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Chapter 12: Hunterdon County
12.1 Facts at a Glance
Number of Stations
Number of Interchanges
Estimated Track Length
Estimated Number of Vehicles
Estimated Trips/Day
Estimated Cost
Estimated Cost/Trip
462
212
1146 miles
200,000
500,000 M
$5,070 M
$2.78
Hunterdon County was established on March 22, 1714 and named after colonial Governor
Robert Hunter’s old world home, Hunterston. Hunterdon is part of the New York Metropolitan
Area, and Flemington, in Raritan Township, has been the county seat since 1785.
Figure 12.1 Hunterdon County Municipalities
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12.2 Land Characteristics
Located midway between New York and Philadelphia, two of the nation’s largest metropolitan
areas, Hunterdon County is only a 90 minute drive away. Despite the convenient location and
resulting traffic flow through, Hunterdon is still a relatively rural area with a leading agricultural
economy. Hunterdon County lies mostly in the Delaware River Valley and its tributaries and is
characterized by rolling wooded hills.
The eight largest of the New Jersey counties, Hunterdon encompasses a total area of 437 square
miles or about 279,680 acres and is comprised of 26 municipalities that range in size and
character. These include fourteen townships, ten boroughs, and Clinton Town. Lambertville, one
of the oldest communities, is Hunterdon’s only city1. Several Hunterdon municipalities have no
towns, only hamlets, and some townships span little more than one square mile.
As shown by the land use graph below, agricultural/farming remains the predominant land use,
with residential lands (discussed in 12.3) as the second largest category. Commercial or
industrial development numbers just around 7,952 acres, or about 2.8% of the gross land area, as
seen below in the breakdown of land use.
Figure 12.2 Hunterdon County Land Use, 2006
Despite continuing development pressure, Hunterdon residents are supportive of the goal of
preserving Hunterdon’s rural character2. Hunterdon County is fortunate to have numerous lands
set aside for open space purposes, which has been vital in preserving the physical beauty that
makes Hunterdon County unique. Design guidelines call for more compact patterns of growth to
1
2
http://www.hunterdon-chamber.org/services2.asp?service=Community%20Profiles
http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/cadb/preserve.htm
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enhance the natural environment as the dominant landscape feature and prevent low density
extensions. Hunterdon has a broad open space concept encompassing rural ambiance, water
resource protection, wildlife habitat, and natural recreation.
Hosting 13.6% of farmland in New Jersey, the active Hunterdon County Farmland Preservation
Program and Open Space Trust Fund boast the largest land area of farms3. The Hunterdon
County's Agricultural Development Board maintains Farmland Preservation Programs that allow
farm owners to sell development rights in exchange for a permanent requirement for the land to
be available for agriculture in perpetuity. By the end of 2007, Hunterdon became the top county
in the state in preserved acreage (24,244) and number of preserved farms (280), using a
combination of local, county and state funding4. The chart below shows the distribution of farms
by acre size, where 1 acre = 0.0015625 square miles.
Figure 12.3: Hunterdon Farms by Size
Figure 12.4: Tucked Away Farms in Hunterdon
3
4
http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/cadb.htm
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.ssf/2008/11/comment_sought_on_saving_farms.html
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The Hunterdon County Park System comprises 24 areas and over 7,430 acres of land. There are
different park area categories, and each provides a different type of environmental and public use.
Deer Path Park, Hunterdon County Arboretum, the Echo Hill Section of the South Branch Nature
Preserve, Mountain Farm/Teetertown Preserve, and Court Street Park at Flemington all have
reservable facilities. The county has a long-term goal to add around another 10,000 acres of land
to the Park System through fee simple purchases and conservation easements for public park,
recreation and conservation purposes. After such an acquisition, this would place Hunterdon’s
total parkland holdings at nearly 6% of the total available land area in Hunterdon County5. Some
of the major parks are depicted below.
