Newark - U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced New Jersey has been awarded $12,281,426 in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) II grant funding to improve traffic flow in Hudson and Bergen County and to redevelop Canal Crossing in Jersey City by improving underutilized land, creating low-income housing opportunities and increasing access to transportation options.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded $10,008,056 to the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission to develop and deploy intelligent transportation system technology that will improve traffic flows in Bergen and Hudson counties. The new intelligent signaling program will improve traffic flow along U.S. Routes 1&9 and 46; N.J. 7, 17 and 120, as well as county and local corridors in Hudson and Bergen counties.

"No one has to tell commuters how difficult traffic can be in this area of northern New Jersey, and this major federal investment will help bring some relief through increased efficiency on the roads." Menendez said. "Commuters will benefit in the long run, and more immediately, local workers will find jobs working on this important project."

"This funding is critical to relieving congestion on roadways in Hudson and Bergen counties and helping New Jersey motorists travel more efficiently," said Lautenberg, who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee that funds this program. "Better transportation technology will help prevent our region from becoming completely gridlocked. This is an investment in our families, our businesses and our environment."

A joint grant from DOT and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for $2,273,370 was awarded to develop a 111-acre site in Jersey City into an area that enhances access to mass transit and promotes livability in the areas.

"This is a federal investment in creating both local jobs and the type of 21st Century community that attracts families with affordable housing, public transit, and lower energy costs" said Menendez. "The Canal Crossing redevelopment project will afford job opportunities to local workers while providing thousands of local families with the type of neighborhood where they can prosper and thrive."

"This funding will help revitalize Jersey City and provide residents with more opportunities to ride mass transit," said Lautenberg, who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee that funds this program. "By providing federal funding for this redevelopment effort, we can help create new opportunities for New Jersey families and workers."

TIGER II grant funding was awarded on a competitive basis from the federal government for national infrastructure investments that will have a significant impact on the nation or a metropolitan region.

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