Carteret, NJ – Mayor Daniel J. Reiman has announced that the N.J. Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has awarded Carteret $309,970 for Carteret’s Romanowski Avenue upgrade project.
Upgrades will consist of the reconstruction of portions of Romanowksi Avenue in Central Carteret from Whittier Street to High Street.
The $309,970 grant will allow for the completions of improvements along Romanowski Avenue. Carteret’s appropriation is among 370 statewide grants totaling $78.75 million to help municipalities advance street improvement, safety and other projects without burdening local property taxpayers. The highly competitive program 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.
Municipal governments maintain more than 28,000 centerline miles of streets and roads, or 74 percent of the statewide total. The grant program covers a variety of projects, including road resurfacing and reconstruction projects. However, towns are encouraged to submit applications for such non-traditional projects as those that support safety, walking and biking and streetscape improvements in their communities. Seven percent of the projects selected for funding were of that type.
“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,” said William G. Dressel Jr., executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, in a January press 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. NJDOT provides 75 percent of the grant amount when a town awards a contract and the remaining 25 percent upon completion of the project.
“I am proud that Carteret was awarded this money for the Romanowski Avenue project,” said Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman John S. Wisniewski. “My top priority in Trenton continues to be finding affordable solutions for Carteret and other municipalities for better transportation solutions.”
Mayor Reiman said, “While we would have hoped for more funding, we clearly recognize the budgetary difficulties at the state level. Every dollar in state aid cuts have a horrific impact on municipalities and school boards. The funding that we did receive is very much needed, and will allow us to move ahead with these improvements.”