Figure 12.5: Major Hunterdon Parks
Most of the rural areas are located in the southern parts of Hunterdon. The suburban areas with
higher density commercial and residential areas are located mostly in the central and eastern
regions of the county, such as the Flemington area and along the high traffic highway corridors
such as those along Route 78/202. However, Hunterdon County landscape has been gradually
becoming more urbanized as the percentage of developed lands has been increasing, reaching
24% in 2001, as depicted in the table below. Development, both residential and commercial, is
encouraged in more compact forms in clusters such as complexes to prevent a land-consuming
sprawl.
5
http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/parks.htm
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Table 12.1: Hunterdon County Landscape Change 1984-2001 in Acres
12.3 Housing Data
From the 2000 census, there were 121,989 people, 43,678 households, and 32,845 families
residing in Hunterdon County, resulting in a population density of 284 people per square mile.6
While still one of the least densely populated counties in New Jersey, the nation’s most densely
populated state, Hunterdon has had the second fastest rate of residential growth in the state since
19807. Residents increased 13.91% from 107,776 to 121,989 between the years of 1990 and 2000,
compared to a statewide growth of 8.85%. However, there are only 284 people per square mile
relative to the New Jersey average of 1,127 people per square mile, giving Hunterdon the third
lowest population density. Given an average of 4 trips per resident, this results in about 500,000
total trips per day.
Figure 12.6: Hunterdon Municipality Population Density
Given above are the corresponding municipality densities. Some of the fastest growing
municipalities in Hunterdon County have been those with close connections to major
6
7
http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/facts.htm
http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/pdf/cadb/DraftFarmlandPlan/Chap1.pdf
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transportation corridors. As a result of their attractive locations to commuters, these areas have
seen major business and residential growth as these areas have developed into a sort of bedroom
community for surrounding urban areas. Below is a list of more recent population numbers along
with future projections, but keep in mind that data from the 2000 Census are used for analysis.
Table 12.2: Hunterdon Municipality Population
Projections prepared by the Hunterdon County Planning Board, 2004
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
During the 1980s, a number of higher-density residential developments, including single family
homes on small lots, townhouses, apartments, and condominiums, were built throughout
Hunterdon County, concentrating in areas such as Raritan Township, Union Township,
Flemington, Lambertville, Clinton Township, and Readington Township. Since then, these same
municipalities have continued to experience some of the largest overall percentage of
commercial and industrial expansion, resulting in some of the highest values for such
developments.
The Town of Clinton (28%), Raritan (27%) and Readington (23%) have had some of the highest
growth rates in Hunterdon recently. Due to their smaller size and more urban nature, Flemington
Borough and Lambertville City have the highest densities per square mile in both population and
in housing units. Flemington also houses a number of apartment complexes, which are otherwise
rare in Hunterdon County. However, despite the congesting of residential areas in some parts of
Hunterdon, large single-family homes on expansive lots of 3 to 15 acres still dominate new
residential construction.
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12.4 Existing Transit Network
12.4.1 NJ Transit
The NJ Transit is the nation's largest public transit system, and its Raritan Valley Line extends
from Newark Penn Station into Hunterdon County with four stops at White House, Lebanon,
Annandale, and High Bridge, where it ends. Current parking capacities for the four stations are
100, 15, 77, and 43 spots respectively. Given below are the fiscal year averages for Average
Weekday Rail Passenger Boarding numbers.8
Table 12.3: Hunterdon NJ Transit Ridership Numbers
Station
White House
Lebanon
Annandale
High Bridge
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
76
12
48
48
74
14
50
53
87
19
60
55
92
16
59
55
81
14
61
45
100
12
72
54
102
16
85
60
107
19
96
68
98
18
113
76
The low ridership is explained by the fact that only nine of the thirty daily weekday trains on the
Raritan Valley Line stop at any of the Hunterdon stations, whereas the preceding stops at Raritan
and Somerville stations in Somerset County are serviced by twenty-eight of the trains and also
have more express options. In addition, there is no service in Hunterdon on the weekends. Only
four eastbound trains run in the morning, and only one runs in the afternoon.
