This editorial calls on the state of New Jersey to take advantage of the fact that it has one of the country's largest mass transit network and to better site homes and development near transit.
"According to a recent publication by NJ Future, a local think tank, New Jersey is already a leader in the nation when it comes to mass transit. Our state has the third largest national mass transit network and saw a laudable 4.1 percent increase in NJ Transit passengers last year. That's al most double the national average. Also, New Jersey had the fourth slowest growth rate in the number of vehicle miles traveled since 1980 and reported a decline in per-capita fuel consumption since 1989, according to NJ Future. Still, to meet the ambitious energy saving and greenhouse gas emission targets set by the governor, more people need to abandon their cars for trains, buses and ferries."
"One way to make that happen is to create more housing within walking distance of mass transit hubs, such as the Princeton Junction and Hamil ton train stations. If you think you've heard of that concept before, it's because you have. Ambitious housing and commercial centers around the busy local train stops, known as transit villages, were proposed years ago, only to be shot down by neighbors and local officials, fearing increased traffic and an influx of school children."
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