PENNS NECK AREA EIS
Roundtable Synthesis Workshops
April 9 and 14, 2003


Purpose of the Synthesis Workshops 
1. To review project goals and objectives
2. To discuss the findings in reference to the project goals and objectives 
3. To identify areas of possible agreement
4. To explore trade-offs and mitigations for areas of possible agreement
5. To determine areas of agreement


Who
The Synthesis Workshops are designed for people who have regularly attended the Roundtable and who are familiar with the findings presented there.


Synthesis Workshop Agenda - April 9, 2003
1. Getting Started
* Welcoming Remarks - Martin Robins
* Purpose of Synthesis Workshops
* Expected Outcomes and the EIS Process - Jon Carnegie
* Ground Rules
* Guiding Principles
2. Review Project Goals and Objectives
3. Discuss Findings in Reference to Project Goals and Objectives
* Round 1 - Which of the Route 1 options best meet the project goals and objectives?
* Round 2 - Which of the West-side Connector/Frontage Road options best meet the project goals and objectives?
4. Identify Areas of "Possible Agreement"  
5. Preview of April 14 Workshop and Close

Synthesis Workshop Agenda - April 14, 2003
1. Getting Started
2. Discuss Findings in Reference to Project Goals and Objectives, Continued
* Round 3 - Which of the East-side Connector options best meet the project goals and objectives?
* Round 4 - Which of the Vaughn Drive options best meet the project goals and objectives?
3. Identify Areas of "Possible Agreement."  
4. Explore Mitigating Plans and Trade-Offs

PENNS NECK AREA
Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
Draft Table of Contents

Purpose and Need
Alternatives Considered and Description of Alternatives
Affected Environment
Transportation and mobility
	Air quality
	Noise
	Socioeconomics and land use
	Cultural resources
	Natural ecosystems
	Contaminated sites
Environmental Consequences and Mitigation
	Transportation and mobility
	Air quality
	Noise
	Socioeconomics and land use
	Cultural resources
	Water quality
Aquatic ecology
Floodplains
Wetlands
Vegetation and wildlife
Threatened & Endangered Species
	Contaminated sites
	Aesthetics
	Construction impacts
	Secondary and cumulative impacts
	Relationship of short-term uses and long-term productivity
	Irreversible and irretrievable commitment of resources
Evaluation of Alternatives
	Comparison to project purpose
	Comparison to project goals and objectives
	Project costs
Agency and public outreach and coordination
Agencies, organizations and persons sent this EIS
Glossary and list of abbreviations
List of preparers
Index and Appendices

Ground Rules
To help us communicate in a way that supports our intentions, we agree to these norms:

* Base our work in all our goals & objectives
* Be respectful
* Keep an open mind 
* Get curious -- really hear what others think and want
* Speak up & speak briefly 
* Be forthcoming
* Be flexible - it's OK to change
* Be creative 
* No yelling
* Try on new perspectives 
* Balance Asking with Telling 



Guiding Principles 

* Positions vs. Interests - explore the interests underlying stated positions
* Focus on what works
* Acknowledge levels of agreement
o We Agree
o We Possibly Agree: "I could agree if...."
o We Don't Agree
* The whole is greater than the sum of its parts


PENNS NECK AREA EIS
Working GOALS & OBJECTIVES 
As agreed by the Penns Neck Area EIS Partners' Roundtable (last revised 4.10.02) 


GOAL:  Provide an open, inclusive, transparent and responsive EIS process.
Objectives:
* Create a process that embraces the principles of context sensitive design, fosters innovation and considers all ideas.
* Create a process that meets or exceeds Federal requirements.
* Ensure that important but tangential issues raised in the EIS process that cannot be addressed by the EIS process are directed to the appropriate entity for action.
* Create a process in which data are accessible and in which the models used are understandable and the assumptions are clearly defined.

GOAL:  Provide a proactive, comprehensive and ongoing public participation program.
Objectives:
* Provide a variety of forums to solicit broad public participation from a wide variety of perspectives.
* Ensure that opportunities for public input are widely communicated.
* Facilitate cross-communication between agencies, groups and individuals.

