Governor Murphy of New Jersey Announces FHWA Approval of $150 million in Additional FY20 Funding for Department of Transportation

By Adam Rizvi, TRENTON, NJ. TIO:  – Governor Phil Murphy and Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti today announced that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded an additional $150 million of Federal funding to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). This is the second consecutive year NJDOT has received an additional $100 million or more.

“This announcement is further recognition that New Jersey is using our federal transportation dollars effectively,” said Governor Murphy. “In a state as densely populated as New Jersey, our ability to maintain reliable, safe, and modern infrastructure is an essential component of our interconnectivity. This funding will help ensure that we can continue to improve and strengthen New Jersey’s transportation network.”

“The increase in Federal funding for New Jersey’s transportation infrastructure is critically important to New Jersey, “said Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. “These funds will allow the New Jersey Department of Transportation to get more work out on the street, provide good jobs that help our economy, and improve our roads and bridges.”

Each year, FHWA shifts federal funding obligation authority out of state accounts that are not on course to use up their allocated spending authority to states that have the wherewithal and ability to do so. FHWA determined that $4.7 billion in obligation authority was available for redistribution for FY 2020. The states actually requested a total of $7.1 billion. For FY2020, NJDOT requested and received $150 million of additional obligation authority. Which puts New Jersey in the top ten in terms of states receiving the most additional funding.

Last year, NJDOT received $100 million. Since the start of the Murphy Administration, NJDOT has received $280 million in additional funding, almost twice the amount received in the prior eight years. In three of the eight years prior to the Murphy Administration, NJDOT did not receive any additional spending limit.

The funds are expected to be used for a variety of projects including road improvements, bridge maintenance, pedestrian safety improvements, bikeway improvements, intersection improvements, and capital projects that will ease congestion and improve safety.

GOVERNOR NEWS: Also Read: Governor Murphy, Expand Access to COVID19 Testing at N.J. Community Based Testing Sites

Compiled and Curated By Humra Kidwai