETY

Go to driveless.com to sign-up for Traffic Connection Message Alert Services!

Several states, including New York, have con-

sidered laws intended to curb use of hand-held

devices such as cell phones and music players

on sidewalks and crosswalks. The use of music

players and cell phones while walking reduces

a pedestrian’s situational awareness and can

prevent them from hearing or seeing oncoming

vehicles, anticipating turning movements, and

even realizing that they are about to step into a

busy roadway. A less obvious risk that distracted

walking poses is a motorist’s reduced ability

to predict pedestrian movement through cues

such as eye contact. A 2007 study conducted in

suburban and urban settings provides support

to these claims by examining the behavior of

pedestrians using mobile phones. The study’s

findings suggest that pedestrians using mobile

phones show both reduced situational awareness

as well as increased unsafe behavior at cross-

walks.

Though pedestrian fatalities due to portable

devices represent a small percentage (0.3%) of

reported incidents, over 2,000 pedestrian deaths

in the U.S. were due to distraction, inattention

or improper behavior by the pedestrian.

PEDESTRIAN

Eliminating distracted driving has been a high priority for Federal and State transportation organizations in recent years, but what about distracted walking?

In the world of bicycle & pedestrian

advocacy, it can be easy to fixate on

motorist behavior, but pedestrian

responsibilities are equally important

and just as likely to contribute to

an accident. FOR ALL SITUATIONSBICYCLISTS: Avoiding riding on the sidewalk. Ride predictably and maintain awareness of the vehicles and their potential movements around you. Do not expect them to see you , but do every-thing you can to make sure they do. Always ride defensively.

DRIvERS: Keep your attention and eyes on the road. Slow down! Fatality rates for cyclists drasti-cally increase with the speed of the other vehicle involved. Drive with the expectation that bicycles will be travelling on the same roads you are. Make sure that you maintain a safe distance while pass-ing bicyclists – think three feet.

It will take a comprehensive effort from bicy-clists, motorists, the transportation community, educators, and outreach organizations to reduce the number of bicyclists killed and injured on our roadways. Next time you go for a ride, make a decision on transportation infrastructure, or see a cyclist from your car, think: “How can I make this safer for everyone?”

For more information on safe bicycling, consult the New Jersey Bicycling Manual:http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/bike/pdf/bicyclingmanual.pdf

SAFETY

Not leave a "curb or other place of safety" by walking or running into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield or stop.

Yield to drivers when crossing a road at any point other than within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

Yield to drivers at intersections where the pedestrian does not have a green “walk” signal and where drivers have a green signal.

Walk on sidewalks where they are provided and accessible.

Pedestrians Must:

THE NEW jERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION LISTS THE FOLLOWINg RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PEDESTRIANS:

While distracted driving has gotten headlines, pedestrians are increasingly turning to electronic distractions while walking and even biking.

they have attained over the years about driving.

Once again, this should be done casually and over

time. You do not want to overwhelm your child.

Being a passenger in a car, especially when

driven by another teen, does not mean you are

immune to paying attention.

This is a crucial point to get across—inexperience

is the enemy once again. As a parent, you can

maintain positive reinforcement by letting them

know that you are comfortable with their driving

skills, because you have driven with and guided

them through various situations, but are uncomfortable

with them driving as a passenger. Be sure to see

Cross County Connection’s “Distracted Driving”

page on driveless.com for lots of great resources

to use as talking points. Speaking from first-

hand knowledge about driving with company,

whether it be a carpool to work or a sporting event,

you can bring yourself to their level as if to not

talk down to your child. The less stress, the better,

especially when a motor vehicle is involved.

Becoming of age to drive does not mean it is a requirement.

In New Jersey, once your teen turns 16 they

can apply for a driver’s permit. The truth of

the matter is that not every teen is ready to get

behind the wheel. Not all 16-year olds are at the same

level of maturity and responsibility. Whether

they are still uncomfortable, or you as a parent

feel as if your teen’s maturity is in question, take

a few extra months and discuss the privilege of

what it means to be driving. For safety’s sake, as

you and your teen are in the car together, point

out potential road hazards, intersections that are

tricky to navigate, construction signs and various

other driving scenarios that you find complicated

because more than likely, your child will too. This

will ease any anxiousness your child may be experiencing.

intent

While driving, you must be proactive as well

as reactive—A clear indication of one’s intent

is key. Talk to your teen about the importance

of clearly communicating their intentions to

other drivers while behind the wheel. For example,

although using your turn signal before changing

lanes or turning is the law, many times drivers

will signal while in the process of performing such

maneuvers. Not allowing the commuters driving in

close proximity to know of your intent can create a

life-threatening situation. Here, too, it’s the law.