12.4.2 LINK
Figure 12.7: Hunterdon LINK
The LINK is Hunterdon County’s intra-county bus transportation system that transports the
general public and senior citizens and the disable at a nominal cost to popular destinations. The
fleet of 30 vehicles makes about 700 trips/day and is funded by Hunterdon County, NJ Transit,
and the Federal Transit Administration. Standard stops including human services programs,
apartments, doctors offices, senior centers, restaurants, Hunterdon Medical Center, places of
employment, and shopping areas. Rather than servicing regular routes, LINK transportation is
scheduled 24 hours in advance in most cases when riders call a Central Dispatch. Curb to curb
transportation is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. There are 18 routes
8
https://webfiles.berkeley.edu/~lensovet/njtboardingdata.htm
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including a trolley-like run called the Flemington Shuffle, which provides all day service
throughout the Flemington/Raritan region with has unlimited boarding fare at $2. Beginning in
2009, LINK fares have risen for the first time since 1990. The new zone-based fares were chosen
as an alternative to cutting services.
12.4.3 Other Commuter Services
New Jersey Transit commuter bus service is also limited. Bus lines include Clinton to Somerville
(weekdays only) and Lambertville to Trenton. Bethlehem, PA-based Trans-Bridge Lines runs
bus routes that stop in Clinton, Lambertville, Frenchtown, Three Bridges, Union Township, and
Flemington before continuing on to New York. Yet again, daily trips are not frequent, and
weekend options are limited. A map of the Annandale Square, Clinton Point, Flemington,
Hunterdon Hills Playhouse, Kingwood Township, and Oldwick Park and Ride stations9 can be
found at http://www.nj.gov/transportation/commuter/rideshare/pdf/hunterdonpr.pdf.
In terms of aerial transportation, Hunterdon County hosts three privately owned airports
available for public use: Alexandria Field, Sky Manor Airport, and Solberg Airport.
12.5 Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) Network
Instituting a PRT network in Hunterdon County will provide most residents with increased
access to anywhere in the county. Blending the flexibility of car travel with the economic and
environmental benefits of mass transit, the PRT system provides ease of travel and convenience
to Hunterdon’s residents. The isolation of most residential areas necessitates an effective
transportation network. The PRT will provide access to the more remote areas of Hunterdon and
more effectively manage transportation in already developed regions. The whole county will be
interconnected and the destination of choice is as little as one ride away.
Table 12.4: Hunterdon Roadway Miles
Road Type
Miles
County Roadways
242
US Roadways
53
Interstate Roadways
44
State Roadways
98
Municipal Roadways
1103
Privately-owned Roads
113
Total 1653
Currently in Hunterdon County, the car is the dominant form of transportation, with a sizeable
network of roads in place. Most of Hunterdon’s commercial and employment centers are
concentrated along the major highways, such as Routes 78, 202/206, 29 and 31, as shown below.
By providing greater access to further areas, the PRT will enable a slowdown of population
clustering and help Hunterdon retain its organic attractiveness and small town charm.
9
http://www.hart-tma.com/pdf/PublicTransGuide2008.pdf
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Figure 12.8: Hunterdon County Road Map
Hunterdon’s existing transportation infrastructure leaves much to be desired. Hunterdon’s HART
is a non-profit association dedicated to reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality in
Hunterdon County, NJ. It offers incentives for carpooling and other alternative ways to go to
work.10 However, public transportation is not a very popular option in Hunterdon. Many
commuter options including the NJ Transit have a great lack of flexibility for not only weekdays
but weekends as well. Despite the cheap fares, even Hunterdon’s LINK is not widely used by the
general public and now mainly serves the elderly and disabled. As well, the LINK system is
having financial troubles. Even though LINK ridership is up, revenues have failed to keep up
with expenses.11
The PRT network will abet the existing infrastructure by providing more convenient access to
current transit stations, including NJ Transit commuter rail stations, with PRT stations located
right next to them. Commuters can then eliminate the hassle of finding parking or making an
additional stop at a park and ride station by traveling directly to their destination. Current
commuter bus stops at park and ride lots will also be serviced by nearby PRT stations. As well,
because Hunterdon’s on-hand transportation systems are not regularly used by the general
populace, in this case, the new PRT system could possibly replace the current transit system
rather than just providing an easy way to access the transit stops. However, for now, the PRT
stations complement, not compete with these systems, so the network is not parallel to existing
systems. Shown below is the PRT network of stations and interchanges in Hunterdon County.
