DOVER — New Jersey will receive nearly $25 million in grants as part of an ongoing initiative to encourage the use of mass transit, Gov. Phil Murphy announced during a visit to Dover Monday morning.
The state is awarding 56 grants to 45 municipalities through the Safe Streets for Public Transit program, the Transit Village Initiative, and the Bike Lane Grant Program. Dover will receive $778,000 this year from Safe Streets for Transit, and has earned $1.4 million over the past two years, said Diane Gutierrez-Scachetti, commissioner of the state Department of Transportation.
“Behind every dollar we’re announcing today, there’s a New Jersey resident who wins,” Murphy said from the Dover Fire Department Antique Club building. “At the forefront of this investment are strong communities like Dover, with whom we are so proud to partner in building a better future.”
The Safe Streets to Transit program provides funds to improve accessibility for transit users, encourages riders to walk to stations, and promotes initiatives to increase safety measures near transit facilities. The Transit Village initiative, part of a joint partnership between the Department of Transportation and NJ Transit, offers municipalities incentives to redevelop areas around transit stations into “pedestrian-friendly” neighborhoods for residents. The Bikeway grant program is “focused on making it safer to choose to travel on two wheels instead of four,” Murphy said.
“The Department of Transportation is proud to support Governor Murphy’s vision to make our neighborhoods and our communities safer, fairer and certainly greener for everyone who chooses to live and work in New Jersey,” said Gutierrez-Scachetti.
In addition to Dover, Netcong will receive $800,000 and Morristown will receive $86,000 as two other Morris County municipalities receiving grants.
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Funding goes like accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists continue to suffer from New Jersey. In the past three years, 612 people, one-third of all road deaths, have been victims of walking or biking, said Debra Kagan, executive director of the New Jersey Bicycle and Walking Coalition.
“That’s why it’s important now, more than ever, to provide safe access to public transportation, and that’s what these grants are going to do and create more walking and biking trails,” Kagan said.
One in 10 New Jersey residents use public transportation to get to work, Kagan said. She added that 75% of residents live less than 5 miles from a transit station and 30% are within walking distance of one.
Rep. Mickey Sherrill, whose 11th district includes Dover, noted that many of the towns she represents were built along railroad lines. But the state often “falls short” in providing safe ways for residents to travel, she said, a shortcoming that officials are trying to address with the new funding.
“This is an investment our state is making now to make life in New Jersey even better than it already is,” Sherrill said.
Gutierrez-Scacchetti hopes the state will see fewer vehicles on the road, which will mean less road traffic, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and allow commercial vehicles to move more efficiently. She and other speakers said they are optimistic the grant programs will further strengthen the state’s mass transit system.
“Today we can say that we have taken a big step in the right direction,” Kagan said. “We will continue to push for additional opportunities like these to fund much-needed active transportation projects across the state until we can ensure safe and fair streets for all.”
