EDISON, NJ – Members of the New Jersey 18th Legislative District, Senator Patrick Diegnan (D-South Plainfield), Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin (D-East Brunswick), and Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak (D-Edison) announced $3,815,000 in Municipal Aid grants from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) as part of their second round of funding on Wednesday, November 27th. Senator Diegnan, Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, welcomed that Aid saying, “These grants show the State’s commitment to support much-needed road improvements in our district.”
This $3.8 million aid package will support projects on local or county roads in all seven municipalities of the 18th District. The projects designated for Municipal Aid are the following:
- East Brunswick: Riva Ave Overlay
- Edison: New Dover Rd Rehabilitation
- Helmetta: Road Improvements on Maple St
- Highland Park: Various Roadway Improvements
- Metuchen: Various Roadway Improvements
- South Plainfield: Repavement of Corporate Blvd and Cragwood Rd
- South River: Roadway and Drainage Improvements
“Every town will see a road resurfacing or improvement because of two rounds of DOT’s Municipal Aid this year. However, we will work to expand the scope of projects that qualify for this state aid so more road rehabilitation can advance in the future,” said Assemblyman Karabinchak.
Assemblywoman Pinkin added, “The DOT Municipal Aid will accelerate projects that improve areas our residents and drivers have identified as safety hazards. We will continue to invest in our infrastructure and ensure that our communities have safe roads to get to work, go to school, and respond to emergencies.”
There are seven project categories within the Municipal Aid program eligible for funding: roadway preservation, roadway safety, quality of life, mobility, bikeway, pedestrian safety, and bridge preservation. Past performance in connection with timely award of projects and construction close-out factor were part of the evaluation of the proposals. When evaluating applications, NJDOT also verifies if the municipality has adopted Complete Streets policies. Complete Streets policies establish guidelines that require consideration be given to pedestrians and bicyclists when local transportation projects are being planned, designed, and built. NJDOT provides 75 percent of the grant amount when a town awards a contract and the remaining 25 percent upon completion of the project.