Washington - U.S. Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced the Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation that includes $206 million to help fund a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River and advance other transportation and development projects in New Jersey. The funds are included in the FY 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, which must next be considered by the full Senate.

The measure sets the budget for Amtrak, public transit and the entire U.S. Department of Transportation, which includes agencies such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It also funds the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which works to support community development and increase access to affordable housing.

"The funding in this bill will continue our commitment to advancing the tunnel project and make mass transportation a more appealing option for millions of commuters," stated Lautenberg, who as a member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee helped craft the legislation. "By investing in our roadways and bridges, we can relieve traffic, improve safety and improve our communities. This bill would also help provide basic housing and community services for at-risk youth and victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse."

"This latest major investment in the new mass transit tunnel will help create and support thousands of jobs while improving public transportation options that save families time and money," stated Menendez. "The multiple investments in transportation projects will help create construction jobs, reduce traffic congestion and bolster our public transportation system. In addition, we have secured investments to help protect some of our state's youngest and most vulnerable crime victims."

The projects for New Jersey include:

Transportation

  • NJ Transit - $200 million for the ARC Tunnel project.
  • Harrison - $1.5 million to consolidate the partial ramp system at I-280 in Harrison and construct a single interchange.
  • Hoboken - $1 million to rebuild the collapsed portions of the Hudson River waterfront walkway along 5th and 7th Streets.
  • Gloucester County - $1 million for the reconstruction of the Hunter Street Bridge over the CSX/Norfolk Southern Rail Line in Woodbury.
  • Camden - $500,000 for the design and construction of improvements to 7th Street from Linden Street to Elm Street.
  • Union City - $500,000 to repair and repave New York Avenue from 32nd to 48th Street.
  • Glassboro - $500,000 to purchase buses and capital items to start a local bus system in Glassboro to serve the community and Rowan University.
  • Bloomfield Township - $500,000 for streetscape upgrades and traffic flow and pedestrian safety improvements at Bloomfield's Six Points intersection.

Community Services and Development

  • Puerto Rican Action Board in New Brunswick - $260,000 to repair facilities that house economic empowerment programs for low-income individuals and families.
  • Bonnie Brae Residential Treatment Center for Adolescent Boys in Somerset County - $200,000 to renovate facilities that house and provide services for at-risk youth.
  • Community Foundation of New Jersey - $500,000 for the renovation and build-out costs of the Essex County Family Justice Center for domestic violence victims.
  • Union County Child Advocacy Center - $200,000 for the construction and renovation of a new child advocacy center for sexually abused children in Union County.

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