$1T Infrastructure Bill Will Fuel Upgrades At Bloomfield Station

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield Train Station will be one of many across the nation that gets an upgrade thanks to a massive federal funding package.

Earlier this week, U.S. senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker visited Bloomfield to release a breakdown of how the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will benefit the Garden State. The bill – which every single New Jersey Congress member voted for – was signed by President Joe Biden on Monday.

The legislation will send an estimated $12.31 billion in guaranteed transportation and transit funding formula dollars for New Jersey over the next five years — the largest-ever investment in the state's transportation infrastructure. It will also have about $30 billion in funds to make improvements on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor – including the Gateway Project – and contain billions to replace water and sewer pipes, and increase broadband internet access.

• See related article: Here's What NJ Will Get From $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill
• See related article: NJ House Members All Vote Yes On $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

And part of that money is headed Bloomfield’s way, officials said during a Monday news conference.

“In Bloomfield, we have prioritized investments in our townships infrastructure and this will go a long way towards furthering that mission,” Mayor Michael Venezia said.

“In addition to roads, bridges and water infrastructure, this money will go towards much needed upgrades to Bloomfield Station, which is one of the busiest stations in the area,” Venezia said.

According to Menendez and Booker, the upgrades proposed at the station will increase accessibility for people with disabilities, provide safer access and “improve the station’s state of good repair.”

Bloomfield Station, constructed in 1912, is one of the busiest stations along the Montclair-Boonton Rail Line, with an average pre-pandemic weekday ridership of 1,640.

• See related article: How Many Riders Use NJ Transit's Bloomfield Train Station?

Other nearby towns and cities also stand to benefit from the infrastructure package, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“The money coming to New Jersey and Essex County will touch every corner of our lives from repairing roads and bridges, expanding internet access, upgrading our sea and air ports, modernizing our electric grids,” DiVincenzo said. “This will create jobs, stimulate our economy and enhance our quality of life.”

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