Christie Administration announces $89.8 million in Local Aid Grants to support infrastructure and safety projects
79 grants help local governments control taxes
(Trenton) – The Christie Administration today announced 79 Local Aid grants totaling $89.75 million to help counties and municipalities advance a variety of transportation projects. Grants are being awarded under County Aid, Safe Corridors, and Local Bridges, Future Needs programs.
“The Christie Administration understands the importance of Local Aid in helping counties and municipalities improve roads and bridges without burdening local property taxpayers,” NJDOT Commissioner Jamie Fox said. “Maintaining New Jersey’s roads and bridges in a state of good repair is a priority for the Administration, and these grants help communities do just that.”
The State’s 21 counties were provided a total of $78.75 million through the County Aid program. In addition, 58 other grants were awarded to 56 separate municipalities or counties totaling $11 million. These grants were announced under the Safe Corridor and Local Bridges, Future Needs programs, and supplementary county aid grants. All of the grants are being funded through the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund.
County Aid
County Aid funds are appropriated by the Legislature annually for the improvement of public roads and bridges under county jurisdiction. Public transportation and other transportation projects also are included. County Aid funds are apportioned based on population and centerline miles in each county, and each county selects the projects that receive funding. The FY 2015 apportionment (pdf 31k) included an additional $4 million of supplementary County Aid for a total County Aid allotment of $82.8 million.
Safe Corridors
The Safe Corridor grant program dates to 2003 and targets resources to 14 ten-mile segments along highways that have a history of high crash rates. Grants are supported by fines, which are doubled in designated Safe Corridors for a variety of moving violations, including speeding.
FY 14 Safe Corridors funding is being allocated based on crash data, with higher amounts of funding going to areas demonstrating the greatest need for continued enhanced enforcement measures. Segments of Route 1, Route 9, Route 22, Route 40, Route 46, Route 47, Route 73 and Route 206 are receiving FY 14 funding.
Grants can be used by municipalities to purchase enforcement equipment including police vehicles, radar equipment, computer hardware and software, and to pay salaries. Here is the complete list of grant recipients, amounts, and Safe Corridor segments (pdf 20k) for which grants are being awarded.
Local Bridges, Future Needs Program
The Local Bridges, Future Needs Program provides $1 million to each of the 21 counties for the improvement of county bridges and includes an additional $4 million that is awarded on a competitive basis.
The Local Bridges, Future Needs Program grants (pdf 64k) are supporting projects in Avalon and Sea Isle City (Cape May County); Mount Olive and Hanover (Morris County); Manalapan (Monmouth County); and Paramus (Bergen County). Recipients are receiving grants ranging from $300,000 to $1,000,000.
The grants are administered by the NJDOT Division of Local Aid and Economic Development. | 