GOAL:  Protect and enhance the integrity of residential neighborhoods.
Objectives:
* Enhance pedestrian/bicycle amenities, access and safety to schools and other community facilities.
* Enhance vehicular access and safety to schools and other community facilities.
* Ensure that impacts are appropriate for the character of the existing roads and neighborhoods.
* Ensure that transportation (pedestrian/bicycle/transit/road) impacts do not disproportionately affect one neighborhood over another.
* Be aware of unintended consequences (e.g. diverted traffic).
* Minimize adverse impacts on the integrity of neighborhoods.

GOAL:  Maintain the viability of institutional and business communities
Objectives:
* Enhance pedestrian/bicycle amenities, access, and safety to institutions and businesses.
* Enhance vehicular access and safety to institutions and businesses.
* Minimize adverse effects on development of campuses.
* Be aware of unintended consequences (e.g. diverted traffic).

GOAL:  Protect and enhance the environment, including natural resources and open space.
Objectives:
* Preserve or improve water quality in the Millstone River watershed and the Delaware and Raritan Canal.
* Protect against flooding and encourage stormwater recharge, where appropriate.
* Protect against adverse noise impacts and meet federal and state air quality standards.
* Protect wetlands and avoid impacts to federal and state rare, threatened, and endangered species.
* Consider underlying geological conditions (i.e., bedrock, groundwater, etc.).
* Avoid habitat fragmentation.
* Protect and enhance access and use of recreational facilities.
* Protect open space as defined by Green Acres.
* Protect against adverse visual and light impacts.

GOAL:  Protect and enhance historic and archeological resources.
Objectives:
* Protect and enhance historic resources that have been:
- locally designated;
- identified as eligible for State or Federal Register;
- listed on State Register; or
- listed on Federal Register.
(See list in Appendix.)
* Avoid disturbances to archeological resources.

GOAL:  Recognize the interrelationships between land use and transportation.
Objectives:	
* Consider impact on land use induced by any transportation improvement.
* Ensure that improvements are sustainable.
* Maximize the compatibility of actions with the goals and objectives of municipal Master Plans and the NJ State Development and Redevelopment Plan.
GOAL: For all modes of transportation, improve access, mobility and safety and reduce congestion.
Objectives:
* Discourage through traffic on residential streets and direct non-local traffic to appropriate transportation facilities.
* Reduce the number of curb cuts along Route 1, and make use of collector/distributor lanes on Route 1, where consistent with other objectives.
* Discourage heavy truck through movements on local east-west roads.
* Improve the flow of traffic on Route 1.
* Improve the flow of east-west traffic on both sides of Route 1, and reduce intersection delays when crossing north-south highways.
* Ensure an equitable balance of traffic on various east-west routes on both sides of Route 1.
* Encourage alternate transportation choices for trips to employment sites, train stations and other destinations, in order to reduce auto dependence and single occupant vehicles (SOVs).
* Encourage regional use of transportation demand management (TDM) strategies.
* Provide better access and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
* Address the needs of emergency response personnel and vehicles.
* Provide effective transportation options for underserved populations.
* Reduce travel delay and rate of growth in congestion throughout the primary study area, as measured by vehicle miles traveled (VMT), vehicle hours traveled (VHT), volume/capacity ratio (v/c), and level of service (LOS).

Review Project Goals and Objectives


Purpose:
To review all the project goals and objectives and to acknowledge individual preferences.


Steps:

1. Pair up with someone you think is different from yourself. 

2. Silently review the goals.  Select the two goals that are most important to you.

3. Take turns talking / listening.  

* Talking Cues:  "These goals are most important to me because....." 

* Listening Cues:  Listen with curiosity. Show you understand by saying back in your own words what your partner said.




Description of Components - 
Options for Route 1

Primary Options
* Do-nothing (No-Action)

* Route 1 at-grade with signals (Alts. G and G.1)

* Route 1 at-grade without signals - Right turn only at Washington Road and Fisher Place  (B-series, C-series, and Alt G.2)

* Route 1 in-a-cut (A-series, D-series, E, and F-series)


Please focus your discussion on the Primary Options above.  The considerations below may factor into trade-off and mitigation conversations later in the workshop.

