TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblymen Christopher DePhillips and Al Barlas announced Thursday that the state is awarding more than $1 million in grants to Franklin Lakes Borough, Cedar Grove and Ridgewood to fund transportation projects.
“Projects that support the safety of commuters, and especially our schoolchildren, have always been a priority for local officials and residents, but now they are getting the state assistance they desperately need to move forward. These grants will advance projects that tackle serious infrastructure concerns without burdening local taxpayers,” DePhillips (R-Bergen) said.
Franklin Lakes Borough will receive $550,000 from the state Department of Transportation for the second phase of a project making Franklin Lake and High Mountain roads safer for pedestrians, particularly students at High Mountain Road Elementary School. Cedar Grove has been awarded $350,000 to reconstruct Devonshire Road, and Ridgewood will use a $157,468 grant to start preliminary engineering work for a Safe Routes to Schools project that helps students safely walk and bike to area schools by improving crosswalks, sidewalks and signs.
“These grants demonstrate a return on investment for our constituents who are raising families, retired or building businesses in New Jersey. They deserve the security and improved quality of life that come with safer roads, properly maintained highways, repaved sidewalks, additional bike lanes and reduced traffic congestion,” Barlas (R-Essex) said.
Municipalities can compete for a share of their county’s transportation funding from NJDOT through the municipal aid program.