Bordentown Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 9.334 square miles (24.175 km²), including 8.515 square miles (22.053 km²) of land and 0.819 square miles (2.122 km²) of water (8.78%).

The township borders Bordentown City, Chesterfield Township, Fieldsboro, Florence Township and Mansfield Township in Burlington County; Hamilton Township in Mercer County; and Falls Township across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.

Crosswicks Creek and its juncture with the Delaware River, otherwise known as the Trenton-Hamilton Marsh, is a significant ecosystem and, with the peninsula of land and waterways to the northwest of Bordentown Township known, respectively, as Duck Island, Duck Creek and the Delaware and Raritan Canal, it is protected by the State of New Jersey as the Duck Island Recreation Area.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bossert Estates and Dunns Mill and Newbold Island.

The former 40-acre (16 ha) Parklands dump brownfield site is being transformed to a solar array by PSE&G as part of a project that began in 2014.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 11,367 people, 4,173 households, and 3,096 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,335.0 per square mile (515.4/km²). The township contained 4,360 housing units at an average density of 512.1 per square mile (197.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 74.38% (8,455) White, 10.70% (1,216) Black or African American, 0.26% (30) Native American, 10.57% (1,201) Asian, 0.06% (7) Pacific Islander, 1.58% (180) from other races, and 2.45% (278) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 6.02% (684) of the population.

Out of a total of 4,173 households, 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the township, 26.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.9 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 89.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $80,860 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,727) and the median family income was $97,346 (+/- $8,031). Males had a median income of $60,690 (+/- $3,155) versus $52,076 (+/- $4,827) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,276 (+/- $1,638). About 1.7% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 8,380 people, 3,293 households, and 2,305 families residing in the township. The population density was 984.9 people per square mile (380.2/km²). There were 3,436 housing units at an average density of 403.8 per square mile (155.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 89.33% White, 5.02% African American, 0.20% Native American, 3.32% Asian, 0.68% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.03% of the population.

There were 3,293 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the township the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $60,131, and the median income for a family was $71,627. Males had a median income of $45,604 versus $35,115 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,934. About 2.0% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

The most common ancestries in Bordentown Township were Italian (25.7%), Irish (23.8%), German (20.0%), English (11.8%) and Polish (9.8%).

Local government

Bordentown Township is governed under the Township form of government. The five-member Township Committee is elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Bordentown Township Committee are Mayor Jill Popko (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2017; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Stephen Benowitz (D, term on committee ends 2018; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), Jim Cann (D, 2017), Richard J. Carson (R, 2016) and Eric Holliday (D, 2018).

John Moynihan was selected in July 2012 from a list of three canddiates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat vacated by Anita DiMattia after she left office the previous month.

Federal, state and county representation

Bordentown Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 7th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Bordentown Township had been in the 30th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Bordentown Township had been part of the 4th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District is represented by Tom MacArthur (R, Toms River). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 7th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Diane Allen (R, Edgewater Park Township) and in the General Assembly by Herb Conaway (D, Moorestown) and Troy Singleton (D, Palmyra). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Burlington County is governed by a Board of chosen freeholders, whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. The board chooses a director and deputy director from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting held in January. As of 2015, Burlington County's Freeholders are Director Mary Ann O'Brien (R, Medford Township, 2017; Director of Administration and Human Services), Deputy Director Bruce Garganio (R, Florence Township, 2017; Director of Public Works and Health), Aimee Belgard (D, Edgewater Park Township, 2015; Director of Hospital, Medical Services and Education) Joseph Donnelly (R, Cinnaminson Township, 2016; Director of Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Education) and Joanne Schwartz (D, Southampton Township, 2015; Director of Health and Corrections). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Tim Tyler, Sheriff Jean E. Stanfield and Surrogate George T. Kotch.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 6,378 registered voters in Bordentown Township, of which 1,793 (28.1% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,263 (19.8% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 3,321 (52.1% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 56.1% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 75.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,949 votes (57.8% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 2,034 votes (39.9% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 74 votes (1.5% vs. 1.0%), among the 5,102 ballots cast by the township's 6,794 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.1% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,812 votes (54.7% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 2,232 votes (43.4% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 62 votes (1.2% vs. 1.0%), among the 5,144 ballots cast by the township's 6,374 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.7% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 2,320 votes (49.4% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 2,305 votes (49.1% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 33 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 4,694 ballots cast by the township's 5,903 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.5% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,029 votes (60.9% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 1,194 votes (35.9% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 53 votes (1.6% vs. 1.2%), among the 3,330 ballots cast by the township's 6,840 registered voters, yielding a 48.7% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,733 votes (49.1% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,464 votes (41.5% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 182 votes (5.2% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 113 votes (3.2% vs. 1.2%), among the 3,530 ballots cast by the township's 6,435 registered voters, yielding a 54.9% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

Public school students in pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the schools of the Bordentown Regional School District, which serves students from Bordentown City, Bordentown Township and Fieldsboro Borough. As of the 2013-14 school year, the district's five schools had an enrollment of 2,560 students and 189.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.5:1. Schools in the district (with 2013-14 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Clara Barton Elementary School (252 students; grades K-3), Peter Muschal Elementary School (602; PreK-3), MacFarland Intermediate School (405; 4-5), Bordentown Regional Middle School (563; 6-8) and Bordentown Regional High School (738; 9-12).

The New Hanover Township School District, consisting of New Hanover Township (including its Cookstown area) and Wrightstown Borough, sends students to Bordentown Regional High School on a tuition basis for ninth through twelfth grades as part of a sending/receiving relationship that has been in place since the 1960s, with about 50 students from the New Hanover district being sent to the high school. As of 2011, the New Hanover district was considering expansion of its relationship to send students to Bordentown for middle school for grades 6-8.

Students from Bordentown Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 55.42 miles (89.19 km) of roadways, of which 37.34 miles (60.09 km) were maintained by the municipality, 5.05 miles (8.13 km) by Burlington County, 10.87 miles (17.49 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 2.16 miles (3.48 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

U.S. Route 130 and U.S. Route 206 join together and separate to respective parts of the state in Bordentown. Travelers can use the New Jersey Turnpike Interchange 7 as well. Interstate 295 has two interchanges Exit 57 and Exit 56 that take travelers into Bordentown.

The New Jersey Turnpike stretches northwest for 2.1 miles (3.4 km) through the township, connecting Mansfield Township in the south to Chesterfield Township on the township's eastern border, including Interchange 7, which is signed for Bordentown-Trenton and connects to U.S. Route 206.

From 2004 when plans were announced until its completion in early November 2014, the Turnpike was widened along a 35-mile (56 km) stretch between Interchange 6 in Mansfield Township to Interchange 9 in East Brunswick Township in Middlesex County. Two new carriageways (to accommodate the outer roadways, or truck lanes) were built from Interchange 6 to Interchange 8A in Monroe Township, Middlesex County, and an additional lane on the existing outer roadways was added as well between Interchanges 8A and 9, bringing the roadway up to 12 lanes of traffic in a 3-3-3-3 "dual-dual" configuration of separate truck and car lanes in each direction. New ramps between the exit 7 toll station and the outer roadways were also built.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers light rail service at the Bordentown station at Park Street on the River Line between the Trenton Rail Station and the Walter Rand Transportation Center (and other stops) in Camden.

NJ Transit provides bus service in the township between Trenton and Philadelphia on the 409 route.