Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno announces $14.65 million for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety project funding
95 Grants Awarded to Municipalities, Counties and General Aviation Airports for Local Aid, Airport or Highway Safety

(Trenton) - Advancing the Christie Administration’s commitment to investing in New Jersey’s vital transportation network and promoting long-term economic growth for the Garden State, Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno today announced the award of 95 grants totaling $14.65 million to municipalities, counties and general aviation airports for infrastructure improvement and safety projects. Joined by Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner James Simpson, the Lt. Governor made the announcement in South Plainfield, which is receiving $3.5 million in local aid funding to help advance the replacement of the Park Avenue bridge.

“The funding we are announcing today will enable local governments like South Plainfield to move forward with high-priority improvement projects and safety initiatives without putting pressure on local property taxes,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno. “By investing in our infrastructure and ensuring the health of our transportation assets, we will support New Jersey’s continued economic growth, encourage additional business attraction and create more jobs in cities and towns across the Garden State.”

The grants are being awarded through three programs, including 29 grants totaling $10 million through the Local Aid Infrastructure Fund (LAIF) program, 11 grants totaling $2.65 million through the Airport Improvement program and 55 grants totaling $2 million through the Safe Corridor program.

The LAIF and Safe Corridor grants are benefiting 78 different municipalities statewide. In addition, a total of 10 airports are receiving airport safety grants.

“These grants represent an investment in New Jersey’s vast and varied transportation network which plays an important role in providing mobility for residents and sustaining economic activity,” NJDOT Commissioner Simpson said.

Local Aid Infrastructure Fund (LAIF)

Local Aid Infrastructure Fund grants, which are part of the state Transportation Trust Fund-supported Local Aid program, are being awarded to 29 municipalities in 13 counties. Grants support a variety of needs, including $100,000 for a transit village streetscape project in Linden, Union County.

Other LAIF awards include:

$300,000 each to Bergenfield and Alpine, Bergen County for street resurfacing projects.
$250,000 for a streetscape project in Roxbury, Morris County.
$150,000 for safety improvements in Hackettstown, Warren County.

Safe Corridor

Safe Corridor grants are being awarded to 52 municipalities in 14 counties. The program, established in 2003, designates 14 ten-mile sections of state highways where enforcement and safety initiatives such as pavement markings and signal timing modification are carried out to reduce crashes.

This year, crash data were used to divide the available grant funds among the Safe Corridor municipalities, with locations experiencing the highest volume, frequency and severity of crashes receiving more funding to help prevent injuries and fatalities. Grants range in size up to $125,169.

Airport Improvement

Airport improvement grants provide funding for projects that enhance safety, promote state-of-good repair or advance studies for potential improvements. There are 44 public-use airports in New Jersey and 319 heliports or helistops, including 35 at hospitals.

The Department is permitted to provide grants to publicly owned and privately owned public-use airports and heliports and does so in recognition of the role aviation plays in the overall transportation network. Some of the projects supported in this round of funding are primarily funded with state Transportation Trust Fund dollars, while others are primarily federally funded.

Projects that are 95 percent state-funded include the following state grants:

$617,187 for runway crack repairs and markings at Trenton Robbinsville Airport in Mercer County.
$570,000 for runway crack repairs and resurfacing at Flying W Airport in Burlington County.
$205,200 for aircraft tie-downs and new runway pavement at Central Jersey Regional Airport in Somerset County.

Airports also seek 2.5 percent state matching grants to supplement Federal Aviation Administration grants covering 95 percent of project costs. These state grants include:

$81,377 for taxiway rehabilitation at Trenton-Mercer Airport, Mercer County.
$77,207 for taxiway rehabilitation at Morristown Municipal Airport, Morris County.
$16,242 for runway rehabilitation improvements at Hammonton Municipal Airport in Atlantic County.