These tips should help ease the initial process

of talking to your teen about driving. It is important

to understand that children will emulate their

parents. If you talk on your cell phone or play

with the radio while driving with your teen as

a passenger, the message of being alert and tentative

will be lost. Remember, taking the initiative to

talk about driving when possible could save your

child’s life. In fact, according to the National

Young Driver’s Survey, a study of 5,665 students

in grades 9th-12th, found that the safest drivers

were those who reported that their parents

imposed strict driving rules and often spoke of

driving habits.

For more information on the rules and regulations of teen driving, visit www.sj.aaa.com.

Baby’s first tooth, sweet sixteen, graduation,

moving out, marriage, these are all milestones.

Often referred to as a “rite of passage,” each

of these events marks a person’s progression

from one stage of life to the next. For nervous

parents, the greatest leap toward independence

that their teenagers will take is earning a driver’s

license. BUT, FRET NOT! There are steps

parents can take to influence how safely, or

hazardously, their children will drive.

According to the Children’s Hospital of

Philadelphia, studies show that by talking to

your children about driving and enforcing

rules for safety, the chances of an accident

occurring are dramatically reduced. Keeping

the conversation focused by having a two-way

conversation in which you are upfront about

the responsibilities of driving and awareness

of dangers could save your teen’s life. The

conversation should be ongoing and not a one-time

event. By approaching this “rite of passage” in

this manner, it will give you the ability to stop

and pick it up at another time so tensions will

not mount.

Let’s take a Look deeper into what you can discuss with your chiLd:

Cancer, homicide and suicide combined, kill

less teens than car accidents.Make sure you step softly while using this

statistic; you do not want to turn this into an

issue of trust or make your child feel as if they

will never be a safe driver. According to AAA,

most teen accidents are caused by a lack of

attentiveness and inexperience. The best thing

for a parent to do is share the knowledge that

right Passage

by: David Calderetti

4 13

It's up to everyone to reduce the number of bicycle accidents in New Jersey! Be cautiousand be aware!

of

6 11

step forward, Cross County Connection has created

a resource detailing lessons learned by other areas

in New Jersey that have already adopted complete

streets policies. The document is available at the web

address below:

Complete StreetS in nJ: leSSonS learned

http://bikeped.rutgers.edu/cgi-bin/ImageFo-

lio43/imageFolio.pl?action=view&link=Policy/

Documents&image=CCCTMA_2011_Complete_

Streets_Lessons_Learned1.pdf&url=1

Sustainable JerseyAn increasing number of South Jersey residents have

become aware of the Sustainable Jersey certification

program that promotes environmentally friendly,

economically sound and socially just practices. What

municipal officials and residents might not know

however is that Cross County Connection is avail-

able to assist communities in pursuing Sustainable

Jersey certification. Communities such as Glass-

boro, Voorhees, Haddonfield, Haddon Heights,

Cherry Hill and others have been working with

Cross County Connection staff on efforts towards

safer bicycle and pedestrian conditions, anti-idling

strategies and Safe Routes to Schools programs.

TheSe are JuST a few acTion areaS in which croSS counTy

connecTion can help:

- Complete Streets Program

- Municipal Planning & Zoning Self-Assessment

- Community Asset Mapping

- Sustainable Community Plan

- Sustainability Master Plan Revision

- Safe Routes to School

- Community Education and Outreach

- Energy Outreach & Incentive Programs

- Green Challenges & Community Programs

- Green Fairs

- Education for Sustainability Programs

- Green Building Policy/Resolution

- Anti-Idling Education & Enforcement Program

- Green Business Recognition Program

Please contact Cross County Connection with any questions and to find out more about how Cross County Connection can help your community.

Since 2009, efforts to ‘complete’ New Jersey

streets have gained traction in many neighbor-

hoods, municipalities and counties around the

state. A ‘complete’ street is simply a roadway that

is accessible to all users, regardless of their mode

of travel. Unfortunately, South Jersey has lagged

behind other areas in adopting complete streets

policies and implementing them on roadways.

