The $1.7 trillion omnibus spending plan that cleared the Senate yesterday by a vote of 68-29 includes just over $15 million for various Hudson County projects, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I’m also pleased to have secured specific provisions for the state of New Jersey, including $181 million for individual projects and programs across the Garden State and funding for key projects like Gateway and the Army Corps of Engineers,” Menendez said in a statement.
“While this bill should have included a provision paving the way for the Latino Museum to be built on the National Mall – I’m proud to have voted for the package and look forward to working with my colleagues in the next Congress to advance the issues that were left behind.”
The bill includes $1.26 billion for the Gateway project, a $16 billion endeavor to build two new rail tunnels under the Hudson River, expanding and renovating the Northeast Corridor rail line between Newark and New York City.
“This bill caps off one of the most productive Congresses in history. But there is still work to be done, and I look forward to working with colleagues next year to reinstate the child tax credit expansion and take steps toward building a more equitable country,” added Booker.
Furthermore, Menendez’s office provided a breakdown by municipality detailing where federal funding would be allocated.
For example, Bayonne will receive $1 million for the reconstruction of an ADA compliant Buddy Baseball field on 11th Street. In Harrison, their police department will receive $583,000 to purchase multi-band police radios.
Meanwhile, Hoboken will have an additional $1.8 million to complete the redesign of Sinatra Drive between 4th Street and 11th/Hudson Streets. As for Secaucus, County Road 653/County Avenue will receive $1.75 million for street improvements – a county allocation.
In the midst of financial woes, New Jersey City University, based out of Jersey City, has $782,000 earmarked “to provide equitable access to high-demand online nursing education.”
Similarly, the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken will receive $960,000 “to purchase equipment computer cluster and satellite receiving station.”
As for municipal investments in Jersey City, the omnibus bill is bolstering four different programs.
First off, half a million dollars is going towards expanding “domestic violence intervention services into the greater Hudson County area.” Also, $750,000 is for establishing a youth apprenticeship program to help and low- and middle-income families.
Furthermore, the Currie Woods Revitalization Center will have $510,000 for constructing a food pantry facility.
The fourth and final federal allocation is a hearty $2,021,000 to reconstruct 14 segments of the Morris Canal Greenway.
In North Hudson, North Bergen scored big with a $3,452,000 line item to mitigate storm water runoff on Tonnelle Avenue. In neighboring West New York, their housing authority will receive $888,000 to renovate and install safety equipment at their buildings.
Finally, Guttenberg has a $394,000 allocation “to eliminate an open concrete structure in the CSO outfall pipe.”
That’s a total of $15,370,000 assigned directly to local projects in Hudson County.
“From flood mitigation and public safety to transportation and education, these projects will have meaningful impacts on communities from Bergen to Cape May counties. I’m proud these projects were included in the funding bill and I will continue fighting to ensure our state has the resources to complete transformative projects like these,” Menendez added.
While their is no monetary value assigned to it, both senators also pointed out that Hoboken’s $230 million Rebuild by Design project, which aims to make critical flood safety improvements, received “an important extension.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated to include federal funding allocated to the Town of Guttenberg and the Stevens Institute of Technology.
