Local Aid Resource Center

The Challenge

New Jersey has a unique transportation system where 91%
of all roads are locally (county or municipal) owned. This high percentage of local infrastructure, combined with the Department’s understanding of necessary partnership with local communities, led to the launch of their Commitment to Communities initiative. This initiative assists the 564 municipalities and 21 counties, or Local Public Agencies (LPAs), in advancing focused investments to produce successful projects.

How We Helped

McCormick Taylor is supporting NJDOT’s Local Resources and Community Development Division by providing technical assistance to local governments with grant applications and project delivery. This statewide effort includes a comprehensive communications strategy and dedicated website to enhance local collaboration and advance a more connected, efficient transportation network.

Communications & Outreach

To better understand the communication challenges faced by LPAs, an extensive assessment was conducted. Content was refined, the Resource Center was branded, and educational infographics and engaging videos were produced. In early 2019, the Resource Center website was launched as the primary tool for local governments to navigate the state’s grant processes effectively.

McCormick Taylor developed the NJDOT Local Aid Resource Center presence on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. The goal of these accounts is to distribute the latest news to followers, promote website content and NJDOT Local Aid’s priorities, and create awareness of the Resource Center and its benefits. McCormick Taylor develops the posts and graphics, manages all accounts, and track analytics.

McCormick Taylor develops promotional videos to describe the Resource Center, share best practices, and create training videos to explain complicated processes and technical requirements. Video production includes storyboarding, interviews with local officials, shooting footage, developing graphics, and editing.

The McCormick Taylor team also attends and plans in-person events. The team planned the Local Aid Listening Session with over 200 attendees, organized a booth for the New Jersey League of Municipalities conference, attends other conferences like the NJ Complete Streets and Safety Summit, and supported Local Aid at the TransAction and NJ Redevelopment & Planning Conference.

In 2025, the website was redesigned to coincide with a reorganization within NJDOT to create the Local Resources & Community Development (LRCD) unit. The new site, njdotlocalhub.com is a more robust resource for local governments to develop safe, efficient transportation networks and great communities across New Jersey. McCormick Taylor took advantage of this opportunity to transition content into the WordPress content management system, improve navigation and layout, assess existing content, and develop new engaging material, creating a fresh and captivating experience for visitors.

Technical Support & Training

McCormick Taylor monitors a phone hotline and email account to answer LPA questions regarding project status, grant applications, project delivery process, IT concerns, and technical assistance in a timely manner, on behalf of NJDOT.

The McCormick Taylor team also utilizes GIS capabilities to create maps and tools. The team has mapped the statewide Transit Villages, created a free map maker tool for LPA use in grant applications, and developed StoryMaps about successful projects.

In 2021, NJDOT converted their submissions from paper to an electronic system called Project Management and Reporting System (PMRS). McCormick Taylor created a dedicated portion of the website and conducted trainings with more than 800 municipal officials. In conjunction with the shift to PMRS, the McCormick Taylor team has trained the LPA engineers and other project team members on how to utilize Bluebeam, a necessary program for PMRS users.

McCormick Taylor has worked with the City of Trenton, City of Pleasantville, City of Newark, and Atlantic City to progress their outstanding Municipal Aid projects. They have participated in NJ Local Technical Assistance Program (NJ LTAP) trainings, and conducted over 200 pre-application meetings for Safe Routes to School and Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside. In these meetings, the team uses their technical knowledge provide guidance and reviewing project documentation.

Results

As many of us have experienced, communication is the key to success. The Local Aid Resource Center team, managed by McCormick Taylor, will continue to communicate with LPAs, create resources, and meet with individual municipalities to assist their specific needs. These efforts will result in a better understanding of the overarching ideas of planning and project prioritization to create successful projects. The Local Aid Resource Center has seen an improvement in grant applications and project delivery rates statewide. Ultimately, higher project delivery rates will expand, enhancing the quality and improving the safety of New Jersey’s transportation system.