TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has announced $30.1 million in Local Freight Impact Fund (LFIF) grants that help counties and municipalities provide for the safe movement of large truck traffic.
The LFIF is a competitive program created as part of the Transportation Trust Fund reauthorization in October 2016. This is the fifth year that grants have been made under this program.
“Funding the preservation and expansion of our freight transportation infrastructure is key to supporting the success of New Jersey’s role in our national supply chain,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said. “These grants represent my administration’s ongoing investment in our infrastructure to promote a robust economy and ensure safer, more efficient transportation throughout our state.”
NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said NJDOT is committed to ensuring the safety of commercial truck routes to and from the state’s seaports, airports, warehouses and rail yards so that goods can move efficiently.
“Local Freight Impact Fund grants are an important investment in New Jersey’s truck routes, helping provide the infrastructure necessary for a strong state and regional economy for years to come,” she said.
NJDOT received 59 applications requesting more than $85 million for the FY2022 LFIF funds.
Of the applications received, there are 25 grants being awarded.
Those grants are being distributed to 21 municipalities and three counties, with Cumberland County receiving two grants. The funding provided by the state for these projects, along with an additional $75.2 million from local governments, will bring the total investment in these 25 projects to $105.3 million.
Of the 25 projects, one is for the construction of a new road, and the other 24 are pavement preservation projects.
The program helps New Jersey’s counties and municipalities fund projects that emphasize and enhance the safe movement of large truck traffic, renew aging structures that carry large truck traffic, promote economic development, and support new transportation opportunities without the need for additional property taxes.
Under the program, projects that fall into four categories are eligible for funding: bridge preservation, new construction, pavement preservation, and truck safety and mobility. The grants are administered by the NJDOT Division of Local Aid and Economic Development. NJDOT staff evaluate projects using a variety of criteria including existing conditions, overall traffic volume, percentage of large truck traffic, crash frequency, and connectivity to freight nodes, among others.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
