Gov. Phil Murphy was in Long Branch on Wednesday to unveil a plan to use $425 million in federal highway funds to improve mass transit in New Jersey – including fighting the impacts of climate change.

The federal money is normally only for highways, but the governor says his administration was granted flexibility on using the funds from Federal Highway Administration officials.

Murphy says that more than $300 million of the funds will go to New Jersey Transit.

“It is pretty unusual to use highway funds for these kinds of projects. That in and of itself is a big deal. It speaks to the high level of trust that the Federal Highway Administration has in us, and in our ability to use those funds wisely,” the governor said.

Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone says that he has also secured funding for a new pedestrian bridge at the Long Branch train station.