We congratulate Linwood City for adopting com-

plete streets and encourage other municipalities in

South Jersey to do the same. Cross County Con-

nection is actively working to increase safety, re-

duce costs and make transportation more equita-

ble in South Jersey by working with communities

in completing their streets. Not only do complete

streets make sense for safety and livability, munici-

palities and counties with complete streets policies

are more competitive in their applications for NJ-

DOT grant programs.

Cross County Connection would like to assist any

municipality or county that is interested in com-

plete streets. Please contact us if you would like

to find out more about complete streets and how

your municipality can benefit.

To help municipalities as they take their first

Complete StreetSby: Graydon Newman

MUNICIPAL CORNER

lesson learnedComplete StreetS

4a evens Drive | Marlton, NJ 08053 856.596.8228

www.driveless.com

Trip Chaining: Another option to save time, money and the

environment! Make a plan, chart a route and run several

errands in one car trip. Trip chaining, or combining multiple

errands into one trip, will save you gas, money and time.

Trip chaining can even make communities better by helping

to reduce traffic congestion and lowering the amount of

carbon dioxide emissions. Trip chaining takes a little plan-

ning, but it’s easy to do. There are lots of ways to work trip

chaining into your schedule.

• Plan ahead. Take a moment to plan out your route and think about what

else you might need to get done.

• Make a list. Think about everything that you need and get it all done at

once to avoid last-minute trips.

• Find the best route. A number of Internet sites can help you plan the

shortest, most efficient route. GPS receivers or a GPS Tracking System also

can help.

• Try making only right turns. Studies show that left turns tend to take more

time and waste more gas than right turns because drivers often have to

wait for traffic to clear and lights to change.

• Avoid backtracking by following a more efficient, preplanned route.

Combine errands. Pick up your dry cleaning on your way to the grocery

store to avoid an unnecessary trip.

• Use closer stores. Explore neighborhood shops, and try walking to lunch at

a nearby restaurant instead of driving to one farther away.

• Group your appointments together. For example, if both kids need to go to

the dentist, make it just one trip.

• Consider one-stop shopping. Many stores and shopping centers may offer

the opportunity to get all your errands done in just one stop.

riding Public Transit Can save You $9904 AnnuallyGas prices have increased 28 cents a gallon recently and are expected to

continue rising. As a result, riding public transportation saves individuals,

on average, $9,904 annually and $825 per month based on the March 4, 2011

average national gas price ($4.026 per gallon-reported by AAA on March 30,

2011) and the national unreserved monthly parking rate. This is the highest

savings for public transit riders in two years.

“As gas prices rise, using public transportation is the quickest way people

can beat high gasoline prices,” states William Millar, president American

Public Transportation Association (APTA).

As uncertainty in other parts of the world persists, and Americans con-

tinue to suffer economic woes, making the change to public transit today

gives individuals the opportunity to lower their transportation costs, without

sacrificing their freedom and mobility. Switching from driving to riding public

transportation for even a few of their trips is a proven way for individuals to

cut monthly and yearly transportation costs.

APTA releases this monthly “Transit Savings Report” to examine how an

individual in a two-person household can save money by taking public transportation

and living with one less car.

The national average for a monthly unreserved parking space in a down-

town business district is $161.56, according to the 2010 Colliers International

Parking Rate Study. Over the course of a year, parking costs for a vehicle can

amount to an average of $1,939.

The top 10 cities with the highest transit ridership are ranked in order of

their transit savings based on the purchase of a monthly public transit pass

and factoring in local gas prices for March 4, 2011 and the local monthly

unreserved parking rate.

Trip ChainingT I P S & S U G G E S T I O N S

Top Ten Cities – Transit savings report

1 New York $1,198 $14,376

2 Boston $1,099 $13,188

3 San Francisco $1,088 $13,055

4 Chicago $991 $11,889

5 Seattle $973 $11,682

6 Philadelphia $957 $11,487

7 Honolulu $932 $11,181

8 Los Angeles $894 $10,725

9 Minneapolis $876 $10,510

10 San Diego $866 $10,396

*Based on gasoline prices as reported by AAA on 3/4/11.

