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BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
Bergen County, New Jersey — Approximately $4 million in state Department of Transportation grant awards for road, bridge, safety and quality of life improvements for many Pascack and Northern Valley towns were announced Feb. 21 by the state agency and governor’s office.
Receiving grants—most between $160,000-$220,000—were Alpine, Closter, Demarest, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Montvale, Northvale, Norwood, Oradell, Park Ridge, River Vale, Rockleigh, Tenafly, Washington, Westwood and Woodcliff Lake.
Gov. Phil Murphy credited an increase in the gas tax with doubling the amount of funding available for state DOT municipal aid grants. Alpine Mayor Paul Tomasko agreed.
Alpine received $162,000 for repaving Litchfield Way, but the borough previously applied last year for grant funds and was denied. Tomasko said only about one-third of towns who applied received grants last year.
“Absolutely we’re very pleased with getting it,” he said, reached on Feb. 22.
“We applied for this last year and didn’t make it. We reapplied this year and got it. This significantly enables us to expand our resurfacing. That road needed attention. And the sooner it gets it, the happier we’ll be,” Tomasko said. He said the borough applied for funding last fall and expects repaving to begin this year.
In 2018, more than $161 million in DOT grants was awarded to 505 municipalities. Last year, only $78.75 million in municipal aid grants was distributed to 364 towns, according to a state news release. Gov. Murphy said grants were provided to 90 percent of communities in 2018 “and demonstrates our commitment to relieve pressure on local property taxpayers,” said the release.
In Bergen County, 69 municipal aid grant awards totaling $14,226,618 were announced for 2018.
Closter received $220,000 for Homans Avenue; Cresskill received $215,000 for Margie Avenue; Demarest received $215,000 for unimproved streets (phase 2); Emerson received $215,000 for Main Street/Linwood Avenue; Englewood received $212,000 for Mattlage Place; Englewood Cliffs received $212,000 for various streets; Harrington Park received $218,000 for Hackensack Avenue and Kline Street; Haworth received $220,000 for a downtown beautification project; and Hillsdale received $199,650 for Piermont Avenue.
Haworth Mayor John Smart said the $220,000 grant will be used for repaving the west side of Terrace Street and renovation of Terrace Street Park. He said the grant helps complete a $625,000 three-year downtown revitalization project.
The first year included library renovations and the second year included repaving and restriping parking areas in front of the library, he said.
“This is the final piece of the project and we hope to get everything set out to bid soon,” he added.
Montvale received $218,000 for various streets, including Edgren Way and Upper Saddle River Road from Chestnut Road to the Upper Saddle River border.
“Certainly it will help us to improve other roads in the borough,” said Ghassali.
In addition, Northvale received $218,000 for Livingston Street; Norwood received $215,000 for McClellan Street sidewalk improvements; Oradell received $212,000 for Oradell Avenue; Park Ridge received $138,822 for Mill Road; River Vale received $212,000 for Roberge School regional safety enhancement program; Rockleigh received $200,000 for Haring Farm Lane; Tenafly received $218,000 for various streets; Washington Township received $178,112 for Robinwood Road; Westwood received $215,000 for Sand Road; and Woodcliff Lake received $202,068 for Lincoln Avenue.
“The renewal of the Transportation Trust Fund made it possible to more than double the size of the [Municipal Aid Grant] program,” said Murphy in a statement.
The state increased its gas tax by 23 cents in November 2016 when Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation to help fund the Transportation Trust Fund, which was bankrupt and had led to a shutdown of road and bridge construction projects statewide.
The tax, along with increases in diesel fuel and non-motor fuels, was estimated to produce $1.23 billion annually to finance an eight year, $16 billion transportation program.
“These funds are instrumental in allowing each municipality to maintain its local roads and bridges in a state of good repair,” said Murphy.