Menendez Announces Nearly $1 Million For Highway Safety Programs In NJ

Washington - Today, US Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) announced that the US Department of Transportation has awarded New Jersey $942,233 for highway safety initiatives in New Jersey. These funds will help improve response to transportation accidents involving hazardous materials, including helping train first responders, implement security measures to meet safety challenges posed by new chemicals and alternative energy products, as well as address other highway safety problems.

"These funds will help strengthen public safety and emergency response capabilities on the road. Ensuring our roads are as safe as possible is essential for not only for our families' safety, but also for our state's economic competitiveness as we rebuild our economy. A secure transportation system gives confidence to millions of New Jersey families and businesses that they can commute and transport goods safely and efficiently every day. By investing in our roads, we invest in New Jersey's safety and economic wellbeing in the 21st Century.

The $942,233 in funding will be distributed as follows:

FY 2010 Section 402 State and Community Highway Safety Grants -- Trenton/Mercer NJ -- $445,947

Section 402 of SAFETEA-LU authorized $235,870,000 to support state highway safety programs through formula grants each year. States will received $19,940,463 through October 31, 2009 under the current continuing resolution. Section 402 formula grants will provide the States an additional $19,940,463 in FY 2010 to support highway safety programs based on identified problems.

Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grants - Sayerville, NJ -- $496,286

These grants are awarded annually by the U.S. Department of Transportation to improve the nation's response to transportation incidents involving hazardous materials. A total of $20.8 million in federal funds will be provided to states, territories and Native American tribes to help train first responders to react to incidents involving hazardous materials and to meet the safety challenges posed by new chemicals and alternative energy products such as ethanol.

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