Bill > S4369

Introduced Session

This bill, which is designated as the "Road to Relief Act," requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to establish and administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to reimburse certain commuters, full-time employees, and retail business establishments for the cost of any increased transportation expenses incurred due to a public highway project. Under the bill, the grant program is to reimburse the following persons for an increase in transportation expenses incurred during a relief period: (1) a commuter whose commute is located, in whole or in part, within an impacted construction zone, and whose commute is affected by the public highway project; (2) a full-time employee of a retail business establishment operating within a construction zone, and whose commute is affected by the public highway project; and (3) a retail business establishment operating within an impacted construction zone. The bill defines "relief period" to mean the period of time between the date on which a public highway project commences and the date on which the project concludes. "Public highway project" means any infrastructure project that involves the construction, improvement, or maintenance of a State, county, or municipal highway, road, or street, including, but not limited to, the repair or reconstruction of any highway, road, or street that has suffered serious damage as a result of a natural disaster or catastrophic failure from any external cause. "Impacted construction zone" means any area immediately surrounding a public highway project, within which area the occurrence of the public highway project impedes or blocks the normal and reasonable flow of traffic or otherwise restricts access to business establishments located within the area. In addition to any other information or documentation that the EDA deems necessary, the bill requires an application for a grant to include: (1) evidence that an applicant is a commuter, full-time employee, or retail business establishment that is qualified under the grant program; (2) documentation of the transportation expenses regularly incurred by the applicant prior to the relief period; and (3) documentation of the increased transportation expenses incurred by the applicant during the relief period as a direct result of the public highway project. An applicant's documentation of transportation expenses prior to and during the relief period, respectively, is required to demonstrate the transportation expenses incurred by the applicant for an equal number of calendar days. The bill directs the EDA to review and approve applications for the grant program on a rolling basis, subject to the availability of funds for the program. Upon the approval of an application, the grant issued to an approved applicant is required to be in an amount equal to the difference between: (1) the increased transportation expenses incurred by the applicant during the relief period as a direct result of the public highway project; and (2) the transportation expenses regularly incurred by the applicant prior to the relief period. These amounts are to represent the transportation expenses for an equal number of days during which an applicant incurred transportation expenses. To assist the authority in the review of applications under the program, the bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation to notify the EDA of the commencement or completion of public highway projects. The Commissioner of Transportation is also required to notify the EDA of each ongoing public highway project within the State within 30 days after the bill's effective date. The bill appropriates $1 million to the EDA to support the costs of administering the grant program.

Committee Categories

Tony Bucco (R)*,  Parker Space (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee (on 05/12/2025)

Official Document