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Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Department Junior Class Design Concepts The Great Swamp Watershed in 2060

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Page 1: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Department

Junior Class Design ConceptsThe Great Swamp Watershed in 2060

Page 2: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

WALK

Transitions

WILDLIFE BALANCE

EcoRevelatory

Page 3: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Joe PolacekMatt Draheim Meredith Knesevitch Alex Kozar

REVIVING SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES

PROMOTING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

WALK

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Design Intent:The goal of WALK is to revive suburban communities through the promo-tion of a healthy lifestyle. This will be achieved by designing community centers on a human scale, putting people first and reducing the depen-dency on cars, thus making the communities walkable. Community inter-action with the outdoors and the people around them will be achieved through a regional trail network and small, close knit communities. These community centers allow residents to develop a sense of place that defines the character of the area. Through the path network and public spaces a healthy physical, emotional and mental lifestyle is attained. The development of these community centers will be smart, incremental growth, employing sustainable building practices. These community centers and the trail network will bring people back to a way of living that has long been forgotten.WALK

Definitions:Walkable- a community that provides its residents with easy access to basic necessities and leisurely activities within a short walk from their homes. This reduces the community’s dependence on the car and promotes a healthy lifestyle.Pedestrian Corridor – the main axis of the community center that is integrated into the regional trail network, creating highly walkable, pedes-trian friendly centers. This corridor has a variety of uses, such as shop-ping, residency and leisurely activities. Farm lands and forests are integrated into this main axis for easy access to nature. Trail Network – connecting the people of the region to the community centers, forests and agriculture through the Garden State Greenways Project, designed regional trails, river corridors, existing forests and communities. This trail network runs through the entire region creating

alternative ways to access some of the main features of the watershed.Retro-Fit – transforming existing town centers into highly walkable com-munity centers that provide a sense of place by establishing connections among residents with nature as well as the surrounding communities. This will be established by enhancing the existing infrastructure, for example, integrating green roofs and green walls.New Community Center-a space that allows the resident to have easy access to commercial establishments, nature, and other people living within the community. The infrastructure is sustainable, promotes a healthy lifestyle, and brings the community together. Integrated into the communities are various public spaces, such as community gardens and parks. A trail network runs through the center, which provide the residents with active opportunities as well as a way to access other areas without the use of a car.

Page 5: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Goals:

1.Create regional trail networks a.Connect residents to nature b.Enhance lifestyle by providing opportunities to walk to destinations c.Interconnectivity to create walkable destinations2.Revive and enhance community centers a.Provide more public spaces b.Retro-fitting infrastructure to be environmentally sustainable c.Creating a pedestrian friendly environment3.Create new community centers a.Elimination of suburban sprawl b.Preserving open space c.Creation of pedestrian friendly, walkable communities d.Green infrastructure e.Interconnectivity, connecting the communities with nature

Contributions:Team: Continuous Progression of Concept, Goals, Phases, Design, & Implementation

Individuals:Continuous Progression of Concept, Goals, Phases, Design, & ImplementationMatt Draheim: Trends, Harding Diagrams, Goals, PhasesAlex Kozar: Logo, Vision Plan, Comparison DiagramMeredith Knesevitch: Perspectives, Goals, Phases Joe Polacek: Harding Community Design, Madison Redevelopment

2060VISION PLAN

Benefits of Walking:

Health Aspects: Increased cardiovascular health Decrease bad cholesterol, Increase good cholesterol Lowers blood pressure Lowers the risk of heart problems Weight loss Sleep easierSocial Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding community Decreases stress, depression, and anxiety Promoting connections with nature and ecosystem Improving self-esteemEnvironmental: Lowers CO2 emissions by decreasing automobile use Decrease in automobile dependence and related expenses Environmental awareness through daily interaction

Page 6: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Transitions

A mass transit iniative

based on the

economic value of

regional connectivity

Page 7: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Project Statement:

A region once sought out for its natural resources is currently indanger of losing its inherent qualities. Fragmentation and current developmental trendsare slowly eroding the unique characteristics of the Great Swamp Watershed and itsmunicipalities. To combat these issues, we propose a multifaceted approach which incorporates a mass transit system, water management principles, and demonstration projects to create a 50 year vision plan.

