Here’s What NJ Will Get From $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A historic, $1.2 trillion federal funding package will bring more than $12 billion to New Jersey over the next five years to help the state fix its roads, railways and bridges, officials say.

U.S. senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker have released a breakdown of how a massive infrastructure bill will benefit the Garden State. The bill – which every single New Jersey Congress member voted for – was signed by President Joe Biden on Monday.

• See related article: NJ House Members All Vote Yes On $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

All told, the bill will send billions of dollars to New Jersey to repair roads and bridges, expand mass transit, replace water and sewer pipes, and increase broadband internet access.

It will also have about $30 billion in funds to make improvements on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. That money will fuel construction of the Gateway Project, a highly anticipated plan to build a new train tunnel under the Hudson River. Read More: Gateway Tunnel Back On Track Under Biden, NJ Governor Says

According to a joint statement from Menendez and Booker:

“The legislation will provide 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. The state will also receive a minimum $100 million to expand broadband internet access. State formula funding for water and sewer infrastructure has yet to be calculated, and New Jersey can still compete for additional federal funding through other discretionary sources.”

Here's how the funding will break down in New Jersey, the senators said:

• Highways/Roads - $6.88 billion
• Bridges - $1.14 billion
• Electric Vehicles - $104 million
• Ferry Service - $24 million

MASS TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS (total of $4.15 billion)

• FY21 - $626,068,511
• FY 22 - $792,674,692
• FY23 - $809,730,546
• FY24 - $831,558,775
• FY25 - $849,219,308
• FY26 - $871,465,485

BROADBAND INTERNET

• TOTAL - $100,000,000 minimum

Speaking at a news conference in Essex County, Menendez and Booker highlighted NJ Transit’s ongoing modernization project at Bloomfield Station, which is part of the agency’s $17 billion, five-year capital plan (watch the video above).

According to the senators, the proposed upgrades will increase accessibility for people with disabilities and provide safer access at the 109-year-old terminal, which served an average of 1,640 weekday riders before the pandemic – making it one of the busiest stations along the Montclair-Boonton Rail Line.

• See related article: Here Are New Jersey Transit's Most, Least-Used Train Stations

And that’s exactly the type of progress the senators said they hope will take place across the state once the federal dollars start flowing New Jersey’s way.

“When President Biden signs this legislation into law, we will begin unleashing transformative new investments in everything from roads and railways to drinking water to electrical vehicle infrastructure and more,” Menendez said.

“NJ Transit is the largest statewide transit system in America and we’re also home to the critical infrastructure that supports the busiest rail corridor in America – the Northeast Corridor,” Menendez said. “This legislation will provide access to billions of dollars over the coming years to complete major upgrades, like what’s being proposed here in Bloomfield.”

Booker said the landmark funding package will also give the U.S. and New Jersey economies a boost by putting more people to work.

“As President Biden signs the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law today, New Jerseyans can expect to see billions of dollars for our state’s infrastructure – from repairing roads and bridges, to replacing lead pipes and cleaning Superfund Sites, and advancing the Gateway Project,” Booker added.

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