The New Jersey Turnpike Authority, together with Newark City Council President C. Lawrence Crump, will hold a Small Business Opportunities Information Session aimed at helping local small business owners access upcoming contracting opportunities linked to the Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Improvements Program.
The session is scheduled for Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the William Mobile Ashby Community Care and Training Facility in Newark. Interested participants are encouraged to register through the program’s website at NBHCE.com.
Turnpike Authority officials will provide practical guidance on preparing for contracting opportunities. The event will include a presentation on the improvement program, a testimonial from a small business owner, and insights from industry representatives of the Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey and the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association.
Attendees will also have opportunities to network with members of the program team, environmental and design consultants, construction staff from the Turnpike Authority, as well as representatives from economic development and small business organizations in the area.
City Council President Crump said: “The success of our small businesses is crucial to the economic well-being of the City of Newark. The Turnpike Authority’s historic investment in rebuilding aging infrastructure in the City not only supports our economic growth, but it also has the potential to directly benefit small businesses and residents by creating opportunity. By connecting the Newark small business community to contracting opportunities, providing guidance on certification and documentation, and bringing them into the conversation with industry leaders, we are building pathways for Newark small businesses to thrive. I want to thank the Turnpike Authority for their commitment to equitable and inclusive infrastructure development.”
Turnpike Authority Executive Director James Carone stated: “The Newark Bay–Hudson County Extension Improvements Program represents a generational investment in the safety, resilience, and reliability of a vital transportation corridor. The Turnpike Authority is committed to providing local small businesses the opportunity to compete for the many economic opportunities that will arise because of this historic investment. We have set a goal of awarding 25 percent of contracts to small businesses and 3 percent to service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. This event is one of several initiatives designed to help us meet those goals.”
Officials indicated that similar information sessions are planned for future dates in Bayonne and Jersey City.
While most contract opportunities will open after construction begins, about $15 million has already been spent with small businesses by the Turnpike Authority in connection with this program.
The planned work involves rebuilding an 8.1-mile stretch of highway between Interchange 14 in Newark and Jersey Avenue in Jersey City. Goals include improving safety and sustainability, reducing congestion impacts on nearby communities and ports, supporting current growth needs, and addressing climate change concerns.
The first phase includes replacing 4.1 miles of bridges, roadway, and ramps between Interchange 14 in Newark and Interchange 14A in Bayonne and Jersey City—including replacing the Vincent Robert Casciano Bridge over Newark Bay with two new cable-stayed bridges. Construction is expected to start in 2026 with an estimated timeline of ten years.
