Uneven surfaces, potholes, cracks and patched-up pavement make the drive along East Clinton Avenue in Bergenfield feel like a rocky amusement ride. But relief is coming.

The state on Monday announced that Bergenfield is one of 29 municipalities in New Jersey slated to receive a Local Aid Infrastructure grant. In Bergen County, Alpine and Bergenfield each received $300,000.

Borough Administrator Rick McGarrill, who often hears complaints about the condition of East Clinton, is grateful for the money.

“It’s not a county road, which means we don’t get county funds to do it,” he said.

McGarrill said the money will allow the town to stretch its own dollars. “We had some additional money that if the grant did not come through, we would pay for it all ourselves,” he said, “but it would mean other roads in town didn’t get done.”

He estimated that bids for repairing the road — which includes sewer upgrades, milling and paving as well as the construction of ramps for the handicapped — would come in at around $500,000.

Alpine‘s grant will be used to resurface Anderson Avenue, according to the governor’s office.

The state also announced $2 million in grants for the Safe Corridor program, which covers stretches of 14 roadways where there is a heightened focus on reducing crashes.

In Passaic County, money will go to Totowa, Wayne and Woodland Park. Route 46, which is part of the Safe Corridor program, runs through the towns. No Bergen towns received money.

The state said it relied on crash data to determine how to distribute the Safe Corridor grants, targeting roads with the highest volume, frequency and severity of crashes.

The U.S. Department of Transportation also announced Monday that money it had designated for upgrades to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor in May is safe.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement that $450 million will indeed be going to upgrade the Northeast Corridor between Trenton and New York.

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson, applauded the news, saying that an attempt by Republicans in the House of Representatives to divert the money to flood relief in other states had put the Amtrak project at risk.

The improvements include upgrades to the electrical system and tracks that would allow for an increase in speeds on Acela trains from 135 mph to 160 mph by 2017.

E-mail: rouse@northjersey.com