Newark - Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced that the Camden and Philadelphia area has been awarded $23 million in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for a network of bicycle and pedestrian paths that will connect Camden and Philadelphia. The network will enhance regional economic development, spur job growth and protect the environment by getting cars off our roads.
"This federal funding will open access to the City of Camden and help spur the local economy," said Sen. Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who helped author ARRA. "Creating this new pedestrian and bicycle pathway between Camden and Philadelphia will benefit the environment by reducing traffic and make Camden a better place to live and work."
"This grant will help make communities such as Camden, Pennsauken, and Cherry Hill more walkable, bikeable communities," said Sen. Menendez. "This will reduce the number of cars on our roads, reduce pollution, and help create more active, healthy communities. By investing in these types of projects we help create jobs and boost economic activity, while laying the foundation for a 21st century green economy."
The project would construct a number of trails that would connect and enhance several bicycle and pedestrian trails in the Eastern Pennsylvania and South New Jersey region. It would include bridge repair, enhancement and replacement; trail widening, and construction of off-road trail segments. This set of trails, which only partially exists today, would spur job growth and connect on-going development projects in the region, including the multi-million dollar expansion of Cooper University Hospital and Campbell's Soup Corporation.
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