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PALLONE SECURES $1.5 MILLION FOR INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTSIN SOUTH AMBOY AND OLD BRIDGE |
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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) secured $1 million for the continued construction of the South Amboy Intermodal Transportation Initiative, providing the critical funds to begin the second phase of the project, which calls for the construction of an elevated platform to dramatically improve safety, the addition of handicapped accessibility and the facilitation of overall upgrades to the transportation system.
The New Jersey congressman also worked with U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) to secure $500,000 to continue the planning of a new intermodal facility to support bus and rail service in Old Bridge.
The funds were included in a giant $328.1 billion spending bill that combined seven Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 appropriations bills, including the Transportation, Treasury and Independent Agencies bill, into one omnibus bill. Pallone requested the funds for South Amboy and Old Bridge earlier this year.
"Once completed, this project will have a significant positive impact on the overall transportation flow in the region, and provide the essential link to the redevelopment of more than 480 acres of under-utilized industrial waterfront property," Pallone said.
"The South Amboy Intermodal Station project will be very beneficial to my constituents because it will improve customer convenience, relieve congestion in the region and add more capacity to NJ Transit’s system," Pallone continued. "In addition, the requested funding will go towards improving access to the facility, increasing safety, and augmenting passenger accommodations. This will be achieved by building an elevated platform and overall upgrades of the entire transportation system."
Pallone said the overall project, which when completed will link several major regional routes and modes of transportation at one central point of transfer within South Amboy, is New Jersey ’s only combined rail, bus, ferry, auto and pedestrian intermodal transportation center and would serve as a national model.
The South Amboy ferry project is broken up into two phases. South Amboy has received all the necessary funds for Phase 1, which involves the construction of a plaza and pedestrian overpass. The funds Pallone secured yesterday will allow South Amboy to begin the design phase of Phase 2. The total cost of the project, including land acquisition and construction, is $32.8 million. Pallone said the project has already received more than $12 million, $2.4 million of which he secured from the federal government.
The Senate must now approve the omnibus bill before being sent to the president for his signature. FY 2004 officially began on October 1, 2003. |
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