10
11
http://www.hart-tma.com/pdf/HARTOverviewBrochure2008.pdf
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.ssf/2008/12/link_fares_to_rise_for_2009.html
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Figure 12.9: Hunterdon County PRT Network
In the denser areas, the PRT network is based on a grid structure with loops connected through
interchanges. In the more rural areas, stations are placed in wider loop routes again with
interchanges connect these routes. Such a system is easily expandable in the future. Even though
the system is one-way, hundreds of loops are incorporated to prevent traveling out of the way to
reach a destination as shown below. As well, interchanges are connected to other interchanges to
prevent circling through too many loops for further destinations.
Figure 12.10: PRT Loop System
Figure 12.11: Hunterdon County Productions and Attractions
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As shown above, transportation demand is generally centered around the more developed regions.
The colored circles show densities for productions, colored in red, and attractions, colored in
yellow. The PRT system is comprised of 462 stations and 212 interchanges. Together, the system
services 66.34% of productions and 81.77% of attractions.
Trip estimates for residential stations are derived from population density data from the census
data for all blocks in a county. Estimates for school stations are based on school enrollment and
teacher numbers, and estimates for employment stations are based on employment records for
surrounding businesses. For entertainment and other stations, estimates are determined with
regards to location, surrounding population, and relative popularity of nearby attractions.
Because attraction areas are usually clustered together and along important streets, the PRT
system is able to meet a higher percentage of trips.
Due to the wide variety of residential unit locations in Hunterdon County, it is extremely hard to
locate PRT stations so that all residents have easy access. The convenience of PRT station
locations is of vital importance, for the PRT aims to replace automobile travel, so it has to be
relatively close to home. Because of population demographics, areas of higher populations and
higher densities generally have more PRT stations and clusters to service the higher demand.
However, because a good portion of Hunterdon’s residents are widely spread out, it is almost
impossible to account for 90% of the trips without constructing too many costly stations that will
not be widely used.
There is an inherent tradeoff between the benefits and costs of constructing a station and the
corresponding network and reaching the few people who live in the remotest areas of the county.
In such a rural county, it is hard to ensure PRT service to everyone. For the more rural areas, as a
rule of thumb, stations are located so that at least three houses are conveniently located within a
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quarter-mile. Although there will be households that will not have easy or direct access to a PRT
station, such sacrifices are necessary for the success and cost-effectiveness of the entire network.
In the more rural parts of the county, such in Delaware, Franklin, Kingwood, and West Amwell
townships, which have fewer than fifty housing units per square mile, the PRT will mainly serve
to connect these areas with destinations in nearby larger towns, with limited inter-rural area
service. As well, given the large area of Hunterdon, the cost for the PRT railway is very high.
The most popular PRT stations include the Liberty Village Premium Outlets, Hunterdon Medical
Center, Merck, and Hunterdon Central High School. These destinations see some of the most
constant and heaviest traffic flow through in Hunterdon County, with Merck as one of the largest
employers and Hunterdon Central High School as the largest public school.
With the new PRT system, Hunterdon residents can instead depend on a more reliable and
convenient way to travel to their necessary destinations. The PRT would be an ideal alternative
since it will service the same popular destinations without the scheduling hassle. No longer will
they have to schedule trips one day in advance such as with the LINK. Public transit will become
a common and popular transportation option for all types of commuters, instead of merely
serving those who otherwise would be mainly home-bound. As well, the low cost of riding by
PRT can easily be covered even by low income families. However, the rural landscape of
Hunterdon County does not allow for clustered demand and convenient station locations across
the county, so the PRT system may remain a dream of the future.