Secondary Components:
* Interchanges
- Loop-type interchange at Harrison Street (Alts. A, A.1, A.2, B-series, and F-series)
- Diamond interchange at Harrison Street (Alts. A.3, A.4, and C-series)
- Diamond interchanges south of PSE&G substation (D-series)
- Diamond interchange in the vicinity of Fisher Place (Alt. E)
* Access ramps at Washington Road (with Route 1 in-a-cut only)
* Center turn lanes (Route 1 at-grade with signals only; Alt. G)
* Jug-handles (Route 1 at-grade with signals only; Alt. G.1)

Other considerations:
* Cross-section (three 12 foot travel lanes with 15 foot shoulders/auxiliary lanes in each direction)
* Cut-and-cover plaza (Alts D and D.2)
* Route 1 options include replacement of the bridge over Millstone River 

Description of Components -
West-side Connector (WSC) Roads 
& Frontage Roads

Primary Options
* No WSC and no Frontage Roads (No-Action Alternative, G-series)

* WSC road between Route 1, Harrison Street and Washington Road parallel to D&R Canal (B-series) 

* WSC road between Route 1 and Harrison Street
- Connecting to Harrison Street at the D&R Canal (A-series, D-series, and F-series)
- Connecting to Harrison Street at Logan Drive (Alt. D.1)
- Connecting Harrison Street just east of the D&R Canal (Alt. E)

* One-way frontage road system east and west of Route 1 (Alts. A.1, A.3, A.4, D-series, E, and F-series)
* One-way frontage road west of Route 1 (Alt. A.2)
* Two-way frontage road west of Route 1 (C-series)


Please focus your discussion on the Primary Options above.  The considerations below may factor into trade-off and mitigation conversations later in the workshop.

Other considerations:
* One-lane vs. multi-lane frontage roads (Alt. D.2 only)
WSC road cross-section (one 11 foot travel lane in each direction with 4 foot shoulders striped as a bike lane)
Description of Components - 
East-side Connector (ESC) Road   

Primary Options
* No ESC (C-series, D.2, and G-series, No-Action)
* ESC 1 - northerly alignment along the Millstone River (A-series, B-series and F-series)
* ESC 2 - central alignment in the vicinity of Sarnoff's northern circulation road (Alts. D and D.1)
* ESC 3 - southerly alignment adjacent to Penns Neck neighborhood (Alt. E)


Please focus your discussion on the Primary Options above.  The considerations below may factor into trade-off and mitigation conversations later in the workshop.

Other considerations:
* 4-lane cross-section (two 11 foot travel lanes with a 5 foot shoulder striped as a bike lane in each direction and a 12 foot landscaped median) vs. 2-lane cross-section (one 11 foot travel lane in each direction with 4 foot shoulders striped as a bike lane)

Description of Components - 
Vaughn Drive Connector (VDC) Road

Primary Options
* No VDC (No-Action Alternative, G.2 and B Alternatives)
* VDC 1 - eastern alignment connecting Station Drive to Vaughn Drive
* VDC 2 - central alignment 
* VDC 3 - western alignment 


Please focus your discussion on the Primary Options above.  The considerations below may factor into trade-off and mitigation conversations later in the workshop.

Other considerations:
* Cross-section (one 11 foot travel lane in each direction with 8 foot shoulders striped as a bike lane or parking and a 12 foot landscaped median) 

PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES WORKSHEET
"Neighborhood Goal"

GOAL:  Protect and enhance the integrity of residential neighborhoods.
Objectives:







* Enhance pedestrian/bicycle amenities, access and safety to schools and other community facilities.






* Enhance vehicular access and safety to schools and other community facilities.






* Ensure that impacts are appropriate for the character of the existing roads and neighborhoods.






* Ensure that transportation (pedestrian/bicycle/transit/road) impacts do not disproportionately affect one neighborhood over another.






* Be aware of unintended consequences (e.g. diverted traffic).







* Minimize adverse impacts on the integrity of neighborhoods.






PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES WORKSHEET
"Business Goal"

GOAL:  Maintain the viability of institutional and business communities
Objectives:







* Enhance pedestrian/bicycle amenities, access, and safety to institutions and businesses.







* Enhance vehicular access and safety to institutions and businesses.







* Minimize adverse effects on development of campuses.







* Be aware of unintended consequences (e.g. diverted traffic).




PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES WORKSHEET
"Environment Goal"

GOAL:  Protect and enhance the environment, including natural resources and open space.
Objectives:







* Preserve or improve water quality in the Millstone River watershed and the Delaware and Raritan Canal.






