P.O. Box 600
Trenton, NJ
Contact: Brendan Gill or Erin Phalon
609-530-4896

RELEASE: April 11, 2006

 

NJDOT announces proposed FY2007 Capital Program

$3.2 billion to maintain and improve transportation network

(Trenton) Governor Jon S. Corzine and Commissioner Kris Kolluri today unveiled the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT)'s proposed Fiscal Year 2007 Transportation Capital Program. The program funds $3.2 billion in NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT construction projects that will improve the quality of life for New Jersey residents by relieving congestion, improving the mass transit system, and increasing overall safety of the State transportation network.

"The Capital Program reflects my commitment to increasing the safety of our roadways, protecting our environment, and supporting the State's expanding economy," said Governor Corzine. "Through this program, New Jersey will strengthen the transportation network that is critical to our quality of life and long-term economic viability."

"The proposed Capital Program makes Governor Corzine's plan to reform, replenish and grow the Transportation Trust Fund a reality," said Kolluri. "The program will ease congestion and improve safety on state highways and reflects NJDOT's longstanding commitment to Fix-it-First and enhancing safety and mobility through operational improvements."

 

NJDOT's congestion management system estimates that between 2001 and 2015 total traffic (measured in vehicle miles traveled) will grow by 18 percent on New Jersey's interstate highways and freeways and by 15 percent on other major roads.   A comprehensive strategy to relieve congestion is needed to address not only current needs, but also anticipate and plan for future ones.   This capital plan attacks congestion through a combination of short-, intermediate-, and long-term measures designed to shorten commutes and get New Jerseyans home to their families faster.  

 

The proposed investment of $1.3 billion, or nearly one half of the overall capital plan for NJ TRANSIT means a commitment to making public transportation a first option instead of a last resort.   This capital plan will provide for 15 major rail station improvements, hundreds of new rail cars, and convenient new services for commuters.   At NJDOT, innovative thinking, smart planning, and a long-standing commitment to Fix-it-First equal effective solutions to congestion hot-spots without resorting to cost-prohibitive widening projects.   NJDOT's Congestion Relief Plan includes:   125 bottleneck relief projects in planning, design or construction; a $150 million resurfacing initiative to improve traffic flow; over 4,500 new parking spots for commuters; roughly $20 million in bicycle and pedestrian transportation enhancements; expanded Emergency Service Patrols to assist motorists and help clear traffic disruptions; a new traffic signal upgrade initiative. T his plan funds preliminary design on the Route 295/42/I-76 Direct Connection in Camden County, a Hyperbuild project that will dramatically improve traffic in the region. In addition, operational improvements will result from the elimination of the Berlin Circle on Routes 30 and 73 in Berlin and the Collingswood Circle on Routes 30 and 130 in Colllingswood.  

 

The proposed program would be funded with $1.6 billion in state funding and $1.6 billion in federal funding. The state-funded portion of the annual capital program has been increased to $1.6 billion from $1.2 in Fiscal Year 2006 as a result of Governor Corzine's plan to reform, replenish and grow the Transportation Trust Fund.   This capital plan also complies with strict guidelines for capital expenditures such as freezing at four percent the level of TTF funds used for capital maintenance projects and highway capacity expansions.

 

"This program enables us to maintain safe and reliable transit service, with substantial improvements in equipment, stations and parking that benefit today's customers,' said George D. Warrington, Executive Director of NJ TRANSIT.   "It also provides funding to move aggressively on critical capacity projects that are needed to meet forecasted demand growth, such as THE Tunnel."

 

Approximately $1.9 billion of the capital program is for use by the NJDOT, and $1.3 billion by NJ TRANSIT. The program was presented to the Legislature on April 3.

 

The Capital Program invests heavily in repairs to local roads with $413 million in direct local aid to towns and counties for roadway improvements.   Local Aid dollars will provide significant property tax relief to New Jersey counties and municipalities by funding roadwork that would otherwise be paid for with local property tax dollars.

 

As part of NJDOT's longstanding commitment to Fix-it-First, $150 million will be devoted to resurfacing roads. In addition, $525.4 million is being invested in improvements to the state's aging highway bridges. This investment includes large scale projects such as the replacement of the Route 52 Causeway connecting Somers Point and Ocean City, one of the largest bridge projects in state history. The Fiscal Year 2007 capital plan funds work on a total of 70 bridges, such the replacement of the Route 56 Maurice River Bridge, which connects Pittsgrove, Salem County and Vineland, Cumberland County.

 

NJDOT will continue its effort to improve safety on our highways. Every dollar spent is an investment in safety, and every project in NJDOT's proposed capital plan includes safety enhancements.   In addition to the safety fixes included in individual projects, this plan funds key safety initiatives, including: $7 million for the next 25 miles of median barriers in NJDOT's Median Cross-Over Prevention Program, which prevents deadly cross-over accidents; $2.5 million for the Safe Corridors initiative for improvements in high-accident corridors; $1 million for the Intersection Improvement Program, which targets dangerous intersections for safety improvements; $5 million in safety repairs to all 25 movable bridges statewide; and, a $1 million program to improve safety on Route 29 in Mercer County.

 

NJ TRANSIT will continue to invest $ 467 million in transit infrastructure to maintain the State's rail, bus and light rail systems in a state of good repair.   The program provides $467 million to address core needs such as track replacement, bridge and tunnel inspections, and rail bridge improvement projects such as the rehabilitation of the Newark Drawbridge, which is more than 100 years old, and the replacement of the Raritan Valley Line bridges.

 

Funding is provided for engineering work to replace rolling stock including 148 NJ TRANSIT Comet III and IV rail cars, 230 Arrow III rail cars and 42 over-aged diesel locomotives.

 

NJ TRANSIT will invest $35 million in rail station improvements at stations including Metropark and South Amboy; construction will also be completed at the Trenton, Newark Broad Street and Red Bank stations.

 

The Fiscal Year 2007 capital plan invests in park-and-ride facilities that will create over 4,500 new parking spaces for commuters, including 1,100 at Route 23, Wayne Park and Ride; 700 spaces at Edison Station; 600 spaces at South Amboy Parking Deck; 1,900 spaces at Hamilton Station and 50 spaces at Mount Arlington Station.

 

NJ TRANSIT will move forward on critical initiatives to meet growth and travel demands over the next decade including the new Trans-Hudson Express (THE) passenger rail tunnel, Northern Branch service, Bergen-Passaic service, light-rail extensions to Bayonne and west to the Meadowlands, the Lackawanna Cutoff project, River Line signal improvements to extend service hours and the PATCO extension.   In addition, NJ TRANSIT will expand its parking capacity and investment in technology to improve business practices and efficiency.

 

The entire Proposed Fiscal Year 2007 Capital Program is available on NJDOT's web site and is organized by project, county and route.