Brady PieperThe New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is announcing grant funding to advance transportation infrastructure projects in North Jersey, seeking to improve transit systems for pedestrians, bicyclists, passengers and drivers.
NJDOT, in partnership with the three New Jersey metropolitan planning organizations (MPO), will invest $18.7 million in federally funded grants to build safe, sustainable and accessible transportation infrastructure across dozens of New Jersey counties. Sourced from the states’ Regional Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program (RTA Set-Aside), the grants will fund projects across the state that improve pedestrian safety and develop multimodal infrastructure for residents.
The RTA Set-Aside program utilizes federal Surface Transportation Program funds to strengthen the societal, aesthetic and environmental aspects of the state’s intermodal system. The grant initiative funds a variety of transportation projects around New Jersey, including enhancements to non-motorized transportation options, historic transportation structure preservation, the creation of safe routes to schools and solutions for critical environmental concerns.
This round of 2024 RTA Set-Aside funding will specifically support the development of pedestrian safety improvements and the creation of multimodal transportation and bicycle pathways.
These bike and pedestrian safety projects will be led by several partners of the RTA Set-Aside initiative, including the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO).
Most projects will be under the control of DVRPC, conducting bikeway improvements within the MPO’s nine-county region.
All five DVRPC-led projects, counties and respective grant allocations are listed below:
- Camden County – $3.3 million for Segment 1D-3 of the Camden County LINK Trail project in Winslow Township.
- Mercer County – $2.9 million for the Great Western Bikeway project in the Pennington Borough and the Ewing, Hopewell and Lawrence Townships.
- Burlington County – $2.6 million for the Rancocas Creek Greenway, Historic Smithville Park to Over Route 206 initiative, located in the Townships of Eastampton, Pemberton and Southampton.
- Mercer County – $2.1 million for the Marine Terminal Trail and Cooper Field Connector project in Trenton City.
- Gloucester County – $1.4 million for the Harrison Trail (Limits Route 45 Main Street to The Mullica Hill Bypass Cross Walk at Walters Road) initiative in Harrison Township.
Two projects fall under the helm of the SJTPO, serving communities in southern New Jersey. These two projects, securing almost $5 million in grants combined, will begin bikeway initiatives in Lower Township, Cape May Point Borough and West Cape May Borough and pedestrian safety work in Vineland City.
The final project, led by NJTPA, will utilize a $1.5 million RTA Set-Aside grant to enhance pedestrian safety in Greenwich Township. The Morris Canal Trail Improvement Project will specifically conduct project work within the Lopatcong Creek Area.
The selection process for the grants involved a review by a committee comprised of representatives from NJDOT’s Local Aid and Bureau of Environmental Program Resources, as well as staff from the NJTPA, DVRPC and SJTPO. Each municipality will be responsible for overseeing and implementing their respective projects.
For more details on individual projects, view each responsible municipalities’ webpage, such as DVRPC, NJTPA and SJTPO. Interested parties and stakeholders will be encouraged to get involved with the RTA Set-Aside program as the state continues to build a more sustainable and connected transportation system.
Photo courtesy Jason Ingtonn, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
