MARLBORO – Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., a Democrat from New Jersey whose congressional district includes Marlboro, has announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded a grant for Marlboro to stabilize flood-prone Pleasant Valley Road.
The grant allocates more than $400,000 to secure the rapidly eroding foundation of Pleasant Valley Road between Igoe Road and Route 34, according to a July 10 press release from Pallone.
FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program is designed to help communities reduce potential hazards before extreme flood events occur. Every federal dollar spent on disaster mitigation saves an average of $6 in future costs, according to the press release.
“This announcement is great news for my district and Marlboro. My constituents remember all too well the effects of destruction that major weather events like Superstorm Sandy can have on our transportation system,” Pallone said.
“This funding will go a long way to make sure we reduce the risk of flooding and erosion for New Jerseyans who depend on safe roads and fend off future storm damage that is costly to repair,” he said.
“Our Office of Emergency Management strives to be prepared for all types of weather emergencies. We understand the key to preparation is long-term planning identifying vulnerabilities in advance of extreme weather events,” Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik said.
“This project was identified as a critical need and it clearly fit FEMA’s objective of ‘pre-disaster mitigation.’ Maintaining infrastructure is an expensive proposition and we must carefully balance our needs with the price tag.
“With this in mind, we will continue to leverage our AAA bond rating to obtain funding at the lowest rates possible, and aggressively pursue outside sources of funding for critical projects,” the mayor said.