Metuchen Will Get $800K To Improve Municipal Parking Lot

METUCHEN, NJ — The Borough of Metuchen now stands to benefit from President Joe Biden's $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill.

Metuchen will get $800,000 to redesign and improve a municipal parking lot, used by adjacent athletic fields, Edgar Middle School and the Metuchen Municipal Pool.

The project is expected to improve accessibility for people with special needs, incorporate pedestrian and bike infrastructure and install public electric vehicle charging stations.

Under guidelines issued by the Appropriations Committee, each Representative may request funding for up to 10 projects in their community for the fiscal year 2022 — although only a handful may actually be funded.

Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., (NJ-6) submitted the project application to the Appropriations Committee.

“I’m proud that we were able to get these projects across the finish line in the House and look forward to seeing President Biden sign the underlying legislation into law,” Pallone said last week after the bill passed the House. “I would like to thank Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro and the subcommittee chairs for working with me on these important projects.”

In a Facebook post, Metuchen Mayor Jonathan M Busch thanked Pallone and said the project “means a lot” to the Borough.

“Metuchenites are all too familiar with the terrible condition of the Edgar lot and I just got off the phone with our Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., to thank him for his work on behalf of the Borough. Congressman Pallone and his staff know how much this project means to us and they worked very hard to ensure that it was included in the final version of the bill,” Busch said.

Biden signed the bill, which provides a substantial increase in spending for domestic and national security but also sends $13.6 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion. Around $178 million will come to New Jersey for local projects in every county. Read More: What $178 Million In Federal Money Will Do In New Jersey

The sprawling 2,741-page omnibus bill — the first major federal spending package of Biden's administration — also funds the government through Sept. 30, the end of the federal fiscal year, and averted a partial government shutdown that would've occurred at midnight Friday.

The spending bill passed both chambers of the Senate along party lines.

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