Jim Hess
Transportation Chair
Jim Hess, AICP, PP, is a seasoned transportation and land use planner with 30 years of experience at the state, regional, county, and municipal levels. He has managed major planning initiatives for state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, regional agencies, and county planning departments.
His expertise spans a wide range of studies, including long-range transportation plans, regional and corridor studies, environmental impact assessments, freight planning, and multimodal circulation analyses. His work often involves evaluating land use patterns, economic and demographic trends, goods movement flows, and environmental considerations. He is particularly skilled in GIS analysis, modeling applications, scenario planning, impact assessments, and performance measurement.
In recent years, Jim has focused on emerging transportation technologies and their potential impacts and benefits, including intelligent transportation systems, autonomous and connected vehicles, mobility as a service, and alternative fuel vehicles. He is also deeply engaged in environmental justice and equity analysis, ensuring that transportation planning efforts address the needs of disadvantaged communities.
A recognized expert in his field, Jim was a contributing author to the current edition of The Complete Guide to Planning in New Jersey and has served as a presenter and moderator at leading conferences, including the New Jersey Planning Conference and TransAction Conference. Additionally, he has been a guest lecturer for several years in the Comprehensive Planning course at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.