Berkeley To Get $208K For Castleton Drive Project

BERKELEY, NJ — Berkeley Township will receive $208,000 in municipal aid grants for the reconstruction of Castleton Drive, state officials announced on Tuesday.

A total of $161.25 million in municipal aid grants were announced this week. They will help 541 cities and towns across the state with projects to advance road, bridge, safety, and quality-of-life improvements.

"These funds are crucial to municipalities for the completion of projects that improve quality of life and safety for New Jersey residents," Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. "Under our Administration's leadership, the Transportation Trust Fund continues to bolster infrastructure statewide. I congratulate all municipalities that have received grants and look forward to them putting these dollars to use."

A total of 625 applications from 547 different municipalities applied for a total of $363 million from the competitive Municipal Aid grant program. NJDOT staff evaluated applications and rated them on their merits. The applications were then reviewed by an independent panel of New Jersey municipal engineers.

The 2016 Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) renewal has made it possible to continue to award $161.25 million annually – more than double the $78.75 million that was available before the TTF renewal, according to officials.

The extra funds have allowed NJDOT to increase the number of municipalities receiving grants from about 370 a year before the TTF renewal to 541 municipalities this year, officials said.

"The Murphy Administration is committed to improving local communities by providing millions of dollars in aid to municipalities to make important safety, infrastructure, and quality-of-life improvements without burdening local property taxpayers," Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. "We are pleased to award grants to nearly every municipality in New Jersey."

Under the Municipal Aid grant program, each county receives a share of the total funding based on population and the number of local centerline miles. Municipalities then compete for portions of their county's share.

NJDOT provides 75 percent of the grant amount when a town awards a contract, and the remaining 25 percent upon completion of the project.

Of the $161.25 million, $10 million is allotted for municipalities qualifying for Urban Aid as defined under state law, with the amounts determined by the Department of Community Affairs. Berkeley Township didn't qualify for Urban Aid.

There are seven project categories within the Municipal Aid grant program eligible for funding: Roadway Preservation, Roadway Safety, Quality of Life, Mobility, Bikeway, Pedestrian Safety, and Bridge Preservation. The Chapel Avenue project is classified as a "Roadway" project by the state.

Past performance in connection with timely award of projects and construction close-out factors were part of the evaluation of the proposals. When evaluating applications, NJDOT also verifies if the municipality has adopted a Complete Streets policy.

A Complete Streets policy establishes guidelines that require consideration be given to pedestrians and bicyclists when local transportation projects are being planned, designed and built.

Keep up to date with what's happening in your community by subscribing to your local Patch newsletter here.