City Monthly Savings Annual Savings

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)www.apta.com

Colliers Internationalwww.colliers.com

For M

ore

Info

rmat

ion

AAAwww.aaa.com

Drive less. Save morehttp://drivelesssavemore.com

Do you know that it is illegal to idle

a gasoline or diesel vehicle for more

than 3- minutes? NJ State statues give

state and local police the authority to is-

sue violators tickets with a minimum fine

of $250. Idling vehicles contribute to air

pollution and health problems, including

heart and lung disease, asthma and other

problems. A growing number of communi-

ties are launching anti-idling campaigns to

raise awareness about the environmental

and health impacts of idling and to reduce

instances of idling. Cross County Con-

nection is developing an on-line resource

center to assist communities with their anti-

idling campaign. If you would like more

information, please contact Cross County

Connection or visit:

www.driveless.com

idling & Your healthDo you know what vehicle emissions include?—Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Benzene, Formaldehyde, Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, and lead amongst other particulate matter.Do you know that Carbon Monoxide poisoning is similar to suffocation? Because Carbon Monoxide binds to red blood cells more efficiently than oxygen, it dramatically reduces the ability of cells to transport and distribute oxygen throughout the tissues of the human body.Do you know that because children breathe up to 50% more air per pound of body weight than adults, they are more vulnerable to acute and chronic respiratory problems?

idling & Your vehicleMyth: Shutting off and restarting your vehicle uses more gas than if you leave it running.

FAlse! Fact: The actual truth is that idling your vehicle for 10 seconds uses more fuel

than restarting your car or truck. If you are going to be in an idling state for 10 seconds or

longer, except when in traffic, it is not only financially but also an environmentally-sound

decision to turn off your engine. Next time you are waiting in the drive-thru at the bank or

fast-food restaurant, give it a shot and watch your money grow.

Myth: Idling does not contribute to global warming and does not affect the environment.

FAlse! Fact: The most inefficient car on the road, in terms of gas mileage, is one that is

idling. Every gallon of gas used produces around 19 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Myth: Constant restarting of your car has an adverse effect on engine parts.

FAlse! Fact: Restarting your car has very little impact on your car’s battery life and

starter motor. In reality, component wear caused by restarting your vehicle is estimated

at $10 per year. In all likelihood, that money will be recovered through fuel conservation

several times over.

anti-

iDLin

G

What you m

ay not kn

ow

about idling

vehic

les,

and what yo

u should

kn

ow about your

h

ealth & the

e

nvironm

ent!

c L E a r t H I N K I N G ?

12 5

by: Saiful Alam

by: John Hainsworth

Are you thinking clearly now?

For Traffic Updates on your local travels,

scan the code to sign-up for our FREE Traffic

Connection Text Message Alert services! C L E A R T H I N K I N G ?

After just two years of existence, the Sustainable

Jersey certification program has garnered na-

tional recognition for its success. This voluntary

program certifies New Jersey municipalities on

completing a number of sustainability actions

in their community. The 16 action items for the

Sustainable Jersey program are listed on the

program’s website, and venture into many aspects

of sustainability includ-

ing: energy efficiency, green

design, transportation, food

systems, outreach, and the

local economy among others.

Recently the program was

awarded and Environmental

Quality Award from the U.S.

Environmental Protection

Agency in May. The program

has even drawn international

attention after a 2010 visit

from Taiwan’s Environmental

Protection Administration.

Following the visit, represen-

tatives invited a delegation

from Sustainable Jersey to

Taiwan in June to present the program to Taiwan-

ese representatives as a model community-based

sustainability program.

Sustainable Jersey has proven to be an extremely

successful program at home as well. Currently

there are over 300 New Jersey towns registered

and seeking certification, and 67 municipalities

that have been certified. Of these municipalities,

82 registered and 12 certified municipalities are

located in South Jersey. One of the Sustainable

Jersey’s strengths is that it empowers community

members to get engaged and help make their

municipality more sustainable according to their

unique skill sets and interests. After formation of

a Green Team, a required action for certification,

community members may form subcommittees

to tackle issues ranging from transportation to

minimizing environmental impacts.

While each action item is laid out with con-

siderable detail on the program

website (www.sustainablejersey.

com), many municipalities may

desire additional guidance or

technical assistance with tasks to

become certified. Cross County

Connection would like to remove

any barriers to certification by

offering assistance to South

Jersey municipalities interested

in becoming Sustainable Jersey

Certified. Our expertise extends

beyond just transportation and

covers many additional Sustain-

able Jersey priority areas and

activities.

We encourage those who are interested in becoming Sustainable Jersey Certi-fied to contact Cross County Connection to find out how we can assist.