Design Process:

Through a closed loop system, inventory analysis and design were studiedand revisited to explore design strategies. An inventory of the region identified strengths,weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Design possibilities were explored based on thesefour criteria, and then analyzed as to there suitability. This process was done multiple times,each successive attempt narrowed down goals and problems.

Transitions

Concept:

A three pronged approach anticipating social, environmental, and economical concerns including: -adjacent communities and mixed use amenities-creating healthy work environments-reducing traffic -curbing runoff-decreasing automobile emissions-attracting, retaining, and creating jobs

Page 8: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

BALANCEWILDLIFEBRIAN CURRY . MEGHNA MURALI . ROXANA DEMEL

Page 9: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Wildlife—many say they cannot live without it. And yet, today we see dwindling numbers of these precious species. Injured by man’s activities, these creatures are vanishing. Habitat is destroyed, waters polluted, food sources eliminated—to construct new homes, parks, plazas, and parking lots, while runoff coats the remaining viable land in toxic substances. Without serious reconsideration of the way humans use the environment, wildlife will suffer until it disappears.

For generations, it has been accepted that people must come before nature—that the furthering of our own species must be placed before the concerns for others. This thought alone holds no problems—it is the way humans have used the land that works against nature. Nature is a system with balance. It is a system that requires a synergistic relationship between all elements. Wildlife is and always has been part of this system—both plants and animals. It is people who have worked against it.

Instead of designing in ways that work with the earth, humans have consciously worked against it. Wetlands have been filled to build cities that would have fit easier a mile back; forests have been clear cut for strips of warehouses when they could have been combined onto one plot. A jetport almost filled in the Great Swamp.

Recently people have begun to realize the importance of the natural world, and part of this movement began here, when the Jetport plans were stopped by a group of wary individuals. It is the earth that has given us life, and it is now our responsibility to revitalize what we have destroyed, to give passage to what we have halted, and to live synergistically with the world around us. In other words, people must live in connection with nature. One way to accomplish this is through conservation.

Conservation means “wise use,” and the Great Swamp Watershed is better used by being preserved for human enjoyment

and wildlife flourishment as a state park or series of parks, than by being converted to another city or suburb.

The Watershed is full of wildlife, and much of it is endangered or threatened. On a warm summer evening, one could stand at a blind in the Refuge and listen to the sounds of hundreds of species. Crickets begin to chirp as the sunsets over the highbush blueberry swamps. The bog turtles recede into their tussock sedges while the owls and bats awake in preparation for the night. The nocturnal melodies carry on until the morning sun rises over the spartina and red maples, calling the birds out from their nests, and the reptiles out to bask. This is a glance at one of many cycles carried out in the Ten Municipalities—all of which we hope to preserve indefinitely.

Balance Wildlife began the design process with a simple concept—to create a wildlife corridor that would traverse the Ten Municipalities. A diagram of our concept is found in our logo. Our plan then expanded to include two overarching goals: to establish a network of habitat for the furthering of the wildlife population, and to connect people with this wildlife.

Upon close review of the preserved land in the Ten Municipalities, one can begin to make visual connections between the shapes. Through careful study of aerial images, and inventory and analysis data, we were able to connect these preserved lands, creating a continuous network of wildlife habitat. This green space would fill the missing links between the Black River Wildlife Management Area to the Northwest, and the South Mountain Reserve to the Southeast. This wildlife corridor would allow animals such as deer, bears, reptiles, and rodents to move unabated through continuous vegetation. This would reduce their current need and tendencies to venture into neighborhoods and onto roadways. Many

Page 10: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

of the problems people have with wildlife are caused by the fragmentation of forests, forcing animals to search for new habitat.

While our concept is to create a wildlife corridor, it would be negligent to ignore the future development patterns of the Ten Municipalities. Our development concept includes the building out of existing high-density areas. Surrounding the high-density development would be medium density neighborhoods, and bordering the preserved land is low density residential development. This would reduce the immediate stress on the preserved land, and allow for the filtering of runoff before it reached critical wildlife habitat. Our next step was to connect these people to the wildlife.

One notices that there are “fingers” of preserved land reaching into our areas of development. These “nodes” became our sites for human-wildlife interactions. Our designs for these sites are both active and passive—giving people the opportunities to connect to nature, but not forcing them to come face to face with wildlife or trail systems. Thus, we created sites that would attract people with varying interests—shopping, dining, hiking, walking, observing, learning, boating, etc. These designs complete our vision for 2060. While any of these designs implemented individually would be forward progression, their combination is ideal. They will now be discussed, one by one, as elements of our design.

