Governor Unveils AC RIGHT to Insure That Transportation and Land Use Initiatives Are Completed
  South Jersey will be poised to take advantage when the economic turnaround comes. And Atlantic City will lead the way.
  That was the message on May 14th, at the Atlantic City Convention Center where the Urban Land Institute (ULI), South Jersey Satellite presented its South Jersey Economic Development Forum: Linking Strategic Initiatives to Promote Regional Economic Growth.
  Although the forum’s title was “South Jersey Economic Development”, the focus of the conference was clearly on Atlantic City.
  The forum sponsors see Atlantic City as the nucleus for economic development for the entire region. And they sent the message that the increased gaming competition from Delaware and Pennsylvania means there must be more investment in Atlantic City to maintain its position as a destination and an economic force.
  The forum showcased the new Atlantic City Regional Transportation and Land Use Plan as well as the new Workforce Housing Program and the new Aviation Research and Technology Park.
  A key ACRTP recommendation is the formation of the Atlantic City Regional Implementation Group for Housing and Transportation (AC RIGHT) to ensure completion of ACRTP projects. AC RIGHT will comprise representatives from several agencies involved in the projects proposed by ACRTP, including DOT, SJTA, NJT, DEP, and the Pinelands.  The goal is to cut across agency boundaries and get the projects completed quickly.
  To underscore the value of the ACRTP, Governor Corzine signed his executive order creating AC RIGHT at the forum.  His goal, he said, is to have the improved transportation and land use initiatives completed and ready for the increased demand that will result when the economy improves.
  After the Governor signed the executive order, the forum continued with presentations by representatives of several of the agencies involved in implementing the ACRTP, including CRDA, FAA, NJDOT, SJTA, and the Governor’s Office of Economic Growth.
  The current COO of CRDA, Susan Ney Thompson, presented the Workforce Housing Study and spoke on “Connecting Workforce Housing to Transportation.” 
  CRDA’s goal is to develop regional housing for the workforce because without the workforce, there will be no economic development in this region, Thompson told the audience. 
  The current housing conditions—average income, real estate costs, and monthly mortgage payments—are not in alignment, according to Thompson. The result, she says, is that housing costs more than the average worker can afford.
  The “affordability gap” also results from a lack of low cost public transit available near housing centers, requiring even low wage earners to use automobiles to get to work, according to Thompson.  To relieve this problem, CRDA will encourage housing developments near existing or planned transit nodes, such as rail station and bus stations—through the Workforce Housing Investment/Development Program.
  Other recommendations in the ACRTP include expanding access to Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) by car and public transportation. Also on the wish list is a monorail that would connect ACY to the city center.  
  According to Bart Mueller, Executive Director of South Jersey Transit Authority which owns ACY, ACY is poised to become South Jersey’s airport and plans are underway to build out the airport to handle three million passengers.
  ACY is also home to the William J. Hughes Technical Center that will provide the laboratory where the Next Generation Air Traffic Control System (Next Gen) is developed.  According to John Wiley, Manager, Technical Strategies and Integration at the Technical Center, Next Gen could bring 2,000 high skilled, high paying jobs to New Jersey.