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Congressman Menendez Urged U.S. DOT Support for Major Grant Earlier This Year WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Rob Menendez today highlighted a $59,136,891 United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant award for the Point-No-Point (PNP) Bridge Replacement Project’s second phase. In February 2023, Congressman Menendez wrote a letter (LINK) to FRA Administrator Amit Bose to urge the award of this grant. “This $59,136,891 grant award is a significant boost for our district’s commercial rail infrastructure, accelerating the replacement of the over one hundred-year-old Point-No-Point Bridge,” said Congressman Menendez. “I am proud to have advocated for and supported the award of this grant to eliminate a significant bottleneck for this critical infrastructure project. With the support of the Biden Administration and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we are well on our way to transforming our infrastructure in the Eighth Congressional District while creating good-paying union jobs.” “Under President Biden's leadership, we are making historic investments in rail, which means fewer accidents and delays, faster travel times, and lower shipping costs for the American people,” said USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These projects will make American rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient, delivering tangible benefits to dozens of communities where railroads are located, and strengthening supply chains for the entire country.” The $59,136,891 grant is being awarded through USDOT and FRA’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, for which funding quadrupled under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The current PNP bridge was built in 1901 – 122 years ago – and is a frequent bottleneck for freight rail traffic when lifted to let marine vessels pass through the Passaic River. The new railroad bascule bridge will reduce open and close times from 5.5 hours to just 12 minutes. The Point-No-Point Bridge Replacement Project is expected to create 110 new union jobs, while also serving to remove on-road transportation of contaminated dredging materials. For more information, please click here.
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