New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials said the agency has been awarded $47.3 million in grant funding for statewide bridge maintenance projects via the Local Bridges Fund.
“The Local Bridge Fund program is part of NJDOT’s Commitment to Communities to improve the quality of life in New Jersey,” NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said regarding the initiative that rests under the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) umbrella. “By providing grants to improve county-owned bridges throughout the state, we are helping local governments make critical infrastructure investments that improve the reliability of our statewide transportation network.”
The funds seek to aid counties, in conjunction with the Statewide Capital Investment Strategy, in focusing on bridges under the jurisdiction of the counties with an emphasis on repair, reconstruction and replacement of those bridges with the greatest structural deficiencies.
The NJDOT Divisions of Local Aid and Economic Development administers the grants, officials said. Local aid grants represent a significant portion of Local System Support each year.
The effort includes local lead projects, regional planning and project development, and transportation alternatives projects, per authorities.
NJDOT is encouraging motorists to access the agency’s traffic information website via www.511nj.org for construction updates and real-time travel information.