Smart Transportation
Pennsylvania and New Jersey

Orth-Rodgers & Associates, Inc. (ORA) is currently under contract with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) to prepare the Smart Transportation Guidebook for Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

This guidebook recommends context-sensitive design values for all classifications of roadways in all land use contexts. This project is intended to provide clear guidelines for creating new “main streets” or other walkable roadways in communities that are planned using smart growth principles. The guidebook demonstrates how to use all components of a roadway — from travel lane width to landscaping — to create a context sensitive roadway design consistent with the community vision. This project is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and is seen as having potential application to the entirety of both states.

Highlights:

• Six Governing Principles
  • Tailor Solutions to Context
  • Tailor the Approach
  • Plan All Projects in collaboration with Community
  • Plan for All Transportation Modes
  • Use Sound Professional Judgment
  • Scale the solution to fit the problem
• Tools to Identify Land Use Context
• Tools for Public Outreach
• Developed New Roadway Classification System
• Introduced Concept of Desired Operating Speed
• Developed New Design Values for Roadways and Roadsides
• Developing Comprehensive Training Program