The Middlesex County Board of Freeholders has announced the award of $499,584 in Open Space and Recreation grant funds to seven municipalities to improve pedestrian and bicycle paths.
The program was initiated by Middlesex County Freeholder Camille Fernicola earlier this year. The freeholders set aside $500,000 from the Open Space and Recreation and Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund to provide 80 percent of the construction cost of eligible municipal projects that will lead to safe links to open space and recreation areas. The projects must also encourage walking and cycling as safe alternatives to automobiles.
Local townships receiving the grants were East Brunswick, North Brunswick and Woodbridge, and the boroughs of Metuchen and Milltown. Projects include new and rehabilitated multi-use paths, new sidewalks, a pedestrian bridge, handicap accessibility and bicycle storage facilities.
Fernicola recognized the need to link residential neighborhoods and related areas to open space, parks and recreation areas, and created the program to enable municipalities to meet the need by constructing multi-use paths, sidewalks and other bicycle and pedestrian facilities and amenities that will access open space facilities.
“In addition to safety issues and accessibility to our open space and recreation facilities, it is my hope this program will further encourage municipalities to look at walking and riding a bike as alternative means of transportation,” she said.