WASHINGTON, DC – Today, key transportation and infrastructure projects in Burlington and Ocean Counties championed by Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) came one step closer to reality as the U.S. House passed the INVEST in America Act, which would provide critical funding to projects that would help create good paying jobs and rebuild New Jersey's infrastructure.
"Infrastructure matters here in New Jersey. If we're going to keep growing, we're going to need to grow our infrastructure to go with it," said Congressman Kim. "The projects I'm fighting for represent a cross section of what I hear from our neighbors back home: the need to secure our Joint Base, the need to make high traffic areas safer for our families, and the need to get our communities ready for the future. I'm proud to see this pass through the House today with support from Republican colleagues from our region, and I'll continue to work with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to deliver on these priorities and to make sure New Jersey has the infrastructure improvements we deserve."
If passed into law, the INVEST in America Act would make transformational improvements on New Jersey's roads, bridges, rail, transit, and water infrastructure. Written into the bill are several key local priorities championed by Congressman Kim. They include:
County Route 539 Overpass
This project would fund an overpass over County Route 539, connecting key components of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL), allowing for expanded use of the Joint Base and making the County Route safer for civilian travel. In 2016, JBMDL commissioned a study to evaluate crossing alternatives to enhance accessibility to the training areas east of Route 539. The "County Route 539 Traffic Study" was completed in March 2017. The safest and most efficient alternative identified is the construction of an overpass on Route 539.
Congressman Kim's push for an overpass at County Route 539 is the latest in a multi-year effort to deliver an overpass, which would help secure Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst from future closure efforts by opening new training acres to Army Reserve units, allowing additional training missions to come to the Joint Base. In 2019, Congressman Kim and Congressman Norcross passed a measure directing the Department of Defense to address issues on roads like Route 539. Congressman Kim has also worked with other members of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation to press the military for initial preliminary approval of construction of the overpass, which has since been secured.
Burlington County Route 130
The project would fund the reconstruction of the intersection at U.S. Route 130/Delaware Avenue/Florence Columbus Road and the addition of a new connector roadway and traffic signal to improve traffic flow and relieve congestion. The intersection is a notoriously bad spot for truck traffic going to and from area warehouses and Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike's Exit 6A interchange, and traffic through the area is expected to continue to grow. Crash data provided by the Florence Township Police Department indicate among the many crashes at this intersection, there were two fatal accidents involving passenger vehicles and tractor trailers within the last 5 years. In addition to vehicle safety, the project will improve pedestrian and bicycle facilities between adjacent residential developments and commercial establishments at the intersection, including sidewalks and ADA compliance, and upgrading signalized intersection to current standards. This intersection serves a major employment center in which more than 6,000 people are employed in the warehousing, distribution and industrial sectors. With more development in the pipeline, employment may more than double if full buildout is reached. This project will help preserve quality of life for local residents as employment and traffic increases.
Seaside Heights Boardwalk Replacement
This project would fund the replacement of boardwalk timber between Dupont Avenue and Lincoln Avenue. Annually many hundreds of thousands of visitors walk The Classic American Boardwalk located in Seaside Heights. The boardwalk timber in the area in question is 8 years since new and must be replaced to mitigate hazards from splinters, divots, and even holes.
Willingboro Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
This request would fund electric vehicle charging stations suitable for public and municipal use in Willingboro Township. The Township has proposed four locations with five electric vehicle pedestals per station for installation. The project will help prepare the township for an increase in electric vehicle sales in the coming years.
In addition to the listed local projects, the INVEST in America Act also incorporated the bipartisan Better Utilizing Infrastructure for Lasting Development of (BUILD) Veterans Businesses Act, and provisions of the bipartisan Resilient Highways Act, both of which were recently introduced by Congressman Kim.
Congressman Kim is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Committee on Small Business. More information about Congressman Kim can be found on his website by clicking here.
Original source found here.