Farmers markets become icons of communities. They create a small-town feel and build awareness of the fact that nourishment comes from the earth. In our design, Middle Valley Farm becomes one of our two proposed farmers markets. Located right next to preserved land and just below a residential community and a pond, this market would hopefully draw many visitors. The market could also hold seasonal events and concerts, encouraging a home-town feel and sense of place.

Another element is the implementation of wildflower corridors. Sprawling estates are common in the Ten Municipalities. These huge expanses of property often have equally sized lawns. Lawnspace holds little environmental value, and should be as limited as possible. Our design would enact stimuli such as tax breaks to encourage some of the landowners to convert large portions of their current lawnspace into wildflower fields with mowed paths, and open them for public enjoyment. Not only would these wildflower corridors create interesting experiences for humans—they would establish habitat for butterflies, insects, birds, mammals, and reptiles alike.

At some schools in the Ten Municipalities, educational extension programs will be enacted. One of our designs implements an extension program around an existing elementary school. The children would learn about the relationships between different types of plant communities. By teaching children about wildlife, one can instill a lasting appreciation for and understanding of the natural world around them. Hopefully, these programs would plant the seeds of environmental stewardship for future generations.

To attract those without the desire experience the outdoors, we have proposed small shopping centers. These plazas would be nestled in pockets of forest, and have permeable surfaces for water filtration. Any runoff from the parking lot would be channeled into a pond in a gathering space. The shops could showcase local work and domestic goods as well as harbor stores like Blue Ridge Mountain Sports. This would allow those with hiking in mind to purchase what they will need to start their journeys. Hiking trails will be within walking distance of the shopping center.

At the bridge over the Passaic River on White Bridge Road, we have proposed a canoe and kayak launch. This would create a safe and intentional place for fans of water sports to begin their journey down the Passaic.

Page 11: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Utilities Rights of Way are often looked upon as dirty, useless wastes of space that harbor nothing but powerlines. Ecologically speaking, this is far from the truth. These tracts of land provide valuable forest edges that attract many species. Reptiles like the threatened wood turtle bask in the sun on the edges of the forest. Mammals often graze or burrow in these areas, and birds nest in surrounding forest and feed in the rights of way. To enhance public awareness of this, some hiking trails will be extended to provide outlooks on valuable areas of the rights of way.

In Morristown, we have proposed a green corridor or alleyway for pedestrians. This pathway would connect Liberty Trail (beginning at Speedwell Park) to Fort Nonsense. In order to accomplish this, the existing urban infrastructure had to be analyzed. The green corridor would travel between city blocks, which would be converted from parking lots to a path system between stores. Where buildings are absent, pocket parks would be created to model grassland plant communities. The bordering buildings would be retrofitted to support planted green roofs, which would delineate the corridor from views atop Fort Nonsense. Green roofs and grassland gardens attract a wide variety of birds and butterflies. Finally, the corridor would connect to nearby Morristown Train Station, so visitors would be greeted by an environmentally friendly pedestrian system in an environmentally aware city.

Our final site is the connection between Jockey Hollow and the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. This site would include an environmental center that would focus on the relationship between grassland, developing forest, and mature forest. The site carries over Interstate 287 with land bridges. A land bridge is a vegetated pathway over a roadway that provides a link between two habitats. Our design includes six land bridges, of which four are wildlife-only. These bridges have been implemented in various countries, and an example of a successful installation is the land bridge over Interstate

78 in the Watchung Reserve. They would allow various mammals and reptiles safe passage over the highway they are currently forced to cross if they wish to reach new habitat.

Our four wildlife-only bridges will each have different designs. One will include planted berms with a “valley” of goldenrod and meadow grasses in the middle. Another would be enclosed with a sloping roof that would allow the animals to travel through whatever level of enclosure they find comfortable. For animals with small home ranges, culverts would be placed every 150 to 300 meters. The plantings in these land bridges would be somewhat random; for it is thought that symmetrical plantings take away from a land bridge’s success.

The pedestrian land bridge would be constructed to educate visitors about conservation and the processes at work in the wildlife land bridges nearby.