JERSEY

above: Cross County Connection's 2011 annual Members Breakfast. Ronda Urkowitz and Joe Wilson present exciting details on up and coming projects, technology and ideas at CCCtMa.

On the scene at 'Ride Share to Get there' night at the Camden Riversharks Baseball Game. above you see Cross County Connection's David Calderetti & Brandi Kerekes promoting the use of public transportation for getting to the next game!

above: NJDOt Commissioner James Simpson, Pleasantville Mayor Jesse tweedle and assemblyman John amodeo of atlantic County announce support for Complete Streets in New Jersey.

Cross County ConneCtion

8 9

SCENEonthe

NJDOT crews are installing approximately 5,000 feet of new sidewalks on busy

roads in Hamilton Township and Pleasantville City.

by: Graydon Newman

Left to right: NJDOT’s Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Pro-grams, Sheree Davis, Acting Director of Traffic Engineering and Safety, David Martin, New Jersey Future, Director of Outreach and Development, Dan Fatton and Transportation Specialist, Graydon Newman of Cross County Connection

Left: John Hainsworth discussing commute alternatives with a Cooper Hospital employee at the Cooper's Health Benefits Fair.

Below:a Cooper Hospital employee fills out the sign-up sheet for CCCTMA's Traffic Connection text Message alerts!

SustainableSustainable

above: Sheree Davis, NJDOt’s Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs, speaks to reporters about the importance of Complete Streets.

HelpingYou

GO GREEN!

Meet

BehinD the sCenes at PATCO

Machines have parts that move. Lots of them.

Usually complex, intricately-designed, and mind-bogglingly curious to behold, when one

actually stops to think about it. Machines with parts that move together for the purpose of

physically moving the machine itself….well, that’s very impressive indeed. Like automobiles

and airplanes, TRAINS are an example of such mechanical marvels.

Here in south Jersey, commuters are very familiar with one such train, and an electrical

one at that: the PATCO Speedline. PATCO is renowned for its run over the Delaware River

via the Ben Franklin Bridge, and an efficient route serving nine stops in Camden County.

The line transports over 38,000 people daily and operates

24 hours a day; one of only four U.S. rapid transit systems

to do so.

PATCO operates 121 67-foot rail cars, which were

originally designed and manufactured by Budd of

Philadelphia, PA in 1968. Additional cars were added in

1980, based on the original Budd design. These cars are

comprised of 10,000 major parts and each run using 12

different, major mechanical operational systems.

Maintenance plays a critical role in the safety and

readiness of PATCO operations. A comprehensive and

preventive maintenance program has played an impor-

tant part in PATCO's provision of safe and reliable trans-

portation. PATCO's safety record speaks for itself: over

2.3 billion passenger miles without a serious train-related

passenger injury. Maintaining this fleet, and overseeing

the operational order and equipment needs of rail cars, is

the job of PATCO’s equipment director, John Shea.

Mr. Shea recently took Cross County Connection

on an exclusive, private, behind-the-scenes tour of the

Lindenwold train service facility. But “service facility”

does not really describe what happens at this amazingly

interesting shop. It’s more like a spa, beauty salon and

fitness center…but not in the pampered and delicate

sense….. not at all.

In the photos to the left you’ll find exclusive images of

the tough and gritty work done by skilled mechanics, ma-

chinists and technicians as they rebuild, repair, replace and

refurbish many of the parts and systems mentioned above.

Oh…and a carwash….but, well, for trains!

In an upcoming publication, we’ll show you more of

these exciting scenes as we take you inside the Linden-

wold Maintenance Shop and explore the unique workings

of a truly one-of-a-kind facility that is, truth be told,

something of a mechanical marvel itself.

10 7

“the Backseat is safer in an accident than the front seat. i can Brace myseLf.”

Not true, unless you’re a superhero. The reaction time in an accident is

a split-second. In most cases, the accident will be over before a person

thinks to try to brace himself. If he did somehow manage to brace himself

with an arm or leg, it would shatter the bone upon impact. In a collision,

the unbuckled passenger in the backseat is often referred to as a “bullet,”

as the occupant continues to move at the speed of the vehicle until hitting

something, sometimes getting ejected from the car. A seatbelt stops

that force, and when worn correctly, spreads the impact over the larger

parts of your body making it less likely to damage organs. Saving yourself

not enough to convince you? Think of the other people in the car. The

bullet effect doesn’t apply only to the unbuckled passenger, but to all

occupants of the vehicle. Who wants to live with the knowledge that

not wearing a seatbelt caused serious injury to someone else?

