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Rep. Payne, Jr. Helps Get $44 Million Grant to Modernize Port Newark

June 25, 2021

Media Contact: Patrick Wright -- Patrick.Wright@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C. Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $44 million grant to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Part of that funding will be used to modernize almost three miles of roads at the entrance of Port Newark and the Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal. Rep. Payne, Jr. wrote a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in March to promote the Port Authority's request for the grant and increase the chances of approval.

"This grant will help modernize Port Newark and increase economic opportunity across my 10th Congressional district," said Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. "It will provide improvements that will increase traffic flow, decrease travel time, and make it easier to transport cargo that arrives in the port. It is a significant investment into northern New Jersey and I applaud the Biden Administration's continued commitment to improve our local and national infrastructure."

Rep. Payne, Jr.'s letter to Secretary Buttigieg is below.

The Honorable Pete Buttigieg

Secretary

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

RE: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Application:

FY 2021 INFRA Grant, Port Street Corridor Improvement Project

Dear Secretary Buttigieg:

I am writing to you in support of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the FY 2021 Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant application for the Port Street Corridor Improvement project.

The Port Street Corridor Improvement project will modernize the only northern roadway access point at Port Newark/Elizabeth. Collaborating with the U.S. Department of Transportation is essential to reduce traffic accidents, lessen travel time, and ease congestion for all port users. The construction of this project will vastly improve safety, reduce congestion, and more than double the emergency bypass capacity at the north egress.

Enhancing northern access will promote efficiency and service reliability throughout the supply chain; benefits which will have positive ripple effects to the local, regional, and national supply chain for importers, exporters, trucking firms, warehousing and distribution centers, intermodal rail facilities, intermodal rail facilities, inland ports and most importantly, consumers.

The Port of New York and New Jersey is the largest port on the East Coast of North America, the second largest in the nation, and one of the most productive high-volume global port operations. It is a conduit of global commerce with the capability to reach 28 million consumers in its immediate vicinity and a total of 134 million within a 36-hour reach, many in rural locations.

Working together, this port and its business partners generate substantial job opportunity and economic activity. The Port of New York and New Jersey supports 400,000 regional jobs, including 229,000 direct jobs, $25.7 billion in personal income, $64.8 billion in business income, and almost $8.5 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue.

With a combined investment of approximately $8 billion during the past decade and over $5 billion more in the next decade, the Port Authority and its marine terminal operator partners are committed to ongoing port improvements. This project is essential to the Port's 30-year Master Plan, maximizing the fluid movement of cargo across the nation and the world.

Thank you for your consideration of this important project.

Sincerely,

Donald M. Payne, Jr.

Member of Congress