The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University has compiled a new Infrastructure Needs Assessment (INA) for New Jersey, in collaboration with the Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC) and the Center for Urban Policy Research (CUPR). The assessment is a statutory requirement under the New Jersey State Planning Act, which mandates that the State Planning Commission develop a long-term plan outlining current and future infrastructure needs and costs across state, county, and municipal levels.
This updated INA follows the release of a preliminary draft of the State Development and Redevelopment Plan in December 2024. The last such assessment was completed in 2001. The report covers various infrastructure systems including water, sewerage, transportation, solid waste, drainage, flood protection, shore protection, and related capital facilities. According to the report’s authors, “The goal of this assessment is to increase the time horizon for capital planning, help state and local agencies base capital budgets on long-term capital plans, and utilize consistent and coordinated capital planning methods.”
The new INA summarizes information from recent planning documents and investment plans provided by federal, state, and local agencies. Where comprehensive studies were available—regional or national—their data was used to estimate needs; otherwise sector-specific agency plans informed estimates.
Funding for this project was provided by the New Jersey Office of Planning Advocacy within the NJ Department of State. The authors expressed gratitude to Walter Lane and Donna Rendeiro for their guidance during development.
The Edward J. Bloustein School serves as a professional entity within Rutgers University focused on education and research in planning and public policy to promote equitable and sustainable communities. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs covering areas such as public policy, health administration, urban planning as well as research centers dedicated to topics like transportation and health (official website). The school is recognized nationally for its academic programs: its graduate urban planning program ranks third in the nation while its undergraduate public health program holds fourth place (official website). Stuart Shapiro became dean of the school in 2023 (official website).
Through research centers focused on community development, workforce development, energy policy among others (official website), the Bloustein School supports initiatives aimed at fostering just, socially inclusive environments at multiple scales—from local communities to global contexts (official website).