"we aren’t traveLing far, so it’s a waste of my time.”

Did you know that most fatal accidents occur when traveling short distances

in speed zones of less than 45mph? As far as buckling up being a waste

of time, I think it’s important to think bigger picture. It takes less than

a minute to buckle up, whereas recovery from a serious injury could

take months or even years. Seems like a no-brainer to me!

“i heard that a friend of a friend of a friend got hurt from his seatBeLt.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the chances

of being severely hurt or killed by a seatbelt is less than 1%. There’s also a

less than 1% chance a person could be killed by space debris hitting the

ground, but we don’t hide away in bunkers. There are always the possibili-

ties of freak accidents, but people shouldn’t live their lives based on the

unlikely. The “what-if ” chance of a seatbelt malfunctioning is no reason

to ignore the irrefutable fact that buckling up is more likely to keep you

safe than not. After all, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administra-

tion also states that 13,000 lives are saved a year by using a seatbelt.

“i don’t want to end up trapped in my car Because of my seatBeLt.” I understand the fear, I do. The idea of being trapped anywhere near

water and fire gives me the heebie jeebies, but I want the best chance to

survive as unscathed as possible. Seatbelts keep a person firmly in place

in a collision. There is less of a chance of a being knocked unconscious

and thrown around the car for passengers, who wear seatbelts, if a vehicle

careens into water. By remaining buckled, it allows the passenger the

opportunity to make the simple click to remove the seatbelt and make an

exit. Here’s the truth of the matter – the lack of a seatbelt is more likely

to throw you out of the car, causing serious injury, than to impede your

survival.

“i forgot to put it on.” Of all the excuses I’ve heard, this one is pretty lame. It’s the law in New Jer-

sey and any violators will be fined. Money is usually a good incentive

to help remember important things. Some other options: put a post-it

note on the back of the front seat; have friends and family remind you;

or create a mantra whenever you head toward a vehicle like, “Don’t forget

my seatbelt. Don’t forget my seatbelt.” Also, when you’re driving, don’t

start the car until everyone is secured. Give it twenty one days, (the time

it takes for a new habit to form), and you should be good to go. I don’t want

to hear the “I forgot” defense ever again. :)

There is never a good excuse for not using a seatbelt in the front or back seats because seatbelts save lives. Repeat it. Put it on a notecard and pass it around. Refuse to start the car until every person is buckled-up. C’mon New Jersey, let’s conquer that 27% usage rate and set the standard.

the poor ExcusEs Behind not using seatBeLts

Seatbelts save lives. I can ramble off a list of statistics and link to the

videos from driver’s education classes to further the point, but most New

Jersey residents are already savvy to this information and accept it as fact.

Seatbelts save lives. According to the New Jersey Division of Highway

Traffic Safety, the state has one of the highest seatbelt usage rates in the

country at 93.7% for front seat occupants – that’s the good news. Here’s the

bad news – the number greatly decreases to 27% for adults who are in the

back seat. Why is there such a huge disparity in the numbers? Why are

passengers in New Jersey great at buckling up in the front seat, but so bad

at using the exact same safety measure in the back seat?

I wanted to get to the bottom of this situation. There are injuries and

fatalities occurring on the roads that can be been prevented. It is a huge

deal and there must be some reason New Jersey passengers are putting

themselves at unnecessary risk. I read the statistics and researched articles,

but still unsatisfied with what I discovered, I decided to turn to the experts

– my fellow New Jersey brethren. So I talked with co-workers, friends,

family, and random people in the supermarket (“Is that this week’s People

magazine? And how do you feel about buckling up in the backseat?”).

The friendly faces behind

PATCO stand in front of one

of their rail cars currently

in for repair.

Left to Right: Deputy CEO, Robert Gross; Assistant General Manager, Cheryl Spicer; Director of Equipment, John Shea.

A “heavy metal” tour that’s been rolling

since the time of Woodstock. Over 2.3 billion

passenger miles, with a safety record just

as impressive---now that’s some serious motorin’!

Join CCC backstage for an exclusive audience

at PATCO HQ!

by: Marianne Sperry

Squeaky Clean at the Patco wash in Lindenwold!

To view more pictures from "behind the scenes at PATCO" visit: driveless.com/btc_patco