These designs come together to create a unified vision that benefits both people and wildlife. The importance of this unity has become increasingly clear in recent years. The more that is done to replenish what humans have harmed, the closer people will become to symbiosis with the world around them. The watershed cannot survive without people connected to nature. It is habitat we will create, and connections we will make.

The group Balance Wildlife is made up of Brian Curry, Meghna Murali, and Roxana Demel. Brian led the design and drawings for the wildlife corridor as well as the Morristown Green Corridor, canoe launch, farmers market, land bridges, and environmental education center. He also researched the ecological

BALANCEWILDLIFE

Page 12: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

processes and implications of design, as well as conducted site visits to prove the suitability of the designs. Meghna designed the final node map, as well as designed and drew the shopping centers. Our concept diagram, located on our logo banner, was executed by Meghna as well. Roxana organized much of the digital presentation, and conducted research for precedent examples of our designs. She designed the wildflower corridors, as well as the educational extension program.

At the beginning of the design, the group had another member, Nick Stewart, who designed the utilities rights of way outlooks, as well as conducted valuable aerial photograph studies which allowed the group to design smoothly.

Balance Wildlife worked as a system throughout the design, and would not have succeeded without the collaboration of its members.

Plant Communities of theTen Municipalities

Forest Cover

Wetland

Existing Preserved Land

Vision Plan

Process:

Page 13: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Farmer’s Market

Farmer’s Market Canoe Launch

Educational Extension Program

Utility Corridor Outlook Outdoor Shopping Plaza

Wildflower Corrridors Land Bridges

This place cannot survive without people connected to nature. It is this habitat we will create, and these connections we will make.

Page 14: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

ECO - Revelatory

Page 15: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Eco-Rev or Ecologically Revelatory design reveals and interprets ecological processes, phe-nomena, and relationships. In order to accomplish a design that captures each of these categories we started with a concept: To collect, clean, and convey the waters of the Great Swamp Watershed. The expansion of current riparian buffer sizes will increase the new found habitat’s ability to cleanse and slow storm water as it approaches the stream channels. Also, the expansion will serve to aid percolation and groundwater replenishment while decreasing peak fl ow rates (ie. fl ooding). These streams are vital to the health of the swamp, the quality of water reaching the Passaic River, and the well being of watershed inhabitants.

Throughout history, humans and nature have shared a symbiosis. As of late, the relationship tends to be diminishing with the rise in technology. This alienation has shown to be a primary cause of obesity, diabetes, ADD/ADHD, etc. Therefore, the addition of a series of interconnected pathways that sway along stream sides and reach out to ex-isting parks and historic sites could help to engage locals in a more powerful relationship with their environment. The path system would also serve to educate the user and help display the new riparian conservation zones and their ecological properties. Throughout the town centers and public green spaces, rain gardens, fi ltration swales and related

bio-fi ltration systems will highlight these pathways and create a physical connection between devel-oped and the natural landscape. These systems continue to convey to and engage the user in hy-drologic processes. On the suburban scale, exist-ing homes within the riparian buffer are strongly encouraged to implement storm water ease-ments, sell development rights or donate land to conservation easements. Most importantly, all pathways lead to the Great Swamp.

Our stream way timeline is a representation of past events, how they have shaped the land-scape and how this affects the future of the wa-tershed (Created by Chris Jurgensen). The explod-ed axonometric diagram displays how the stream buffer in conjunction with fl ood zones and public open space near/in contact with a stream cre-ates a suitable riparian buffer conservation zone (Created by Chris Jurgensen). These ecologically signifi cant areas are united through this stream way network, one planned course is graphically displayed in the oblique (hand sketched and ren-dered by Evan Ralph) showing the connections to open and historic spaces and more importantly the Great Swamp. This pedestrian network is de-picted through several image edits showing that network in developed areas as well as stream side (hand sketched and rendered by Evan Ralph). The plant material is a crucial aspect in

Page 16: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

developing a cultural value throughout the wa-tershed. The list of plants chosen suits wet as well as dry sites and can survive harsh devel-oped land conditions and exposure to pollutants (created by Mike Cuccinota). Though tough they still maintain a beautiful color display through urban areas, suburban storm water easements, and river side reforestation projects. The design focus is to educate the people and make it con-venient and preferred to take an outdoor family walk instead of losing ourselves in the grasp of modern media.

