GOVERNOR CORZINE ANNOUNCES $3.6 BILLION TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL PROGRAM AT ALLIANCE FOR ACTION CONFERENCE
Governor Jon Corzine chose the Alliance for Action’s sixth annual Governor’s Transportation Conference to announce the state’s largest-ever $3.6 billion transportation capital construction program.

A capacity audience of nearly 800 in Trenton applauded as the Governor declared that the spending program is “part of our strategic future” to create jobs and improve New Jersey’s suffering economy. If approved by the Legislature for the 2010 fiscal year, the proposal would represent $300 million, or 9 percent, more spending than for this year.

In the plan, $2.2 billion would be used for roads, bridges and other driving-related projects, including safety. NJ Transit would get $1.4 billion for signal upgrades, train and bus station improvements among other projects.

The Alliance event attracted a “who’s-who” of transportation officials as speakers in the program moderated by Susan Bass Levin, Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

They included United States Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, Chairman Anthony Coscia of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey; State Transportation Commissioner Stephen Dilts; NJ Transit Executive Director Richard Sarles; John Matheussen, CEO of the Delaware River Port Authority, and Assemblyman John Wisniewski, Chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee.

NEARLY $1 BILLION IN UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE WORK TO CREATE 1,300 JOBS
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved nearly $1 billion in utilities infrastructure investments that will create about 1,300 jobs. The $956 million in total projects would repair electric lines and replace many of the state’s 2,500 miles of aging gas pipes.

The largest proposal, approved for Public Service Electric & Gas Co., calls for $694 million on 38 electric and gas initiatives. They would include $421 million in electric system capital improvements, of which $50 million would go for replacement of 96,000 vapor street lights with energy efficient lighting.

New Jersey Natural Gas will spend $71 million for 14 projects, including replacement or installation of gas mains in communities such as Toms River, Long Branch, Bay Head and Manchester. Atlantic City Electric’s plans call for 16 projects totaling $28 million. Jersey Central Power & Light’s proposal is still being reviewed by the state.

The approvals provide for $12 a year increase in the electric and gas bills to customers served by the utilities.

NEW JERSEY TO GET OVER $100 MILLION TO CLEAN SUPERFUND SITES
New Jersey will receive more than $100 million in new federal funding for Superfund cleanups. The money will come from the Federal Economic Recovery Act.

Three sites will receive the highest funding of $25 million each. They are the Cornell Dubilier Electronics site in South Plainfield, The Roebling Steel site in Florence Township and the Weisbach site in Camden and Gloucester City. Up to $5 million also will be allocated to the remaining phase of cleaning up the Horseshoe Road Superfund site in Sayreville.

EPA PROPOSES SUPERFUND LISTING FOR RARITAN BAY CONTAMINATED AREAS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to add lead-contaminated beachfront areas along Raritan Bay to the Superfund National Priorities List. The action followed requests from New Jersey’s U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez and Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., (D-6th District).

The 60-day public comment period began on Friday, April 9. Based on the comments and the EPA’s findings, the Agency would make a decision in the fall of 2009. The listing would enable the EPA to investigate the extent of the damage, take measures to address the contamination and seek the responsible parties.

ROUTE 46 BRIDGES PROJECT WILL BE JUMPSTARTED WITH FEDERAL FUNDS
At a roadside news conference, Governor Jon Corzine said federal economic stimulus funds will jump-start a long-awaited bridge upgrade on Route 46 in Bergen County. He announced that $47.6 million in stimulus dollars will go toward the $67 million cost of the project.

The project will raise two bridges on the highway in Lodi and improve drainage on the section of the Borough’s flood-prone Main Street that runs beneath the bridges. Mayor Marc Schrieks said Main Street traffic many times has had to be rerouted due to flooding.

OYSTER CREEK APPROVED FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS
It is now official. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission renewed the operating license for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Lacey Township for another 20 years, expiring April 9, 2029.

The renewal application, submitted back in 2005, was recommended by the NRC’s Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards and was the subject of a hearing by the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. The operator of Oyster Creek is AmerGen Energy Co., a subsidiary of Excelon Nuclear Generation Company.

MORRISTOWN AIRPORT TO FIX TAXIWAYS WITH $5 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT
Morristown Airport will receive up to $5 million in federal stimulus funds to rebuild deteriorating taxiways, U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg announced. Of the airport’s 12 taxiways, sections of five will be ripped out and renovated; one 6,000 feet long and another, 4,000 feet.

As part of the grant, the renovations must be completed by the end of the current construction season which runs through November.

VOTERS APPROVE ONLY ONE AND REJECT FOUR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Voters approved only one of five projects on the ballot for the March school construction referendum. The only project approved was in Cumberland County’s Hopewell Township for $2.8 million in renovations to an elementary school.

Projects totaling $138.6 million were rejected in Edgewater, Winslow Township, Manchester Township and Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional in Salem County.

RUTGERS APPROVES $272 MILLION TO BUILD NEW DORMS FOR 2,000 STUDENTS
The Rutgers University Board of Governors approved a $272 million plan to build new dormitories scheduled to open in the fall of 2011. Rutgers is already the nation’s second-largest provider of on-campus housing for college students, but projections say the housing need is growing.

Under the approved plan, Rutgers will build two facilities for 2,000 students, both in Piscataway. On the Busch campus, two four-story residences would accommodate 500 freshmen. On the Livingston campus, a multi-building complex, with retail on the ground floor, would house 1,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Both sites currently are parking lots.

MIDDLESEX ALLIANCE TO HEAR REPORTS ON TRANSIT, SEAPORT AND MIDDLESEX COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY
The Middlesex County Alliance for Action will meet on Wednesday, May 6, to hear reports on improvements in the county, NJ Transit plans and a seaport for Sayreville. The meeting will begin with registration at 8:15 a.m. and program at 9 a.m. at the NJ Carpenters Funds Conference Room, Raritan Plaza II, Edison. Presentations will be by:
-Deputy Freeholder Director Christopher D. Rafano liaison to the Middlesex County Improvement Authority, on “Middlesex County Improvement Authority-Improving Life in Middlesex County.”
-Les Eckrich, P.E. Chief Engineer, Capital Project Planning, NJ Transit, on “Transit’s Plans for Middlesex County.”
-Joseph Ambrosio, Executive Director, Sayreville Economic and Redevelopment Authority, on “Sayreville’s Seaport for the 21 Century.”

Co-chairs of the Middlesex County Alliance for Action are Freeholder Director Stephen Dalina, Anthony Coscia, Head Partner, Windels, Marx, Lane & Mittendorf LLP, and William Schlueter, President, Middlesex County Building & Construction Trades Council.
To register Go Here.

MORRIS COUNTY ALLIANCE SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY APRIL 24TH
The Morris County Alliance for Action meets this Friday, April 24th, 8:15 a.m. at the Birchwood Manor, Jefferson Road, Whippany.  A strong program has been assembled featuring Morristown Mayor Donald Crisitello; Butler Mayor Joseph Heywang; and Morris County Freeholder John J. Murphy. 
To register Go Here.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
-HNTB announced the addition of Smir Mody, PE, as Vice President, Northeast Division to their Woodbury, NJ office.
-Building Contractors Association of NJ announced that Michael A. Travostino has been promoted to Government Affairs Associate and Vincent Regina has rejoined the Association as Director of Association Management Services.

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