New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced the New Jersey Department of Transportation would fund 10 grants totaling more than $29 million for rail freight projects.
As part of the state’s Rail Freight Assistance Program, the grants will be used to preserve and improve existing rail freight systems or make freight rail service more widely available for businesses throughout the state, supporting the state’s clean energy, congestion mitigation, and sustainable development goals.
“The Murphy Administration’s targeted investments in New Jersey’s rail transportation network will strengthen our economy and ensure the safe and efficient movement of goods,” NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. “The projects funded through the Rail Freight Assistance program provide critical upgrades to our transportation infrastructure.”
The 10 projects are located in 11 counties and include upgrading and repairing existing railroad tracks with environmentally-friendly steel ties, installing new or upgraded switches, constructing a new drawbridge, and repairing or upgrading existing bridges and crossings. The grants are administered by the NJDOT Office of Grants Management and leverage an additional $23 million from railroad owners and operators, bringing the total investment to more than $52 million.
In total, Murphy’s Administration, using grant money and additional money from railroad owners and operators, has invested more than $152.7 million in the rail freight assistance program. The grants account for between 70 and 90 percent of each project’s estimated cost, while the sponsor of the project is responsible for the rest.