Three projects in Northwest New Jersey awarded Rail Freight Assistance Program grants
10 projects will improve safety and economic activity
NEW JERSEY – The Murphy Administration today announced the awarding of 10 FY24 Rail Freight Assistance Program grants totaling more than $29.6 million funded through the State Transportation Trust Fund.
The grants help support economic activity by preserving and improving the existing freight transportation system and by making freight rail service more widely available for businesses throughout the state. Rail freight improvements support the state’s clean energy, congestion mitigation, and sustainable development goals.
“The projects funded through the Rail Freight Assistance Program provide critical upgrades to our transportation infrastructure and support the Murphy Administration’s efforts to strengthen our economy in a sustainable way,” NJDOT Acting Commissioner Fran O’Connor said. ”Investing in New Jersey’s rail transportation promotes the safe and efficient movement of goods in a way that reduces truck traffic on our highways.”
The 10 projects receiving funding are located in ten counties and include constructing and reconfiguring tracks to improve safety and operational performance; replacing rail and correcting alignment issues to increase capacity; funding to design a rail bridge to eliminate height restrictions; and rehabilitating or replacing rail bridges that need repair.
Northwest New Jersey projects receiving funding:
- Morris County to receive $558,432.90 for the design of the Chester Branch Rail Bridge over Berkshire Valley Road project in Roxbury Township.
- Black River & Western Railroad to receive $898,710.30 for The Flemington Center project in Flemington Borough, Hunterdon County.
- Dover and Delaware River Railroad LLC to receive $701,105.40 for the Roseberry Curve project in Lopatcong Township, Warren County.
More information about these projects and for a full list of all the projects receiving grants, click here.
The $29.6 million in state grants will leverage an additional $3.3 million from railroad owners and operators, bringing the total investment in these 10 projects to more than $32.9 million.
The Murphy Administration has invested more than $168.8 million in New Jersey’s freight rail services using TTF funds, leveraging an additional $53.4 million from railroad owners and operators, for a total of more than $222.2 million in Rail Freight Assistance Program investment.
The Rail Freight Assistance Program, administered by the NJDOT Bureau of Aeronautics and Modal Grants, provides funding for capital improvements that result in the continuation of economically viable rail freight services in the state. Factors considered in the selection of projects include: existing condition, type of project, efficient and responsive freight distribution, and highway congestion mitigation. Project sponsors are required to continue freight service on the improved line for at least five years after completion of the project.
The New Jersey Rail Freight Assistance Program grants typically provide funding for up to 90 percent of the estimated cost of each project while the sponsor is responsible for providing the remaining amount. Application proposals are accepted through SAGE, the State’s on-line System for Administering Grants Electronically.
