(Trenton) – The Murphy Administration today announced $150 million in Fiscal Year 2025 Municipal Aid grants, with 540 cities and towns across the state receiving funds to advance road, bridge, safety, and quality-of-life improvements, demonstrating the Department of Transportation’s Commitment to Communities.
The competitive Municipal Aid grant program attracted 595 applications from 540 different municipalities with a total of $375 million requested. Project applications were evaluated and rated on their merits by NJDOT staff and reviewed by an independent panel of New Jersey municipal engineers. Every municipality that applied for funding, all 540 municipalities, received a grant, totaling $150 million.
“Municipal Aid allows our communities to undertake transportation projects that significantly improve the quality of life for New Jersey residents,” said Governor Murphy. “Under our Administration’s stewardship, the State is doing its part to help municipalities improve local infrastructure, so we have a safe and efficient transportation system throughout the state.”
“Thanks to the Murphy Administration’s ongoing commitment to improving New Jersey’s infrastructure, communities have the resources they need to improve local roads and bridges,” NJDOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor said. “Every one of the 540 municipalities who applied for Municipal Aid received a grant, which will make travel smoother and safer on all of our roads.”
More than 41 percent of the funding, $61.9 million, is going to 176 municipalities with Complete Streets policies. Another $22.2 million is being awarded to 56 communities where the project meets equity criteria to benefit low-income and minority populations.
The Department encouraged municipalities to consider using the Municipal Aid Program to fund projects that support safety, walking, and biking in their communities. This year five percent of the grants represent this type of non-traditional project.
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 percent of the grant amount when a town awards a contract and the remaining 25 percent upon completion of the project. Of the $150 million, $10 million is allotted for municipalities qualifying for Urban Aid as defined under state law, with the amounts determined by the Department of Community Affairs.
Applications for Municipal Aid grants were submitted to NJDOT by July 1, 2024 and have been judiciously reviewed. There are eight project categories within the Municipal Aid grant program eligible for funding: Roadway Preservation, Roadway Safety, Quality of Life, Mobility, Bikeway, Pedestrian Safety, Bridge Preservation, and new this year, Pavement Preservation. When evaluating applications, NJDOT verifies if the municipality has adopted a Complete Streets policy. A Complete Streets policy establishes guidelines that require consideration be given to pedestrians and bicyclists when local transportation projects are being planned, designed, and built.
The grants are administered by the NJDOT Division of Local Aid and Economic Development. The Local Aid Resource Center provides a central warehouse for local government managers by providing hands-on resources for the application process, raising awareness of grant cycles and proactively communicating program information.
For more information about Local Aid programs go to www.njdotlocalaidrc.com; call 609.649.9395; or email DOT-LocalAID.ResourceCenter@dot.nj.gov. For NJDOT news, follow us on X (Twitter) @NewJerseyDOT, the NJDOT Facebook page, or on Instagram @NewJersey.DOT.