NJDOT awards $1.4 million for
non-traditional municipal transportation projects

(Trenton) – Commissioner Stephen Dilts today announced that the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) will award $1.4 million in grants for local, non-traditional transportation improvement projects. NJDOT will provide the grants to four municipalities through its Fiscal Year 2009 Centers of Place local aid program.

“The Centers of Place program helps revitalize communities and enables municipalities to create a central identity,” noted Governor Jon S. Corzine. “This grant program demonstrates of NJDOT’s commitment to providing direct property tax relief and improving quality of life.”

Centers of Place grants are awarded for non-traditional transportation projects that advance development in municipalities designated by the State Planning Commission as “urban, regional, town or village centers” under the State Development and Redevelopment Plan. Eligible projects include landscaping and beautification of transportation facilities, restoration and aesthetic improvements to historic transportation structures, and upgrades to existing parking management systems.

The Centers of Place program is designed to assist municipalities who have formally participated in implementation of the New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan. Centers of Place grants often fund improvements in downtown business districts, helping municipalities attract economic growth. The Centers of Place grant program is provided by the state’s Transportation Trust Fund.

Fiscal Year 2009 NJDOT Centers of Place Grants:

Burlington - $90,000, Riverton - Riverton Walkways Project

Mercer - $350,000, Hightstown - Memorial Parking Lot and Landscaping

Monmouth - $460,000, Atlantic Highlands - First Avenue Streetscape Phase III

Sussex - $500,000, Sparta - Town Center Beautification Phase III