By Sunayana Prabhu
RED BANK – A portion of more than $1 million in state funding has been allotted for the improvement of public transportation in Red Bank.
Last month state Sen. Vin Gopal (D-11) announced the grants to Red Bank, Long Branch and Asbury Park from increases in New Jersey’s Fiscal Year 2023 State Budget to assist counties and municipalities with improving transportation infrastructure.
“These grants will allow for crucial investments into local public transportation infrastructure, without burdening local taxpayers,” Gopal said in a release. “I was glad to support funding for these grants in this year’s budget, and I’m thrilled to see them awarded locally.”
Red Bank received a $243,000 grant from the Safe Street To Transit Program (SSTT); Long Branch received a $774,000 grant from the Safe Street To Transit Program; and Asbury Park received a $55,000 grant from the Transit Village Program.
SSTT is administered by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and is part of the state’s comprehensive pedestrian safety initiative. According to a press statement from Gov. Phil Murphy last month, SSTT will provide $13.4 million in funding to improve access to transit facilities and public transportation in counties and municipalities.
SSTT grants have been sourced from a total of $24 million awarded across three different transit-related programs as part of Murphy’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget.
Funding for the Local Aid and Economic Development Grants increased in 2022 by nearly 50% over the previous year. “In order to maximize the impact of our considerable public transportation upgrades, we must ensure that our transit facilities are linked not just to economically thriving neighborhoods, but to streets that bring our community members to their destination reliably and efficiently,” Murphy said in the statement. “For many New Jerseyans, commutes or daily travels do not begin and end at the train station. That’s why my Administration is doubling down on its efforts to promote active transportation alternatives and ensure that – whether you’re a pedestrian or cyclist – you can safely and affordably access our nation-leading public transportation network.”
According to the NJDOT website, SSTT provides funding to counties and municipalities to improve access to transit facilities and all nodes of public transportation. The objectives of the SSTT program are:
• To improve the overall safety and accessibility for mass transit riders walking to transit facilities;
• To encourage mass transit users to walk to transit stations; and
• To facilitate the implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety in the vicinity of transit facilities (approximately one-half mile for pedestrian improvements).
The grant money for Red Bank is dedicated to the borough’s station intersection improvement project. The Red Bank Train Station is located in a mixed-use neighborhood outlined by residential and retail/commercial areas. It provides commuter rail services along the NJ Transit Northeast Corridor Line.
The article originally appeared in the January 5 – 11, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
