Morristown to Receive $150K in State Road Aid

A group of Morris County municipalities will share $4.6 million in grants from the state, according to a release sent out by the New Jersey Department of Transportation on Tuesday, Feb. 1.

Morristown will receive $150,000 toward milling and resurfacing on Abbett Avenue.

Jeff Hartke, head of Morristown's Department of Public Works, said there has been some drainage issues on the road, which also would be addressed with the money, as well as some possible tree plantings along the roadway.

"It's right at the Route 287 ramp, so it gets a lot of traffic," he said. "It's almost connected to the state highway there, so it made sense to seek help and we were successful."

The project would likely begin late spring or early summer, Hartke said.

The grants are under the FY 11 state Municipal Aid Program, and 25 Morris County towns were selected to receive money.

According to the release, Gov. Chris Christie's administration is distrubuting the grants, which are among 370 statewide totaling $78.75 million to help municipalities advance street improvement, safety, and other projects. The program, which the release called highly competitive, is part of New Jersey’s $200 million Local Aid program administered by NJDOT. The Department received 677 applications requesting more than $246 million for the FY 11 municipal aid grants.

“This administration recognizes the value and importance of the Local Aid program,” NJDOT Commissioner James Simpson said in the release. “The municipal aid component helps relieve some pressure on property taxes and enables local officials to make street improvements that they otherwise might not be able to afford.”

The release said seven percent of the projects selected for funding were non-traditional, such as those that support safety, walking and biking, and streetscape improvements in their communities.

“This announcement is great news for hundreds of municipalities as they work to stretch their resources, control spending, and reduce the property tax burden on residents,” William G. Dressel Jr., executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, said in the release.

Under the Municipal Aid grant program, each county is apportioned a share of the total funding based on population, the number of local centerline miles and other factors, and municipalities compete for portions of their county’s share. The release states NJDOT provides 75 percent of the grant amount when a town awards a contract and the remaining 25 percent upon completion of the project.

The following are a list of the Morris County towns selected, the projects being funded, and the amount of each grants.

For a list by county of 370 projects selected for grants, click here.