Funds support projects to encourage walking and biking to K-12 schools

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has announced that the grant solicitation period for the 2024 Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program is open, with applications being accepted through November 17, 2023.

“Safe Routes to School grants provide resources to communities throughout New Jersey to make safety improvements to the sidewalks and crosswalks our children use to walk or bike to school, without the need to impact local property taxes,” NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. “As part of NJDOT’s commitment to communities, we work with the three regional planning authorities to provide federal funding to counties and municipalities for local transportation projects that enhance safety and strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of our transportation system.”

The SRTS program is funded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Federal Aid Program and is administered by the NJDOT Division of Local Aid and Economic Development, in partnership with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO).

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) expanded the SRTS program from K-8 to include high schools as well. SRTS grants are available for infrastructure projects that encourage and enable K-12 students to walk and bike safely to school. Proposed project improvements must be within a two-mile radius of a K-12 school. SRTS facilitates the planning, development and implementation of projects that improve safety and air quality, as well as reduce traffic and fuel consumption around schools. NJDOT’s Local Aid Resource Center provides a central warehouse for local government managers by providing hands-on resources for the application process, raising awareness of grant cycles and proactively communicating program information.

For more information on the grant program, visit https://www.saferoutesnj.org/safe-routes-to-school-grants, the Local Aid Resource Center at www.njdotlocalaidrc.com; email LocalAID.ResourceCenter@dot.nj.gov or call 609.649.9395.

Contact Ryan Fisher, goHunterdon Safety Programs Manager, for application assistance, rfisher@gohunterdon.org