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Infrastructure and Municipal Aid Grants

Total of $1.5 million in grants awarded third year in a row under grant program initiated in 2015

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today announced the third annual Union County Infrastructure and Municipal Aid matching grants have been awarded to all 21 municipalities for a total of $1.5 million, mainly targeting road resurfacing.  

“Union County is a key transportation hub in the New York-New Jersey metro region, so this County funding benefits our local residents and businesses as well as commuters, visitors and shipping companies,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “Heavy rains this spring have exacerbated the damage normally incurred during a typical winter, making it all the more imperative to ensure that road repair continues apace this year.”

The Union County Infrastructure and Municipal Aid program was conceived by Freeholder Christopher Hudak in 2015 and developed through the County Freeholder Fiscal Committee. It is designed to stimulate the development of projects of economic, social, transportation and governmental importance to local municipalities.

The program is administered by the Department of Economic Development. This year’s Fiscal Committee is chaired by Freeholder Alexander Mirabella and includes Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, and Freeholders Lind Carter and Mohamed Jalloh.

As part of his Chairman’s initiatives for 2016, Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen asked grant applicants to focus on road improvements, given the toll on local roads over the past several winters. This year, 19 of the 21 grants involve road improvements.

“The end result of several bad winters and tight municipal budgets during a time of shrinking state and federal funding have placed a strain on local roads,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak. “Our goal is to leverage County dollars to help our municipalities cover the funding gap and focus on the urgent need for repaving.”

The matching grant initiative makes available approximately $1.5 million to Union County’s 21 municipalities, assisting them to accomplish tasks undertaken in calendar year 2017. The funding for the grant is provided through the proceeds from the sale of Runnells Specialized Hospital in 2014.

The following matching grants have been awarded through the Union County Infrastructure and Municipal Aid program:

  • Township of Berkeley Heights:  $50,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Township of Clark:  $50,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Township of Cranford:  $90,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • City of Elizabeth:  $105,000.00 Installation of Traffic Signals
  • Borough of Fanwood:  $55,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Borough of Garwood  $55,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Township of Hillside:  $55,000.00 Roadway & Facilities Improvement Projects
  • Borough of Kenilworth:  $75,000.00 Rehabilitation of Facilities, Housing Master Plan, Traffic Signal Study
  • City of Linden:  $100,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Borough of Mountainside:  $50,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Borough of New Providence:  $55,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • City of Plainfield:  $100,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • City of Rahway:  $65,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Borough of Roselle:  $60,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Borough of Roselle Park:  $55,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Township of Scotch Plains:  $90,000.00 Park Facilities and Road Improvement Projects
  • Township of Springfield:  $75,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • City of Summit:  $100,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Township of Union:  $100,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Town of Westfield:  $100,000.00 Roadway Improvement Project
  • Township of Winfield:  $15,000.00 Facility Improvements: Municipal Building & Police Department

Residents and other travelers are advised to check with their municipality regarding improvement projects on local roads. For information on scheduled improvements to Union County roads (identified by their blue signs and three-digit route numbers) visit the interactive map on at ucnj.org/traffic. A list of contacts is available on the County website, ucnj.org, for reporting potholes on local, County and State roads. For links to all forms of transportation in and around Union County visit Union County ConneXions at ucnj.org/connect.

(Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)