Camden County Receives $1.5 Million for Local Bridge Repairs

Camden County was the recipient of $1.5 million in grant money for work on bridges throughout the county.

Part of that funding, $1 million, is part of $21 million in Local Bridge, Future Needs (LBFN) grants the Christie Administration set aside on Monday.

The other $565,000 was covered in two Discretionary Awards for the county, which was among six grants totaling $4 million.

The $1 million LBFN grant money was awarded to Camden County for replacement of the East Atlantic Avenue Bridge over Nicholson Road in Audubon.

A Discretionary Grant for $435,000 will go toward replacement of the Clementon-Berlin Road Bridge superstructure.

A second Discretionary Grant, for $130,000, was allocated to the County for scour repairs to Grove Street Bridge over Cooper River in Cherry Hill.

Local Bridges, Future Needs (LBFN) is a $25 million program that provides $1 million to each of the 21 counties for the improvement of county bridges. It includes an additional $4 million that is awarded on a competitive basis.

“The Christie Administration has made improving existing infrastructure, including bridges, a priority at both the state and local level,” NJDOT Commissioner Jamie Fox said. “The Local Bridges, Future Needs Program provides funds for counties to replace, repair, or improve bridges within each county without burdening local property taxpayers.”

In all, 20 of the 21 counties are allocating the full $1 million this year to funding a single project, while Warren County is using the money to repair two bridges.

The grants are administered by the NJDOT Division of Local Aid and Economic Development and are funded through the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund.

Each year, Local Aid grants represent a significant portion of Local System Support, which also includes local lead projects, regional planning and project development, and transportation enhancement projects, according to NJDOT.