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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) announced today that the U.S. House of Representatives approved a Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 omnibus bill that includes his request of $950,000 for New Brunswick to make road improvements along College Avenue to support Rutgers University's redesign of College Avenue.
Yesterday, the House approved a $410 billion spending bill that combines nine appropriations bills into one omnibus bill funding domestic programs and foreign operations for FY 2009, which officially began on October 1, 2008. The bill now goes to the Senate for its approval before heading to the president's desk for his signature.
The redesign of the College Avenue campus of Rutgers University is critically important to the City of New Brunswick. The project will transform the campus into a distinctive academic environment and link both the city and university more closely than ever before.
This project will create a revitalized university neighborhood that will be specifically designed to blend well with the renaissance that has occurred in downtown New Brunswick during the last decade or more.
The funding approved by the House today will go towards building a multimodal hub on College Avenue; enhance safety on the Route 18/Lynch Bridge multiuse path used by many students and residents; and build on NJ Transit's study of bus rapid transit (BRT) to increase mass transit use in the area.
The New Jersey congressman said the first stages of this multi-year project will include landscaping and streetscaping followed by street widening and pedestrian traffic flow improvements.
"This multi-year project will transform the city's historic campus into a distinctive academic center that will attract and retain top faculty, as well as New Jersey's best and brightest students," Pallone said. "Rutgers University is the economic engine of the city and is critical to the vitality of central New Jersey. The funds approved today will help build a growing local economy by creating jobs, and will improve safety and the quality of life for the citizens of New Brunswick."
The overall redesign project will improve traffic flow through the city, encourage better commuting practices, enhance the safety for bicyclists and pedestrians and provide green spaces designed for the use of the university community and the citizens of New Brunswick.
The New Jersey congressman said that the federal funds approved last night are the first for what is expected to be a multi-year project led by Rutgers University that will involve the local, state and federal governments.
Pallone requested the funds earlier this year in a formal request to the House Appropriations Transportation and Housing & Urban Development (THUD) Subcommittee.
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