Kenia Gonzalez recently joined the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center as its Bilingual Outreach Specialist. We spoke with her about her role and why language access plays a critical part in VTC’s work. Kenia leads Spanish-language translation, interpretation,...
Topic
Urban Planning
NJSPL: Electricity Bills and AI Data Centers
Considering the impact of AI on electricity bills, data centers in the Northeast could be part of the problem.
Sherrill keeps her promise to take action against N.J.’s soaring electric rates. But is it enough?
New Jersey’s energy infrastructure has essentially been underdeveloped for years, observed Clinton J. Andrews, director of the Center for Urban Policy Research at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy at Rutgers. That shortage of capacity is a big reason why New Jersey utility customers “are being hit with these crazy cost spikes.
Jeremy Zorek (PPP ’25) Bids MetroCard Farewell (NYT)
Bloustein School alum Jeremy Zorek (PPP’25) was recently featured in the New York Times as part of a transit challenge to ride every system that still accepts the MetroCard before the iconic fare card fades into history.
VTC and CUPR Compile NJ Infrastructure Needs Assessment
With the release of New Jersey’s preliminary State Development and Redevelopment Plan, researchers from CUPR and VTC updated the state’s long-required Infrastructure Needs Assessment. The assessment examines long-term infrastructure needs across sectors like water, transportation, flood protection, and more, drawing on federal, state, and local data. Its goal is to support smarter, coordinated, and long-term capital planning that protects public health, safety, and supports sustainable development statewide.
Pallavi Shinde (MCRP ’12) Featured in Planning Magazine
Pallavi Shinde (MCRP ’12), Planning and Zoning Director for the Newark, is featured on the cover of Planning Magazine (American Planning Association), Winter 2026 edition. The cover story highlights Newark’s leadership in adaptive reuse, showcasing how underutilized office and historic commercial buildings are being transformed into much-needed housing and vibrant mixed-use spaces downtown.
NJSPL: Safer E-Biking and Understanding Micromobility
As e-bikes and other micromobility devices have become increasingly popular to use on New Jersey’s sidewalks and streets, it is increasingly important for young users and their guardians to be equipped with the information and resources necessary to ride safely. Researchers with the Voorhees Transportation Center partnered with the New Jersey Department of Transportation to develop a Micromobility Guide and elaborate on various strategies to improve safer e-bike riding.
Prof. Andrews Interviewed About New Jersey’s Propane Emergency
“[It] can lead to frozen pipes, can lead to sick kids, it could lead to a whole variety of problems,” Prof. Andrews said.
He said that the whole situation underscores how problematic the use of propane can be.
EJB Talks: Alumnus Helps Rethink Jersey City’s Public Spaces
Dean Stuart Shapiro talks to alumnus Barkha Patel, MCRP ’15 this week on EJB Talks. She reflects on how the planning school fundamentals and communication skills she learned still form the basis for her work, and concludes with encouraging emerging planners to adopt an action-oriented mindset by becoming a person who figures things out and gets things done, even when they feel out of their depth.
EJB Talks: Uncovering Inequality Through Design
Assistant Professor Carmelo Ignaccolo explains how, in both his research and teaching, he has focused on how design has had the power to shape inequality over time, showing how decisions such as highway placement or waterfront redevelopment leave long-lasting impacts on communities.