Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. announced the awarding of a $920,000 federal grant to the borough of Leonia under the Transportation Alternatives Set-Asides (TA Set-Asides) program. The money will help fund measures to increase pedestrian safety through Leonia’s Broad Avenue Complete Streets Improvement Project.

“Increasing and maintaining pedestrian safety within our communities is central to bolstering our broader public safety initiatives,” said Rep. Pascrell, a former member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “With these federal funds, Leonia will be better prepared to implement measures that keep pedestrians safe along the very-busy Broad Avenue – a main drag of the Borough. I commend NJDOT Commissioner Gutierrez-Scaccetti for her commitment to securing federal funding for local transportation projects that improve safety and strengthen our transportation system. While this is clearly great news for Leonia, I will continue to fight in Washington so that New Jersey gets its fair of funding like this that directly bolsters public and pedestrian safety measures in all our communities.”

“The Borough of Leonia greatly appreciates the support both of Commissioner Gutierrez-Scaccetti and Congressman Pascrell in securing such a significant award for Leonia," said Leonia Mayor Judah Zeigler. "We've been working on our Complete Streets initiative for the past three years, and this funding will allow us to transform one of our main thoroughfares into a much safer route for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists alike.  There's no question that Leonia residents, as well as those from surrounding communities, will benefit from this grant award, and we look forward to moving the project forward."

The TA Set-Asides program was established by Congress in 2012 and provides funds for community-based projects that strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the nation's intermodal system.