Small business owners in Newark will have a key opportunity this week to tap into one of New Jersey’s largest upcoming highway projects. A free public workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 29, aims to help local contractors, vendors, and service providers learn how to compete for contracts tied to the Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Improvements Program — a major renovation of the New Jersey Turnpike.
The event, hosted by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Newark City Council President C. Lawrence Crump, will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the William Mobile Ashby Community Care and Training Facility, 695 Bergen Street in Newark.
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Organizers say the workshop is designed to offer both insights and direct connections.
“The session will include a brief presentation on the Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Improvements Program, a small business testimonial, and insights on potential contracting opportunities from industry leaders representing the Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey and the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association. In addition to the presentations, participants will have opportunities to network with program team members, environmental and design consultants, Turnpike Authority construction staff, and representatives from local economic development and small business organizations.”
Business owners can register through the official program website, NBHCE.com, by clicking the homepage popup link.
Turnpike Authority Executive Director James Carone emphasized that the agency wants local businesses to be part of this massive undertaking.
Carone said the goal is to award 25% of contracts to small businesses and 3% specifically to service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, ensuring companies in underserved communities benefit from the long-term infrastructure investment.
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Future informational events are also expected in Bayonne and Jersey City, expanding outreach across Hudson County.
The Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Improvements Program will modernize an 8.1-mile stretch of roadway from Interchange 14 in Newark to Jersey Avenue in Jersey City. The scale of the program means consistent procurement needs, including:
The initial project — replacing 4.1 miles of bridges, ramps, and roadway between Newark and Bayonne — includes the complete replacement of the Vincent Robert Casciano Bridge, which will be rebuilt as two cable-stayed bridges to improve safety and capacity.
Construction on this first phase is expected to begin in 2026 and span approximately 10 years, offering extended business participation over the full duration.
Originally reported by Eric Keifer, patch Staff in Patch. Com.
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