NJ Gov. Corzine and VP Biden Visit State’s First Infrastructure Project Accelerated by $31.5 million in ARRA Funding

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Route 46 project to create and support hundreds of jobs

May 7, 2009 -- LODI – New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine and Vice President Joe Biden today visited the site of the $31.5 million Route 46 and Main Street infrastructure improvement, the first project in New Jersey to get under way with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds.

“The Route 46 project is a perfect example of the impact ARRA is having right here in New Jersey,” Governor Corzine said. “As we put these shovels in the ground, we are putting our residents back to work and building the critical infrastructure vital for a stronger, more vibrant state. I want to thank Vice President Joe Biden and the Obama Administration for their efforts to improve the lives of hardworking families here in New Jersey and across the nation.”

The Route 46 and Main Street project consists of replacing the Route 46 bridges over Main Street and the Saddle River and widening Route 46 in order to provide a third lane in each direction from Kimmig Street to the vicinity of Hope Street. In addition, Main Street will be widened to four through-lanes and a center turning lane at Route 46 and will add traffic signals at the ramps from Route 46 to Main Street.

Construction is expected to begin next week and is scheduled for completion in fall 2012. The Route 46 improvement is a $31.5 million project, including $24 million for construction.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has already received authorization to start 15 ARRA-funded projects, for a total of $304.4 million. The contracting process is advancing for projects located throughout the state. NJDOT plans to obligate all ARRA funding by June 30, award all ARRA-funded projects by August and to complete most of its ARRA-funded work by December 2010.

The ARRA will stimulate New Jersey's economy by creating or supporting thousands of infrastructure-related jobs and making long-term improvements to the state’s roads, bridges and transit system. New Jersey’s transportation allocation includes $652 million for highways and bridges and approximately $425 million for transit. That total includes approximately $164 million for county and local transportation priorities and approximately $19.5 million for transportation enhancement projects.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s (NJDOT) $469 million in ARRA funding will address the needs of aging bridges by replacing movable bridges, rehabilitating bridge decks and beams, and other bridge maintenance. In addition, NJDOT will use federal stimulus funding to reconstruct and resurface highways and improve drainage systems and highway safety.

The federal recovery funds are an excellent complement to Governor Corzine’s Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan, announced in October during a joint session of the New Jersey Legislature. Since then, the Governor has advanced numerous efforts to stimulate New Jersey’s economy, create jobs, combat hunger, provide home energy assistance, and take proactive initiatives to prevent home foreclosures – all in response to the slumping national economy.

For additional information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the state’s recovery efforts, visit www.recovery.gov and www.nj.gov/recovery/.

Source: New Jersey Governor