ATLANTIC CITY — U.S. Sen. Cory Booker wrapped up his annual tour of all 21 New Jersey counties Friday with stops in Atlantic and Cape May counties, highlighting $31 million in federal funding for two major South Jersey projects.
Booker's final day included visits to Atlantic City's Orange Loop and AtlantiCare Trauma Center before heading south to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal, where officials discussed plans to modernize the ferry fleet.
The Atlantic County portion included a $1 million federal award for AtlantiCare, while the Cape May County stop focused on $30 million toward a new diesel-hybrid ferry.
“Every stop on this tour reminded me why I love this job,” Booker said. “I met extraordinary people in every corner of our state who are caring for their neighbors, lifting up their communities, and showing what is possible when we come together.”
Booker has conducted the statewide tour for 13 years, using it to meet with local officials, businesses and community organizations and highlight federal investments and legislative priorities.
$1 million for AtlantiCare
In Atlantic City, Booker toured the AtlantiCare Trauma Center and its helipad and presented the health system with a ceremonial check marking a $1 million fiscal year 2026 Congressionally Directed Spending award he helped secure.
According to Booker's office, the money is intended to strengthen AtlantiCare's emergency response capabilities.
Booker met with hospital leadership and frontline employees during the visit.
The senator also spent time in the Orange Loop, where he met with business owners and entrepreneurs for a roundtable discussion and driving tour.
The neighborhood, centered around Tennessee and New York avenues near the Boardwalk, is located within an Opportunity Zone.
Booker's office said the visit was intended to highlight economic development and small-business investment in historically underserved communities. Booker was one of the original Senate sponsors of the bipartisan legislation that created the federal Opportunity Zones program.
$30 million for new Cape May-Lewes Ferry
Booker's Cape May County stop involved an even larger federal investment.
The senator toured the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal and its three-vessel fleet while highlighting a $30 million Federal Transit Administration award for the Delaware River and Bay Authority to purchase a new diesel-hybrid ferry.
The latest grant follows another $20 million federal award secured in 2024, bringing the two awards highlighted by Booker's office to $50 million toward the ferry modernization effort.
The Cape May-Lewes Ferry has connected Cape May County with Lewes, Delaware, for more than six decades.
DRBA Executive Director Joel Coppadge said replacing and modernizing the fleet is important not only for transportation but also for the region's tourism economy.
“For over 60 years, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry has been a vital crossing connecting New Jersey and Delaware, which is a significant contributor to our regional economy,” Coppadge said.
“This grant award is critical toward our efforts to modernize our fleet with cleaner, more efficient hybrid technology for the next generation,” he added.
According to Coppadge, the ferry supports more than $250 million in annual tourism and economic activity in the region.
“Beyond the environmental benefits, this investment safeguards an essential engine that drives more than $250 million in annual tourism and economic activity to the region,” Coppadge said. “We are incredibly thankful for Senator Booker's dedicated advocacy on behalf of the DRBA and the thousands of travelers who depend on our crossing every day.”
The federal funding comes as the DRBA works to modernize an aging ferry fleet with newer vessels incorporating hybrid technology.
Tour ends in South Jersey
Booker began this year's statewide tour Aug. 22 and traveled through all 21 counties over the following week. The final day included Atlantic and Cape May counties before Booker concluded the tour in Cumberland County, where he met with farmers dealing with crop losses from an April freeze.
Across the entire tour, Booker's office highlighted more than $33.5 million in federal investments, meaning the $31 million highlighted during the Atlantic and Cape May county stops accounted for the overwhelming majority of that total.
Other South Jersey stops earlier in the week included Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties, where Booker visited businesses, a food pantry, Inspira Health Network and Salem Community College.
But Friday's final leg put the focus squarely on two major investments in the shore region — improving emergency medical capabilities in Atlantic City and preparing the Cape May-Lewes Ferry for its next generation of service.
Booker's full Aug. 28 release and photos from the Atlantic and Cape May County stops
About the Author
Peter Killeen
A 25-year radio news veteran, Peter covers South Jersey for NewsTalk 1400 & 92.3 WOND radio. Known for his concise and impactful delivery, he ensures listeners and readers stay informed without unnecessary filler.