12.5.1 Education
Hunterdon County contains 31 school districts, including 4 regional high school districts, 1
vocational school, 1 alternative school, 1regional elementary district, 1 elementary sending
district and 23 elementary districts with approximately 23,000 pupils. The 46 school buildings in
Hunterdon employ approximately 2,300 full and part-time instructional, supervisory and
administrative personnel.
Table 12.5: Major Schools in Hunterdon County
School Name
# Students
Hunterdon Central Regional High School
2,630
North Hunterdon Regional HS
1,525
Reading-Fleming Middle School
1,170
Voorhees High School
1,097
Delaware Valley Regional High School
873
Copper Hill School
782
Holland Brook School
765
The elementary school districts also include ten middle schools and essentially correspond to the
municipalities. At least one and up to four elementary schools are located in each municipality.
The high school districts include five high schools and correspond more with geographic
location than population count. As a result, more rural Delaware Valley and Hunterdon South
High Schools have considerably smaller enrollments. There are five private schools
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in Flemington-Raritan, two in Clinton Township, and one each in Franklin Township,
Lambertville City, Lebanon Borough, and Lebanon Township. The sole post-secondary
education facility is Hunterdon County Polytech, a vocational school with about 446 students,
including those from out of county.
Because education is mandatory, all public schools, the larger private schools, and Hunterdon
County Polytech in Hunterdon are directly serviced by PRT stations, which are located right on
campus. The PRT system will be more efficient than the cumbersome current school bus
transportation system, as it eliminates waiting time for those buses that are never on time. Also,
there is no longer any more worry if a student misses his/her bus and a great reduction in
congestion and pollution by all of those parents idling in a long line as they wait to drop their
kids off at school
12.5.2 Employment
From the census data, there are 3,968 private nonfarm establishments with paid employees
44,628 people working for private nonfarm employment in Hunterdon County. The labor force
is comprised of 84,625 people of age 16 and up, but only 41% of the labor force work within
Hunterdon. Most domestic jobs are related to agriculture, agriculture-related businesses or
support services, such as restaurants, drug stores and markets. Hunterdon’s high-volume
highway corridors have also attracted large corporations such as Merck, which is located along
Route 78 and Chubb Insurance Company, which is located along Route 523. They provide easy
access to growing employment in neighboring Mercer, Somerset, Middlesex, and Morris
Counties.
Table 12.6: Major Employers in Hunterdon County
Company Name
# Employees
Merck Pharmaceutical Corp.
7400
Foster Wheeler Ltd.
2900
Condo Management Maintenance
2040
AM Best Co.
930
Stellex Aerostructures, Inc.
664
Kullman Industries, Inc.
550
Johanna Foods Inc.
540
Exxon Mobil Corp.
500
Mountain View Youth Correctional Facility
500
WCVH
500
Hunterdon County YMCA Inc.
375
Custom Alloy Corp.
370
New York Life Insurance Co.
350
Ingersoll-Rand Co.
331
Pilat North America Inc.
312
Speranza Brick Work Inc.
300
In 1998 in Hunterdon County, there was a 25%-75% mix of goods-producing and serviceproducing jobs among 47,100 total employments. Goods-producing jobs include construction
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work and manufacturing facilities with companies such as Merck & Co. in Readington Township.
Service-producing jobs include everything that is not construction or manufacturing, such as
local services with engineering and management firms, health services and a wide variety of
small businesses. County-wide employment projections show continued growth in such “clean”
industries, which are largely dependent on good transportation and communications facilities. 12
Hunterdon’s traditional agricultural and blue collar industrial base is giving way to a whitecollar office and professional economy, following the national trend from blue to white collar
employment.
Hunterdon’s business establishments mapping is dominated by smaller businesses. According to
census data, 95% of companies employ fewer than 25 people, while only <1% companies
(around 60 companies) employ more than a hundred people. Most commercial and corporate
offices and a large portion of small businesses are located in suburban centers off of the highway
corridors. Smaller businesses also gather in traditional downtown areas with typical Main Street
communities.
