A new research brief by Jonathan Delura, Senior Research Specialist, Center for Urban Policy Research for the New Jersey Climate Change Research Center details a novel approach for estimating the extent and depth of roadway inundation using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) derived roadway surface elevations. A desktop analysis was conducted utilizing this approach to provide a first order assessment of coastal flooding impacts under current and future flood scenarios for New Jersey.
Topic
Research, Publications, and Reports
Smart and Von Hagen Discuss Safety Challenges of “Stroads” Using Route 1 as Example
According to Smart, that creates a design problem.
“Everything about it tells you you should drive fast,” he said. “It looks like a highway. But you also have a lot of driveways, so you’re driving very fast and braking very often.”
Report Release: R/ECON Forecast Summer 2026
The Garden State’s economic outlook for Summer 2026 presents a picture of tempered growth and a labor market that, while stabilizing, remains under pressure. The state closed out 2025 with solid GDP growth but is expected to ease to considerably to 0.9% in both 2026 and 2027, roughly a full percentage point below the national levels.
Bulger et al. Release 2026 Update to Historical Timelines of Climate Change Mitigation
This report provides a 2026 update of historical timelines with respect to New Jersey’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., climate change mitigation) as well as reduce its vulnerability to climate change impacts (i.e., climate change adaptation).
Safe Driving for Life: Mature Drivers Resource Center
The Mature Drivers Resource Center, an initiative of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, provides resources and training on safe driving techniques for mature drivers, guidance for starting the conversation when an older driver needs to limit or stop driving, and mobility options for those who have stepped away from driving.
Addressing Homelessness: A Comparative Analysis of State Policies, Funding, and Responses
This report was developed for the NJ Coalition to End Homelessness (NJCEH) as part of a Rutgers University — New Brunswick Master of Public Policy Practicum to examine how New Jersey compares to selected peer states in allocating and structuring state funding for homeless services, responding to federal funding changes, and addressing issues related to the criminalization of homelessness.
Hetling, Yeo, & McFarland Research Easing Administrative Burden in the Public Safety Net
A study by Rutgers researchers Andrea Hetling, Vee Yeo, and Lillian McFarland found that trauma-informed approaches, strong case management, peer support, and flexible services can make public safety net programs more accessible and effective for survivors.
New VTC Report: Improving Virtual Public Involvement in Transportation Agencies
NCHRP Research Report 1178: Improving Virtual Public Involvement in Transportation Agencies, produced by TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program, presents key principles and practical tips for VPI use by both beginning and experienced public involvement practitioners, project managers, and other professionals.
Samuel Co-Authors Editorial on the Evolution of Artificial Intelligence
What truly defines this era is the fundamental shift in how these systems have transitioned from calculators of language to actors of intent. We have reached an inflection point with the emergence of agentic AI (AAI) built on fundamental and generative AI building blocks.
Payne Serves as Guest Editor for Special Edition of Cartographic Perspectives Journal
In the papers gathered here, we aim to showcase experiments in spatial representation beyond place markers and polygons on maps, from demos of new tools and historical reclamations of pre-GIS representation techniques, to theoretical engagement with the ontology of mapping and representation itself.