Lakewood Gets $501K Grant For Route 88 Pedestrian Project From NJ

LAKEWOOD, NJ — Lakewood Township will receive a grant of more than $501,000 from the state Department of Transportation as part of a program to improve roads and bridges around the state.

The grant was among $161.25 million being distributed to 537 towns that were announced Friday by the office of Gov. Phil Murphy under the Municipal Aid "Commitment to Communities" program.

The program has seven categories of grants: Roadway Preservation, Roadway Safety, Quality of Life, Mobility, Bikeway, Pedestrian Safety, and Bridge Preservation.

Lakewood's grant, for $501,375, is for proposed pedestrian safety improvements along Route 88.

The competitive Municipal Aid grant program attracted 681 applications from 544 different municipalities with a total of $377 million in work. Under the program, each county is apportioned a share of the total funding based on population and the number of local centerline miles and towns 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. The NJDOT also verifies whether a town has adopted Complete Streets policies that require consideration be given to pedestrians and bicyclists when local transportation projects are being planned, designed, and built.

"Supporting New Jersey’s communities through funding for infrastructure maintenance and renewal is a core component of good government, and stands at the top of this administration’s priorities," Murphy said. "I’m proud to stand with our State’s municipalities to help them deliver projects to their residents that improve their mobility and their quality of life."

"Working directly with municipalities to update the main lines of transportation that run through our towns and cities will have a positive daily impact on people," said Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, who also serves as commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs. "Residents want to see their Transportation Trust Fund dollars at work in their communities and this grant program will help to make infrastructure improvements become a reality statewide."

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