FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Board of Trustees of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) today approved $2 million in federal funds for county road and bridge projects. The approval came at the agency’s monthly Board meeting.
The funding comes from the NJTPA’s Local Scoping Program, an annual competitive grant program that allows the region’s 13 counties and two cities to apply directly for federal funds to advance proposed local projects through preliminary engineering and federal environmental reviews. Staffs from the NJTPA and New Jersey Department of Transportation provide technical assistance and guidance throughout the course of the project.
By county, the projects funded are:
Hunterdon County
The Board approved $275,000 for preliminary engineering and other work for the Rosemont Raven Rock Road Bridge over the Lockatong River in Delaware Township. This historic structure, built in 1878, is now in critical condition. The county will use the money to investigate rehabilitation alternatives for the span.
Morris County
The Board approved $320,000 for replacement of the Berkshire Valley Road Bridge over the Rockaway River in Jefferson Township. The bridge has inadequate turning radii, narrow lanes and is structurally deficient. The funds will be used for preliminary engineering and other work.
Ocean County
The Board approved $410,000 for preliminary engineering and environmental impact statement work at exit 67 of the Garden State Parkway in Barnegat Township. The exit currently only provides northern access to and from the parkway. The county plans to follow the recommendations of a 1999 traffic study that recommended improving access between the parkway and US 9 via county and local roads and improvements to the interchange. A main goal of the project is to reduce and redirect traffic from US 9 and Lighthouse Drive onto the Bay Avenue corridor.
Somerset County
The Board approved $200,000 for preliminary engineering and other costs related to the proposed rehabilitation or replacement of the Duer Street Bridge over the Green Brook River between North Plainfield and Plainfield. The bridge, which is located in an Urban Enterprise Zone servicing 14,000 people, is in poor condition.
The Board also approved $345,000 for preliminary engineering and other costs related to the proposed rehabilitation and refurbishment of the Elm Street Bridge over the South Branch of the Raritan River between Branchburg and Hillsborough. This historic bridge was built in 1896 and is a contributing element to the Neshanic Station Historic District.
Sussex County
The Board approved $450,000 for operational and safety improvements to County Route 653 in Montague Township. This road connects US 206 and NJ 23. It is an important access road to High Point State Park and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The county proposes to identify possible locations for safe passing areas (the road currently has none) and to investigate installation of paved shoulders.
The NJTPA is the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for 13 northern New Jersey Counties. Under federal legislation, MPOs provide a forum where local officials, public transportation providers and state agency representatives can come together and cooperatively plan to meet the region’s current and future transportation needs. It establishes the region’s eligibility to receive federal tax dollars for transportation projects.
The NJTPA Board consists of one local elected official from each of the 13 counties in the region (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren), and the cities of Newark and Jersey City. The Board also includes a Governor’s Representative, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the Executive Directors of NJ Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a Citizen’s Representative appointed by the Governor.
Contact:
David Behrend, Public Affairs Manager
(973) 639-8423