The Christie Administration announced that 12 Mercer County municipalities will share $3,552,312 in Local Aid grants to advance street, safety and quality-of-life improvements without burdening local property taxpayers.
Twelve municipalities are set to receive a Municipal Aid grant worth a combined total of about $3.3 million. One bikeway grant worth $225,000 will benefit West Windsor Township, which also will receive a Municipal Aid grant.
The grants are part of a package of 391 Local Aid grants worth $81.6 million announced for municipalities across the state.
The bulk of the Local Aid grants will be awarded under the Municipal Aid program, with 377 grants totaling $78.6 million. In addition, $3 million is being awarded statewide with $1 million each for three grant programs—Transit Village, Local Bikeway, and Safe Streets to Transit. All of these grant programs are competitive, with applications rated on their merits by NJDOT and other transportation officials.
The competitive Municipal Aid grant program attracted 653 applications worth $255 million in work. A total of 6 percent of the successful applicants submitted proposals for non-traditional projects involving pedestrian safety, bikeways and streetscape projects.
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. Past performance in connection with timely award of projects and construction close-out factor into the evaluation of the Municipal Aid grant proposals.
When evaluating municipal aid grant applications, NJDOT gives an additional point to municipalities that have adopted Complete Streets policies. Sixty-seven municipalities had done so at the time municipal aid applications were due, and all but two submitted applications. Of them, 56 were recommended for grants totaling $15 million.
A total of 90 municipalities and six counties now have adopted Complete Streets policies, which establish guidelines that require consideration be given to pedestrians and bicyclists when local transportation projects are being planned, designed and built. NJDOT adopted its award-winning policy in December 2009.
NJDOT provides 75 percent of a municipal aid grant when a town awards a contract and the remaining 25 percent upon completion of the project.
NJDOT received 71 applications totaling $22.6 million for grants under the bikeway program. Bikeway grants totaling $1 million are being awarded to Hammonton, Middle Township, West Windsor and Barnegat Township.
More information is online at state.nj.us/transportation/.
