Millville officials race to meet DOT deadline for Nab Avenue grant that could bring up to $15 million

Millville city leaders told the council on June 12 that an expedited Department of Transportation grant process could provide as much as $15 million toward the long‑planned Nab Avenue project, but the city faces an urgent timeline to submit required materials.

Mayor Dixon said the federal/state DOT opportunity arose after recent conversations with congressional and regional partners. He told the council a benefits‑cost analysis, engineering plans and supporting materials must be compiled and delivered to the city’s consultant, Triad, by June 25, and the grant application is due July 2. If the materials are not ready by those dates, the city will be ineligible for the funding, Dixon said.

Why it matters: Nab Avenue is tied to major industrial and warehouse development outside the city. Council members said the road would reroute heavy truck traffic away from Millville’s center and is a prerequisite for later phases of a multi‑million‑square‑foot development. Officials described the grant as a “once‑in‑a‑lifetime” opportunity to complete a project that has been discussed for decades.

Council discussion focused on what design features the application should include and on using recent studies to accelerate the analysis. Staff said a 2024 feasibility and traffic study by Bowman is available and may help shorten the benefit‑cost work. Commissioners discussed prior design iterations (including roundabout alternatives) and constraints posed by Green Acres‑protected land near the corridor; they noted roundabouts are expensive but sometimes necessary for truck movements.

Several council members said they had been pulled into late meetings with Triad and other departments on short notice and praised internal coordination. Mayor Dixon said congressional support was forthcoming and that the city would likely convene an emergency meeting under the 48‑hour rule to finalize the application materials.

What’s next: Staff will work with Triad and engineers to assemble the benefit‑cost analysis and engineering package by June 25. Council members were notified that an emergency session may be scheduled to review and, if appropriate, approve submission of the application before the July 2 deadline.

Quotes: “We have until the 25th of June to pull together a benefits cost analysis, the engineering plans,” Mayor Dixon said, adding the grant ‘‘could be the piece that we need to really start moving on this project and actually get it completed.”

Context and constraints: Commissioners flagged prior traffic‑study designs that included roundabouts and noted that Green Acres land and right‑of‑way issues increase costs. Staff said some funding options for design and implementation could include redevelopment area bonds, SJTPO contributions, and grant support from congressional and state offices.

The council did not take a formal vote on the grant application at the June 12 meeting; staff indicated they will prepare materials for review and may call an emergency meeting to act before the application deadline.