$75.9 Million in Federal Aid to Rebuild Route 35

New Jersey will receive more than $75.9 million in federal funding to repair and reconstruct more than 12 miles of State Route 35 in Ocean County seriously damaged by Hurricane Sandy, U.S. Democratic Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez announced Friday. 

The funding - exactly $75,935,520 - is provided by the Department of Transportation's Emergency Relief program, which is administered through the Federal Highway Administration.

In New Jersey, the ER funding is used to rebuild and repair the State's infrastructure, which suffered road washouts, sign and signal damage, and also resulted in massive debris cleanup efforts.

“Superstorm Sandy badly damaged highways and roads throughout New Jersey, and this federal funding will help us take a critical next step towards rebuilding Route 35 so that it is stronger than ever,” Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and co-author of the Sandy relief legislation, said. “When Sandy hit, many of New Jersey’s roads and railways were shut down, and we were reminded how important transportation infrastructure is to our families and economy. Making these repairs to Route 35 will go a long way towards ensuring the long-term strength of a major artery that Ocean County families and businesses rely on. We’ll continue working hard to make sure New Jersey gets its fair share of federal aid.”  

The funding will come from the $60.2 billion Hurricane Sandy relief package approved by Congress, in its entirety, in January. 

Menendez said the Route 35 repairs are necessary to assist New Jersey's $38 billion tourism business by facilitating the shore's recovery throughout Ocean County.