With regards to employment, the PRT network serves two purposes: it directly services all of the
larger employers and clusters of businesses with stations on site and it also serves as a
convenient inter-modal connection for commuters to larger transportation modes to more
metropolitan areas, such as the NJ Transit. Because the PRT is statewide, it will more effectively
transport the other 59% of Hunterdon residents who commute for work.
Table 12.7: Hunterdon County Estimated Employment by Major Industry Group, 1998-2008
Source: NJ Department of Labor, December, 2000
12.5.3 Shopping
12
http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/pdf/hcpb/transportation/2008/Plan/Chapter2.pdf
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Due to the small nature of many Hunterdon towns, the traditional Main Street community in
downtown regions is the place to go for local specialty shops. They are often clustered at the
heart of the area, which is also populated with coffee shops and eateries.
As opposed to intermittent strip developments, Hunterdon County favors retail centers clustered
around the highway corridors to create relatively denser areas for one-stop shopping. Flemington
is a popular shopping destination, offering over 100 outlet and specialty stores. One of
Hunterdon’s main shopping attractions is Flemington’s Liberty Village Premium Outlets, which
regularly draws crowds from nearby counties and neighboring Pennsylvania. Lambertville also is
known as the Antiques Capital of NJ. Other popular destinations include Flemington
Marketplace, Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market, Antiques on Union, and Hunterdon
Commons. Hunterdon is purported to have some of the best outlet shopping in the country
In the fall of 2008, Raritan Township saw the grand opening of the first retail stores and
restaurants at the new Raritan Town Square, a 500,000 square ft mixed-use retail and
commercial complex. When completed, the new square will be the largest retail center in
Hunterdon County.
Because of their consistency in attracting visitors, Hunterdon’s major shopping destinations are
all directly serviced by PRT stations that are located in the plaza. The municipality centers also
all have PRT stations, providing convenient access to the specialty shops clustering the heart of
the area.
Figure 12.12: Liberty Village Premium Outlets in Flemington
12.5.4 Entertainment
Tourism is a vibrant industry, and Hunterdon County is full of attractions. From golfing and
fishing to horse shows and antiques fairs, there is something for everyone. As well, musical,
theatrical, and visual artists provide excellent performances and exhibitions throughout the year.
With an extensive park system, Hunterdon is known for its natural beauty and rural charm. From
nature preserves to river reservations, Hunterdon has cliffs, rivers, streams, forests, fields, and
marshes for all kinds of recreational enjoyment in nature. The Hunterdon County Park system
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also sponsors dozens of walks, canoe trips and educational programs. Hunterdon is also home to
many numerous golf clubs, such as Heron Glen and Beaver Brook, and vineyards, such as
Amwell Valley and Unionville.
Hunterdon County is full of history and with history comes museums showcasing that history
and a plethora of beautifully preserved historic buildings. Clinton’s Hunterdon Museum of Art
and Red Mill/Hunterdon Historical Museum are among the more popular destinations. In
addition to the usual movie theaters and bowling alleys, popular regional specialty attractions
include the Hunterdon Hills Playhouse in Hampton, All Children's Theatre, Northlandz, and
Hunterdon Ballooning.
Not all parks and recreational facilities are serviced by stations. This is because of their scattered
nature and variable ability to attract customers throughout the year. With no consistent stream of
visitors and therefore revenue, many areas simply cannot justify the expense of constructing a
PRT station and network. Recreational areas located in dense areas and next to other points of
interest, such as education and shopping, will surely share PRT access.
12.5.5 Cost
Cost for railway: $2 M per mile * 1146 miles = $1,146 M
Cost for stations: $2 M/station * 462 stations = $924 M
Cost for vehicles: $15,000K/vehicle * 200,000 vehicles = $3,000 M
Total cost: $5,070 M
Trips per year: 500,000 trips per day * 365 = 182.5 M trips
Cost per trip for 1 year: $5,070 M/182.5 M trips = $27.78 per trip
Cost per trip for 10 years: $5,070 M/1825 M trips = $2.78 per trip
Figure 12.13: Hunterdon Scenery
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