Federal Grant To Upgrade North Camden Streets, Utility Network

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) - The City of Camden is getting some more federal help in its ongoing quest to revive its economy.

A multi-million dollar award will jump start the Camden Connections for the Future project, and to hear New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez tell it, getting the grant was far from a slam dunk.

"This is not by entitlement," Menendez told KYW Newsradio. "We had to fight for Camden to get the 16 million dollars through a TIGER grant which is a federal transportation grant."

TIGER is short for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery. The money will be spent in three phases to improve several streets in an area some two miles north of the Ben Franklin Bridge, along with upgrading utilities there.

"This transportation network that the 16 million will help Camden develop creates nexuses to the infrastructure projects that are taking place in Camden that are critical for mobility for the citizens of Camden," Menendez said.

It's hoped the project will play a part in not only helping the businesses already planning to relocate to Camden, but to perhaps get others to follow them.