LAUTENBERG ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $8 MILLION IN NEW FEDERAL FUNDING TO IMPROVE MASS TRANSIT IN NEW JERSEY WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded New Jersey more than $8 million in new federal funding to improve intermodal stations and expand local bus service throughout the state. The funds will provide for construction and the expansion of existing stations."It is critical that New Jersey residents have access to safe, reliable and efficient mass transportation options.  Expanding bus service and modernizing facilities will help attract riders and alleviate congestion," said Sen. Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. "This funding will improve mass transportation for thousands of New Jersey riders and encourage a new wave of commuters to leave their cars at home."The following is a breakdown of the federal funds awarded throughout New Jersey: ·      Freehold Township Bus Facility Terminal and Repair Shop Project$1,287,440 to support development of the Freehold Township bus facility terminal and repair shop project.  Monmouth County is constructing a new passenger transfer facility and bus garage for its SCAT (Special Citizens Area Transportation) service in Freehold Township.  Monmouth County currently operates 55 demand response vehicles to provide public transportation throughout the county.  The transfer facility would serve as a primary transfer point for bus to bus transfers.  ·      Newark Penn Station Platform 'D' Rehabilitation Project $1,756,280 to repair and restore a series of platforms specifically to the passenger-boarding side and to improve building elements at Platform 'D'. Platform D serves both NJTRANSIT and AMTRAK for both passenger loading and offloading. ·      Ridgewood Intermodal Station ADA Improvements Project $4,370,801 to support construction activity at the station on NJ TRANSIT's Main Line/Bergen County Line in the Village of Ridgewood in Bergen County.  The station serves as a transfer point between the Main Line (serving Passaic County) and the Bergen Line (serving Bergen County) as well as various bus routes. ·      South Brunswick Shuttle Service and Bus Shelters $1 million to install bus shelters along the Wynwood Drive Club House to the Jersey Avenue Commuter Rail Station SMART route. The project includes striping, signage and other amenities associated with the shelters. The funds will also be used to support planning and environmental work associated with the proposed parking facilities and technology improvements for the bus network.   In 2008, Americans took nearly 11 billion trips on public transportation, the highest ridership level in 52 years.  NJ TRANSIT also reports that bus ridership for fiscal year 2008 increased 2.2 percent, to 162,591,200 trips.  ###