NJ Approved for $180M in Federal Funds to Support Capital Projects

On Mar 18, 2024

New Jersey has been approved for a total of nearly $180 million through the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Project Fund (CPF) to support a wide range of infrastructure projects that promote public health and safety, digital connectivity, and equitable access to critical services.

“Building a stronger, fairer, and more resilient New Jersey in a manner that’s equitable is a collaborative effort between many partners, all of whom have a stake in the success of our communities,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “I am grateful to the Biden-Harris administration for these transformative investments, and to Senator Booker and our congressional delegation for their tireless support of the people of the Garden State. This funding will help strengthen infrastructure and improve access to essential services, and in many instances it will be a game-changer that has a lasting impact on communities across our state.”

The CPF, a component of the American Rescue Plan, is designed to provide crucial funding for enhancing the quality of life, economic vitality, and resilience of communities across the United States.

“These are essential investments in New Jersey’s future, expanding access to high-speed internet, rebuilding schools, making it safer for mothers giving birth, and more,” said U.S. Senator Cory Booker. “I’m proud to have voted for the bill that allocated this funding and to fight to bring home resources that enable our families and children to thrive and lower costs for New Jersey taxpayers. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, we have made historic investments in New Jersey’s infrastructure to remove lead-service lines, strengthen supply chains, accelerate our transition to a clean-energy economy, and advance construction of the Hudson River tunnel—the most important infrastructure project in North America.”

“Lowering costs for affordable internet is critical to meeting the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of expanding economic opportunity in communities across the country,” said Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Wally Adeyemo. “This funding is key to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and will help increase access to high-speed internet for thousands of New Jerseyans so they can compete in the 21st century economy.”

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has been approved for $50 million to create and administer the New Jersey Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Equity (NJBIDE) program, which will connect areas with limited or no access to reliable broadband internet.

NJ TRANSIT’s Connected Bus program will receive $15 million to address inequities in internet access by providing free high-speed Wi-Fi with an activated ticket onboard public transport buses.

A new Union City Community School has been approved for $50 million to support construction of an innovative approach that will allow for the education of 827 students in grades seven through nine while also functioning as a multi-purpose community facility.

Additionally, $25 million has been approved for construction of the new Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center (MIHIC) in Trenton. The MIHIC, being developed by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), is a critical component of First Lady Tammy Murphy’s Nurture NJ Maternal and Infant Health Strategic Plan, which aims to make New Jersey the safest and most equitable state in the nation to deliver and raise a baby. The Capital Project Fund will complement additional federal and State funding allocated for this project.

More than $30 million has been approved for the State Library’s Building Community Resilience project that will address disparities in access to education, jobs, and health monitoring by investing in capital improvements at community facilities.

North Jersey Community Research Initiative, one of New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive community-based organizations for HIV/AIDS services and behavioral and medical services for the LGBTQIA+ community, will receive $6.6 million for an extension of its homeless drop-in center – Crossroads – into a multi-purpose community facility space located in downtown Newark.

An additional $5 million allocated to New Jersey will go to other projects that address the digital divide by providing the public with easier access to devices and the internet at public-facing state agencies.

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