Miles SmithThe New Jersey Department of Transportation has awarded $161.25 million to more than 500 cities and towns statewide for road and bridge improvements in FY 2024.
All cities that applied received grants, although not all of the projects were funded. The competitive Municipal Aid grant program attracted 600 applications with a total of $384 million requested.
Project applications were evaluated and ranked by NJDoT staff and reviewed by an independent panel of New Jersey municipal engineers. Of the funding, $29.4 million is being awarded to 49 communities where the project will benefit low-income and minority populations. Five percent of the total money awarded will fund projects that support safety, walking and biking in cities.
Under the Municipal Aid grant program, each county is apportioned a share of the total funding based on population and the number of local centerline miles. Municipalities compete for portions of their county’s share. NJDoT provides 75% of the grant amount when a town awards a contract and the remaining 25% upon completion of the project.
The largest projects receiving state funding include:
- $3.1 million to resurface streets in all five wards of Newark.
- $1.9 million for the second phase of the Christopher Columbus Drive improvement project in Jersey City.
- $1.31 million for improvements to West State Street and Sanhican Drive in Trenton City.
- $1.1 million to improve various roadways that include Eighth Street in Camden City.
- $1.1 for improvements to Hoover Road, Lafayette Avenue and Prospect Street in Passaic City.