Page 17: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

Active Pedestrian NetworkThis pedestrian/water network creates the physical, educational, recreational and experiential relationship between anthropogenic activities and ecological processes. Creating connections to public open spaces, schools and other educational opportunities, conserva-tion areas, recreation

Development/AgricultureTypes of land use near streams and in flood planes contribute drasti-cally to non point source pollution. These areas are the critical sites to implement best management practices of stormwater runoff.

Public Open SpaceConnecting people to the open space and connecting open space to open space is critical in developing a system that truly creates a reve-latory experience for the user. These open spaces display various habitats of upland deciduous and coniferous forests, floodplain forest and wetlands. Educating people on the beneficial affects of these various habitats is a reoccuring goal of the vision plan.

Riparian Buffer ZoneBased on the NJDEP Surface Water Quality Standards there are three distinct antidegradation designations. ONRW = Most Significant Waters. C1= 300’ riparian buffer. C2 = 50’, 100’ or 150’ riparian buffer. The main purpose of these buffers are to prevent drinking water deg-radation and discourage development in these ecologically sensitive areas.

StreamsThe five streams of the Great Swamp Watershed run to and pass through the swamp. These waters are carrying sediment that is slowly filling in the swamp lands and non point source pollution that is destroying the biodiversity of the habitat. This vital resource deserves to be celebrated for its many forms and uses.

FloodplainThe current 100-year floodplain is included as a portion of the Ripar-ian Buffer Zone. Development in these areas is bound to create non-point source pollution that is washed into the nearest stream during flooding. For this reason development is discouraged in these areas and for those areas that are already developed the implimentation of best stormwater management practices is strongly encouraged.

ContextThe Great Swamp Watershed falls within various portions of ten different municipalities. Each having different cultural values, ecological habitats and involvment with the watershed. The ten municipalities are located in two counties, Morris and Somerset. A major Interstate Highway, 287, unmistakingly cuts directly through the watershed

GroundThe watershed is located in two geographics regions of New Jersey, the Piedmont and Highlands region. This area generally is economi-cally affluent and engulfed in suburban sprawl with the exception of smaller town centers such as Mendham, Madison and Basking Ridge. Morristown should be highlight for its close walking layout. Reveal-ing the ecological processes in these areas and connecting them back to the swamp reinforces aesthetic beauty, educational aware-ness and local cultural value.

Evan Ralph, Chris Jurgensen, Mike Cucinotta

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l e t t h e l o c a l s

L i s s a D i e y e , E r i n G r e e n w o o d , A l e x a n d r a B o l i n d e r G i b s a n d , D a n n y S u

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ApproachIn order to design for the future of the municipalities within the Great Swamp Watershed, we sought out to set up an infra-structure that promotes smart growth. Our team approached the design for the future of the watershed by looking at ways to enhance connections throughout the watershed. We feel that by allowing easier access between schools, neighborhoods, transit centers, businesses, cultural attractions, and green space will provide the watershed with the foundation it needs to efficiently grow over the next 50 years.

Transportation is one of the main issues when designing in suburban areas because of the specific focus on travel by automobile. How can we generate a design that connects all the key features in the surrounding area, strengthens the com-munity and lowers the dependence on the automobile?

We decided to explore the benefits of introducing an integrated biking system throughout the watershed. This would connect the important features of the watershed like the Great Swamp National Park and various Revolutionary War historical sites while also providing a new transportation network for the area’s residents, employees and visitors.

By providing the community with an activity that also serves as a form of transportation, new benefits arise and start to shape a prosperous future.

GoalsBy spending more time outdoors, we expect that residents and visitors will become more aware of their watershed and the importance of keeping it clean. Getting the people outside will allow them to experience the physical landscape and therefore have a greater appreciation for their local environ-ment. People can have a deeper connection with their local environment and be inspired to preserve it. Reducing the use of motorized vehicles can lower harmful gases into the air and reduce the area’s carbon footprint.

We want the biking system to allow for re-thinking of the transportation approach to suburban development by incor-porating easier mobility by cyclists and pedestrians. This will hopefully inspire the building of small, densely developed cities and more preserved open space to accomodate these members of the community. We envision the small cities to have thriving communities with members from diverse socio-economic backgrounds as well as an abundance of investments in local businesses. If people can easily bike or walk to take care of their needs and gather their food, there can be a reduction in [over]consumption and it can bring money directly into the local businesses.