* Protect against flooding and encourage stormwater recharge, where appropriate.






* Protect against adverse noise impacts and meet federal and state air quality standards.






* Protect wetlands and avoid impacts to federal and state rare, threatened, and endangered species.






* Consider underlying geological conditions (i.e., bedrock, groundwater, etc.).






* Avoid habitat fragmentation.







* Protect and enhance access and use of recreational facilities.







* Protect open space as defined by Green Acres.







* Protect against adverse visual and light impacts.

	


PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES WORKSHEET
"Historic Resources Goal"

GOAL:  Protect and enhance historic and archeological resources.
Objectives:







* Protect and enhance historic resources that have been:
* locally designated; 
* identified as eligible for State or Federal Register;
* listed on State Register; or 
* listed on Federal Register. (See list in Appendix.)






* Avoid disturbances to archeological resources.




PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES WORKSHEET
"Land Use Goal"

GOAL:  Recognize the interrelationships between land use and transportation.
Objectives:	







* Consider impact on land use induced by any transportation improvement.







* Ensure that improvements are sustainable.







* Maximize the compatibility of actions with the goals and objectives of municipal Master Plans and the NJ State Development and Redevelopment Plan.


PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES WORKSHEET
"Transportation Goal"

GOAL: For all modes of transportation, improve access, mobility and safety and reduce congestion.
Objectives:






* Discourage through traffic on residential streets and direct non-local traffic to appropriate transportation facilities.






* Reduce the number of curb cuts along Route 1, and make use of collector/distributor lanes on Route 1, where consistent with other objectives.






* Discourage heavy truck through movements on local east-west roads.






* Improve the flow of traffic on Route 1.






* Improve the flow of east-west traffic on both sides of Route 1, and reduce intersection delays when crossing north-south highways.






* Ensure an equitable balance of traffic on various east-west routes on both sides of Route 1.






* Encourage alternate transportation choices for trips to employment sites, train stations and other destinations, in order to reduce auto dependence and single occupant vehicles (SOVs).






* Encourage regional use of transportation demand management (TDM) strategies.






* Provide better access and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.                   






* Address the needs of emergency response personnel and vehicles.






* Provide effective transportation options for underserved populations.






* Reduce travel delay and rate of growth in congestion throughout the primary study area, as measured by vehicle miles traveled (VMT), vehicle hours traveled (VHT), volume/capacity ratio (v/c), and level of service (LOS).


Discuss Findings vis a vis Goals


Purpose: 
To exchange opinions and understand each other's reasoning about which options best satisfy the various project goals and objectives.

 "Based on all the findings and your opinion, which option(s) best satisfy 
this goal and its underlying objectives, and why?"


Steps:
At each goal station, you will follow these steps:

1. Think Silently.  For a minute or two, individually and silently:
* Review the goal and the objectives. 
* Recall the relevant findings. 
* Consider your opinion and the reasons why you think as you do.

2. Talk and Listen.  Each person has a minute or two, in turn, to state his or her response. During this time everyone else listens with curiosity. You can ask questions to clarify the person's reasoning, but may not argue or contribute otherwise.

* Talking Cues: "I think this option ___________ best satisfies this goal and objectives, because ________________________.

* Listening Cues: To increase your understanding, and out of curiosity and not criticism, you may ask "Tell us more about why this is important?" or check your understanding with "So, if I understand right, you are saying....."

3. Write.  As each person's time ends, record his or her opinion and reasons on the flipchart. Use the person's own words, and check that what you write accurately reflects what each person said and meant. 

* Use black markers for comments.

* Use your group's color markers for check / tally marks.






Identify Possible Agreements


Purpose: 
To develop and record possible agreements as they emerge throughout the workshop.  (Later in the workshop, we will explore whether the Possible Agreements can become actual agreements).


Steps:
Throughout the workshop, pay attention to possible agreements that emerge.

1. Check for possible agreement with a minimum of two additional people.
2. Record your "Possible Agreement" on a jumbo-sized post-it note using black or blue magic marker.
3. Post your "Possible Agreement" on the designated wall.
4. Cheer yourselves on!
PENNS NECK AREA EIS Roundtable Synthesis Workshops		         Page 19