Background/Analysis/Issues

In June 2023, the DVRPC UPWP project Technical Assistance for Member Governments (23-23-080) was amended by adding $8,881,374 in previously unobligated Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA) funds available to the urbanized portions of Mercer, Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties. Of this total, $2,102,143 was obligated for the Trenton Urban Area and $6,779,231 for the Philadelphia Urban Area of Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties.

Eligible activities under the CRRSAA funds include a wide range of activities in planning and operations costs. According to the guidance, DVRPC, NJDOT, and the NJ Division of FHWA agreed that these funds could be applied to DVRPC’s FY23 Technical Assistance for Member Governments project in the form of direct technical assistance by DVRPC staff to member governments, provision of consultant services, and pass-through funding for local governments to bolster their own operations and staff capacity. This funding can be spent over a duration of five years, with a funding end date of June 30, 2028.
DVRPC has been working with our New Jersey partners on an ongoing basis to develop scopes for projects that respond to their needs. DVRPC recently shared proposals for five (5) new projects and tasks with NJDOT for their review, and NJDOT concurred these are an appropriate use of CRRSAA funds. Each project is expected to be completed with contractor support or by DVRPC staff. The proposed action is to amend the FY 2026 DVRPC UPWP to add the following projects: 

1. Project 23-23-360 - Gloucester County Freight Plan (2 years),
Budget: $266,374

2. Project 23-23-370 - Camden City Transportation Planning Services (2 years),
Budget: $300,000

3. Project 23-23-380 - US 130 Access Management Needs Assessment (2 years),
Budget: $250,000

4. Project 23-23-390 - Monroe Township Bike Path Extension Study (2 years),
Budget: $150,000

Note: Each project has an FY 2023 project number since all will draw funds from the original FY 2023 CRRSAA Task Order. NJDOT has also approved assigning $200,000 previously allocated to Project 23-23-081 - CRRSAA Technical Assistance and Coordination, to purchase and share impervious surface GIS data for our New Jersey counties, to support their ongoing planning activities.

Cost and Source of Funds

This project allocates $966,374 of the NJ region CRRSAA funds obligated in FY 2023 NJDOT Task Order PL-DV-23-01.

The RTC recommends the DVRPC Board approve allocating NJ CRRSAA funds in the amount of $966,374 to support tasks that have been approved by NJDOT, and amending the FY 2026 UPWP to add projects:

• 23-23-360 - Gloucester County Freight Plan (2 years)
• 23-23-370 - Camden City Transportation Planning Services (2 years)
• 23-23-380 - US 130 Access Management Needs Assessment (2 years)
• 23-23-390 - Monroe Township Bike Path Extension Study (2 years)