The Murphy Administration announced 11 Bikeway Grants totaling $5.9 million to help advance local bikeway projects in nine counties.
“Investing in bikeways helps promote alternate forms of transportation and reduces our reliance on cars,” Governor Phil Murphy said in a statement on Feb. 16. “Increased biking and walking are tangible steps we can take to achieve our climate change goals, while encouraging residents to live a healthy lifestyle.”
Locally, West Windsor’s project will include the North Post Road connection to South Post Road bikeway at Village Road West at a grant amount of $330,000.
East Windsor’s project will be a bikeway connecting the Pulte Pathway to the East Windsor PAL and East Windsor Regional School District High School including the Airport Road crosswalk at a grant amount of $190,000.
South Brunswick’s Freedom Trail Bikeway will be improved at a grant amount of $680,000.
Milltown’s Albert Avenue Park bike path project will have a grant amount of $250,000.
“The Murphy Administration recognizes transportation infrastructure is more than just roads and bridges,” NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said in the statement. “Projects funded by the Bikeway Grant Program provide safe transportation alternatives that benefit cyclists and pedestrians and improve the of quality-of-life in New Jersey.”
Traditionally, the Bikeway Grant Program provides $1 million in grants annually to counties and municipalities in order to promote bikeways as an alternate mode of transportation that support the state’s efforts to add new miles of dedicated bikeways in New Jersey, according to the statement. This year, an additional $13.5 million was appropriated for Grants-in-Aid programs, specifically for the Transit Village Program, the Safe Streets to Transit Program, and for Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities/Accommodations.
Of the $13.5 million, $4.9 million was provided for the Bikeway Grant Program.
Each municipality and each county may submit one application.
Projects are awarded on a competitive basis taking into consideration new bike miles created, safety, connectivity, service to public, Complete Streets Policy and an applicant’s past performance using other Local Aid funds.
The Bikeway Grant Program, as well as other Local Aid state-funded grant programs, benefit residents by enabling local governments to complete necessary projects on roads under their jurisdiction without burdening local taxpayers, according to the statement.
For DOT news, follow on Twitter @NJDOT_info or on the NJDOT Facebook page.
