New Jersey FIT: Future In Transportation

Lasting Investments

NJFIT is a financially responsible approach to improving lives by improving transportation. By reinvesting in existing infrastructure when possible instead of building new - a program called "Fix-It-First", NJFIT saves the community the cost and responsibility for major new construction projects. Instead, it focuses on improving the existing infrastructure.

Construction crews repair a light rail facility.

"Fixing-It-First" saves taxpayers money
It is less expensive and more efficient to maintain and repair existing assets than to build new infrastructure in undeveloped areas. Existing infrastructure is easier to manage, more affordable and less time-consuming to maintain than major investments once every 25 years.

"Fix-It-First" makes it easier for communities to manage and design their own transportation system that best achieves their goals and long-term vision.

"Fix-It-First" is also more effective at improving mobility. Widening and extending highways is not only time-consuming and expensive but it also encourages development of new auto-dependent suburbs which add traffic and congestion to the system. It is better to reduce the need for car travel than to increase it.

Studies have shown that adding roadway capacity produces new traffic. One study found that within five years of a road widening, 60 to 90 percent of the new highway capacity is filled with trips that would not have otherwise occurred. Another study determined that every 1 percent increase in lane miles generated 0.9 percent increase in traffic within five years.

The replacement of the Route 35 Victory Bridge, which spans the Raritan River and connects Perth Amboy and Sayreville in Middlesex County, is an example of the New Jersey Department of Transportation's "Fix-It-First" approach. The old bridge (left) was replaced with a new bridge (right), relieving congestion in the area, as well as accommodating pedestrians. The new bridge is high enough to accommodate marine traffic and eliminates traffic delays.

NJFIT streamlines the permitting process for "Smart Projects"
Proposed transportation projects that promote NJFIT goals can benefit from clear-cut exemptions in the Environmental Review process, saving both time and money. These projects can also benefit from various sources of state and federal money and technical assistance.

Sustainability and transportation
The concept of sustainability is that we should accommodate the needs of the present population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In the transportation field, planning for sustainability can include a variety of strategies to conserve natural resources, persuade travelers to use other modes of transportation and promote travel reduction strategies.