NJDOT announces the 2008
Urban Gateway Enhancement Program

(Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced the recipients of the 2008 Urban Gateway Enhancement Program grants. The annual program provides community organizations and municipalities funds for the training and employment of young adults and youths in forestry, landscaping and streetscaping positions.

“The Urban Gateway Enhancement Program enables the State of New Jersey to provide job training and employment opportunities for urban youth and young adults while improving roadway corridors and gateways to urban communities,” said Governor Corzine.

In 2008, NJDOT’s Urban Gateway Enhancement Program will provide $35,000 in Federal Highway Administration funds to each to the following recipients: Aspira, Incorporated of Newark, The Children’s Home in Mount Holly, Community Empowerment Organization in Jersey City, Downtown Merchants Corporation in Passaic, La Casa de Don Pedro in Newark, Mercer Street Friends Center in Trenton, New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg, Paterson YMCA, the Township of Irvington and The Work Group in Camden and Pennsauken.

Each organization or municipality will provide employment and training for a supervised team of six to eight youths and young adults. The teams will improve gateway areas that are located on or near a State roadway and owned by the State of New Jersey or a local government.

The NJDOT program enables community and local government organizations to hire youth and young adults between the ages of 16 and 25 who are economically or socially disadvantaged and who have experienced barriers to employment. The program will begin on June 30 and continue for six to eight weeks.