Question 1

What is a Local Concept Development (LCD) study?

Accepted Answer

The LCD study is the first phase for federally funded transportation improvement projects. The LCD study phase includes data collection; coordination with local municipal officials, project stakeholders, and federal and state permitting agencies; public outreach; the development of a reasonable number of sensible and practical conceptual alternatives; and the recommendation of a Preliminary Preferred Alternative (PPA).

Question 2

Why is it necessary to conduct this study?

Accepted Answer

This segment of the Rancocas Creek Greenway Trail presents the most significant challenge to meet the need of providing a continuous and safe corridor for bicyclists and pedestrians due to the physical barriers created by Route 130 and Rancocas Creek. 
 
The existing Route 130 Bridge over Rancocas Creek bridge provides only a narrow, disconnected sidewalk on the northbound side, with no safe or ADA-compliant connections to adjacent neighborhoods or trail corridors.  There is no safe bicycle or pedestrian crossing of either Route 130 or the Rancocas Creek in this area, creating a critical barrier between residential neighborhoods, county parks, and the regional Circuit Trails network. 
 
Intersections are typically the most dangerous part of the roadway for bicyclists and pedestrians and are the site of a majority of conflicts with motorists.  Route 130 has been repeatedly identified as New Jersey's most dangerous roadway for pedestrians by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign.

Question 3

How will the project benefit pedestrians and bicyclists?

Accepted Answer

This Local Concept Development Study is the first phase of creating safe, practical and accessible crossings of Route 130 and the Rancocas Creek for pedestrians and bicyclists and extending the Rancocas Creek Greenway Trail to three Burlington County park properties.

Question 4

Have the project's improvements been decided?

Accepted Answer

No. The goal of this project is to extend Rancocas Creek Greenway Trail to three Burlington County Park properties and to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety to cross Route 130 and Rancocas Creek that enhances the quality of life and active transportation access while minimizing environmental, right of way and utility impacts.

The project is currently in the LCD phase which focuses on identifying the needs, developing alternatives and determining a Preliminary Preferred Alternative (PPA) for improvements. Burlington County and cooperating agencies will continue to seek community input on the design and proposed transportation improvements during the LCD phase and future phases of the project.

Question 5

How is the Preferred Alternative determined?

Accepted Answer

The Preliminary Preferred Alternative (PPA) is identified through a structured, transparent, and defensible decision‑making process. Each segment is evaluated using a weighted evaluation matrix that compares how well it meets project requirements, constraints, and stakeholder expectations. This process helps quantify performance across multiple criteria and clearly documents the rationale for selecting the alternative that best balances project goals with environmental, social, and fiscal considerations.

The first step is to develop a set of criteria to be applied consistently to each alternative. For this project, the following criteria is anticipated to be used: - Ability to Meet Purpose and Need - Acceptability to NJDOT Standards, Policies, and Procedures - Level of Community and Public Support - Right‑of‑Way Impacts - Environmental Impacts - Cultural Resources Impacts - Stormwater Management Impacts - Constructability - Project Costs These criteria reflect regulatory requirements, engineering feasibility, and both community and environmental considerations.

Each criterion is assigned a weight based on its relative importance. Alternatives are scored against each criterion using engineering analyses, environmental assessments, stakeholder input, and professional judgment.

The alternative with the highest weighted score is typically identified as the Preliminary Preferred Alternative, provided that: - It meets Purpose and Need, - It is feasible and constructible, - It is acceptable to NJDOT, and - Its impacts are minimized or mitigable to a reasonable extent. The PPA is therefore the alternative that offers the best overall balance of performance, impacts, community considerations, cost, and compliance with regulatory obligations.

Question 6

How much will it cost and who will pay for it?

Accepted Answer

The cost of the LCD study is funded with federal dollars. There is no estimated cost of the design and construction of the project since the Preliminary Preferred Alternative (PPA) has not been determined at this time.

Question 7

How will the project affect the environment?

Accepted Answer

Federally funded projects are required to undergo environmental screening in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This process identifies existing environmental and socioeconomic conditions and evaluates potential impacts associated with each alternative under consideration.

Environmental resources evaluated include air quality, noise, hazardous or contaminated sites, parks, wetlands, water resources, ecological resources, threatened and endangered species, social and economic conditions, and cultural resources such as historic structures. Where impacts are identified, strategies to avoid, minimize, or mitigate those impacts are explored.

Question 8

Why get involved?

Accepted Answer

Your input is important to every phase of the study. The Project Team seek information such as how the local community currently accesses the County parks, additional improvements needed to improve pedestrians and bicyclists’ access, any current traffic problems and how the public sees alternative solutions. Community outreach during the planning stages is a vital part of the LCD process and we encourage the community to follow, participate and help make sure every potential effective element has been considered and examined for its viability.

Question 9

Why attend the public meeting?

Accepted Answer

Public meetings provide an opportunity to make your voice heard and ask questions directly of the project team. If you are unable to attend a meeting, you can stay up to date on project developments by visiting this website and reviewing the information about the project.

Question 10

What is the next step?

Accepted Answer

As we move forward in the Local Concept Development phase, the project team will continue refining the trail alternatives and preparing for the selection of a Preliminary Preferred Alternative. The next steps are designed to ensure that the final recommendation is technically sound, publicly supported, and fully coordinated with NJDOT, DVRPC, Burlington County, and the surrounding communities. Over the coming months, the team will complete the alternatives analysis, which includes detailed engineering review, assessment of right‑of‑way needs, environmental and cultural resource considerations, stormwater impacts, constructability, and cost implications. This technical vetting will help us understand the benefits and tradeoffs of each trail alternative.

Stakeholder and community engagement will remain central throughout this process. Outreach to municipal officials, regional partners, property owners, advocacy organizations, and the public will continue to inform the refinement of alternatives and support a viable and publicly supported recommendation.

The next major milestone will be the selection and presentation of the Preliminary Preferred Alternative, anticipated in May/June 2026. This milestone will include a Public Information Center, where the community will have the opportunity to review the recommended concept and provide feedback.

Following selection of the PPA, the project team will prepare the Final Concept Development Report, anticipated to be completed in Summer 2026, which will formally concluding the LCD phase.

Intersection Study for Rancocas Creek Greenway - Route 130 / Rancocas Creek Crossings

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