DiFrancesco Announces $13.75
Million in Transportation Enhancement Grants

"Quality of life is of paramount importance to New Jerseyans, yet deciding on the criteria to promote it varies distinctly from community to community," DiFrancesco stated. "Transportation touches all of our lives and factors into a variety of decisions including where we work, live and shop. Smart transportation planning not only bolsters the economy, it also improves our quality of life. These grants are for projects, formulated at the local level to assist New Jersey towns and counties in meeting both laudable goals."

The grant awards will fund 39 projects across the state in fiscal year 2001, including $300,000 for the Hackensack River Walkway in Hackensack, $500,000 for the Downtown Plainfield Business District Streetscape project, $130,000 for expansion of the Cape May County Information and Visitors Center and $400,000 for the Battleship New Jersey Historic Museum.

"The Transportation Enhancement program is a common thread linking state and federal policy. It strives to ensure that these types of projects are an integral part of our transportation investment policy. It has become widely accepted in federal and state funding programs that transportation initiatives must include consideration of our natural environment, as well as the characteristics of surrounding communities," DiFrancesco said.

Enhancement grants typically fund non-traditional transportation projects, including the creation of bicycling and pedestrian trails, restoration of historic canals, historic train station rehabilitations and improvements to downtown streetscapes.