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COLLEGE OF SAINT ELIZABETH

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE AT FLORHAM

CHATHAM

MORRIS PLAINS

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History

Urban

Wildlife

Schools

Agriculture? Trainsn Schools' Farm Market# Restaurants

Roads

The key features of the watershed include the historic districts, preserved open space, urban areas, schools and colleges and agricultural land. These provide the area with culture, diversity and overall sense of place.

In efforts to plan for the future of the ten munici-palities of the Great Swamp Watershed, working towards smart growth is the best choice. Through efficient planning, an area can see a curb in consumptive sprawl and properly prepare for future growth and development.

The features of the watershed should be connected efficiently. It is vital to safely connect the learning institutions and neighborhoods. It is also important to connect the schools with different learning tools such as historic sites and preserved wildlife areas. There should also be connections made to provide the residents with easy access to transportation and resources used on a daily basis.

C O M M U N I T Y

E N V I R O N M E N TE N V I R O N M E N TE N V I R O N M E N T

T R A N S P O R TAT I O NT R A N S P O R TAT I O NT R A N S P O R TAT I O NT R A N S P O R TAT I O NT R A N S P O R TAT I O NT R A N S P O R TAT I O NT R A N S P O R TAT I O N

E D U C AT I O NE D U C AT I O NE D U C AT I O N

C O N N E C T I V I T YC O N N E C T I V I T Y

R E C R E AT I O N

T O U R I S MT O U R I S MT O U R I S M

E X P L O R AT I O N

C O M M U N I C AT I O NC O M M U N I C AT I O N

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

photos by: Erin Greenwood

map by: Alex Bolinder-Gibsand & Erin Greenwood

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201 - 3500 - 10 11 - 30 31 - 50 51 - 200

0 1 2 3 40.5Miles

People Who Walk To Work

0 - 25 26 - 40 41 - 70 71 - 150

0 1 2 3 40.5Miles

People Who Take the Train To Work

151 - 200 5 - 100 101 - 500 501 - 1000 1001 - 2000 2001 - 3000

0 1 2 3 40.5Miles

People Who Drive To Work

14 - 150 1 - 3 4 - 8 9 - 13

People Who Bike To Work

0 1 2 3 40.5Miles

Car Alone

Carpool

Other

Bus

Rail

Bike

Motorcycle

Commuting to Work: Modes of Transportation

*Depiction of people who drive alone, not including those who carpool.

maps by: Erin Greenwood

Transportation and recreation are the two categories involved with the biking system. Biking recreationally is already a popular activity of the area. There is a path system that circles the Great Swamp, however as it was created by the NJ DOT it directs the cyclists to travel along various roads that are sometimes busy. A small percent-age of the population use bikes to get to and from work, but many people commute by bus or train. Opportunities for improvement are prevalent in both categories.

The ten municipalities within the Great Swamp Watershed already have an active recreational biking community. Biking is a popular recreational activity but used as transportation only for a few employed residents. More densely populated areas such as Morristown and Madison could benefit from a biking system that can allow people to connect between towns as well as various historic and outdoor recreation sites.

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Suitablility

least suitable most suitable

Topography & Aerial view

Slope Map

map by: Erin Greenwood

map by:

Erin Gree

nwood

map by:

Alex Bolin

der-Gibs

and

The Bicycle Trail Suitability Map shows the areas and roads most suitable for bike paths to be built on. The map’s criteria included slopes, open space buffers, distance to train buffers, flood zones, land-use, and schools. These factors were combined and the resulting map shows the best rated areas with the

darker areas being the most suitable and the lighter areas being the least suitable. In order to map the trails appropriately, we looked back and forth between the slopes and topography maps and aerial imagery. This helped ensure that the trails would be in the locations best suited for them.

Page 23: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

� � � � � �miles

Rest StopInformation SlopesBike Rental Bike Shop

WildlifeUrbanMain

HistoricalMountain

50 miles

18 miles

13 miles

14 miles

24 miles

Biketrail Mapmap by: Alex Bolinder-Gibsand & Erin Greenwood

Icon design by: Danny Su

Page 24: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

This historical trail ventures off the main path into Mendham Borough and Mendham Township. Due to the terrain in this historic river valley, this trail is for a biker that enjoys a little bit of a challenge. The 12 Mile ride takes you along a green country road through some of the historical neighborhoods dating back to the revolutionary war. Along the path you will encounter areas of preserved farmland and vast open space. Off of Pleasant Valley Road there is a small pond which may be the perfect spot for a rest-bit with local delights purchased

at one of the farmers markets along the trail.

