Train Station, Road Improvement Grant On Morristown Council Agenda

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Morristown train station may see improvements as early as next year. The Morristown Council will meet tonight to discuss a grant application for funding from the New Jersey Department of Transportation's FY23 Transit Village Program.

The Transit Village Grant program of the Division of Local Aid and Economic Development will award grants for non-traditional transportation-related projects to New Jersey municipalities designated as Transit Villages.

These are municipalities that have committed to growing in the vicinity of a transit facility. The station can accommodate commuter rail, bus, ferry, or light rail. This year, the grant program distributed $3,818,000 to nine counties across the Garden State.

The application period for the 2023 village Transit Grant Program closes on Aug. 18.

The Morristown Council is also submitting a grant application for the Municipal Aid Program of the New Jersey Department of Transportation for the Lidgerwood Parkway, Paula Court and Abbett Avenue Roadway Improvements Project.

The greater Morristown area previously received $882,800 from the Municipal Aid Program for the distribution of three projects in 2022.

Those projects were broken up among Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains.

• Valley View Drive, Ford Ave, and Headley Road Improvements Project (Morristown)
• Sunrise Drive Improvements (Morris Plains)
• Southgate Parkway Road Improvements Project (Morris Township)

The funding can only be used for the listed eligible project categories.

• Bikeway: Primary project purpose is for constructing new bikeways (e.g., bike lanes, bike paths, bike-compatible roadways).
• Bridge Preservation: Primary project purpose is for improving the condition of bridge infrastructure (e.g., new deck, rehabilitation, replacement).

• Mobility: Primary project purpose is to enhance mobility and reduce congestion (e.g., adding lanes, signal optimization).

• Pedestrian Safety: Primary project purpose is to enhance pedestrian safety (e.g., new sidewalks, new crosswalks, traffic calming, pedestrian overpass).

• Quality of Life: Primary project purpose is for beautification, environmental mitigation, economic development or historic preservation.

• Roadway Preservation: Primary project purpose is for improving the condition of roadway infrastructure (e.g., resurfacing, reconstruction, drainage).

• Roadway Safety: Primary project purpose is to enhance vehicular safety (e.g., guide rail, signing, warning devices, and striping).

The Morristown Council will meet on Tuesday, June 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Morristown Town Hall Council Room.