Burlington County is working on a detailed plan to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety across its entire 820-square miles, and planners are seeking public input and insight on where enhancements are most needed.
The Burlington County Complete Network Plan is being developed by the Burlington County Regional Planning Division with the Burlington County Department of Resource Conservation and consulting group NV5. As part of the project, the County will review and analyze existing demographic, infrastructure, and accident data to determine locations where pedestrians and bicyclists are most at risk. They will also recommend specific improvements to enhance users’ safety, including potential new off-road pedestrian and bicycle trails.
“No matter if you drive, bike, walk, run, or roll, we want everyone to safely be able to move about Burlington County and access the downtowns, parks, historic sites, and natural resources that make our county special,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Dr. Felicia Hopson. “The Complete Network Plan will help identify and prioritize transportation projects that improve safety for the most vulnerable users and make our communities more accessible and connected.”
The plan is being funded with a federal Safe Streets for All grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. It will serve as a companion to a Regional Vision Zero plan being developed by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission that aims to improve traffic safety for motorists and other users across South Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia region.
From 2021 through 2025 there were 54,414 traffic accidents in Burlington County and 203 fatalities, according to New Jersey Department of Transportation crash data. Forty-five of the deaths were pedestrians or bicyclists, the data showed.
“There is no acceptable number of fatalities or injuries, which is why we’re collaborating with DVRPC, municipal partners, and residents to develop ways we can make traveling through our county safer,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel, liaison to the County Department of Resource Conservation and the Department of Public Safety. “This plan will review all 820 square miles of Burlington County and make recommendations on what can be done to improve safety for all users, but especially vulnerable pedestrians and bicyclists.”
Planners will analyze a variety of solutions, including expansion of County and local trail systems and developing links to connect them. More than 50 miles of regional and interior park trails have already been constructed by Burlington County, and several additional County trail segments are already in various stages of planning and design.
“Our County has had a lot of success creating regional trails, but there’s still many areas we haven’t reached and gaps between our trails and municipal paths that we want to fill,” said Commissioner Eckel. “We believe the Complete Network Plan will support those efforts.”
Burlington County planners have started meetings with municipal officials and other stakeholders to discuss the Complete Network Plan and begin collecting data. Public meetings will be scheduled in the fall, but residents can provide input now via an online survey and interactive map, which allows users to specify areas of concerns, including places with poor visibility, lack of signage or traffic signals, trail gaps, dangerous crossings, and locations where “near misses” occurred.
The input and data collected from residents will be incorporated into the final plan, tentatively scheduled to be completed next spring.
“Burlington County residents know their communities best and their input is essential for helping us develop a complete plan to improve safety and mobility throughout the county,” said Commissioner Randy Brolo. “We want to encourage residents to visit the Burlington County Complete Network Plan webpage and take a few moments to share their insights.”
The Burlington County Complete Network webpage is located at https://bit.ly/CompleteNetworkPlan and includes the survey and interactive map.