The wildlife trail is in close relation to the surrounding main path and has three points of entry. It contains a path through the Great Swamp Watershed National Refuge, exposing the treasure of Harding Township. The biker is immersed in a low terrain trail surrounded by natural habitat of plants and animals, common and uncommon to the New Jersey area. Along the main path on the corner of the watershed is an Environmental Education Center where the public can learn more about the benefits of preservation of wildlife habitat. Due to the high numbers of migrat-ing birds who frequent the Refuge each season, this is the home of the Raptor trust on the outside of the watershed as well as a destination for members of the National Audubon Society. The trail then leads the cyclist to Lord Sterling Park, which provides visitors an array of activities

including horseback riding and hiking.

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Pleasant Valley Farm

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Historical Trail

Historic Properties

Preserved Farmland and Open Space

12 Miles

Tempe Wick Reserve

Buck Hill Tract Natural Area

Schiff Nature Reserve

Middle Valley Farm

Environmental Education Center

Raptor Trust

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Lord Sterling Park

14 miles

maps & details by: Alex Bolinder Gibsand

These are examples of what a page in the trail map booklet would look like. The booklet would provide the rider with the information necessary to navigate the different trails and also take note of the significant landmarks. The icons depict small signs that would be inform the rider of necessary information of stops such as bike distribution units, rest stops as well astrail features like steepness and distance.

Page 25: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

MORRISTOWN 1953

Morristown

MORRISTOWN 2010 MORRISTOWN 2060

Residential Zone

Residential Zone

Residential Zone

Business Zone

Industrial Zone

Office Zone

Existing Buildings Green SpaceParking Bike and Pedestrian Train Station Buildings Green SpaceParking Bike and Pedestrian Train Station

section by: Alex Bolinder-Gibsand

maps by: Erin Greenwood

Currently, town centers in the watershed have lots of parking lots and no bike lanes or pedestrian only areas. The new cyclist and pedestrian focused system would call for underground parking and rain gardens on the sides of the streets to efficiently collect water. It would also encourage denser development and mixed zoning areas that consist of residential and business.

Page 26: Rutgers University: Landscape Architecture Departmentjrstudio.rutgers.edu/gsw/FinalReport_GSWA_RegionalDesign.pdf · Sleep easier Social Aspects: Promotes interactio ns with surrounding

BERNARDS TWP

MORRIS TWP

HARDING

MENDHAM TWP

LONG HILL TWP

CHATHAM TWPBERNARDSVILLE

MENDHAM BORO

MADISON

MORRISTOWN

2011

CHESTER TWP

BERNARDS TWPLONG HILL TWP

CHESTER BORO

2015

BEDMINSTER TWP

WARREN TWP

RANDOLPH TWP

SUMMIT

WATCHUNG

CHATHAM BORO

2030

TEWKSBURY TWP

BRIDGEWATER TWP

BEDMINSTER TWP

WARREN TWP

PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS TWP

DENVILLE TWP

HANOVER TWP

SUMMIT CITY

EAST HANOVER

WATCHUNG

FLORHAM PARK

FAR HILLS

BERKELEY HEIGHTS

CHATHAM BORO

NEW PROVIDENCE

MOUNTAIN LAKES

PLAINS BORO

2045

WASHINGTON TWP

TEWKSBURY TWP

MOUNT OLIVE TWP

BRIDGEWATER TWP

ROXBURY TWP

PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS TWP

DENVILLE TWP

LIVINGSTON TWP

MILLBURN TWP

EAST HANOVER

SPRINGFIELD

ROSELAND

MINE HILL

MOUNTAINSIDE

MOUNTAIN LAKES

2060maps by: Lissa Dieye

We see the biking system expanding farther outside the ten municipalities over the next several years. The predicted benefits of the proposed biking system can bring sustain-able, smart growth to suburban areas. This system has the potential to reach pleaces throughout New Jersey and eventually outside of the state.