NJDOT/NJ TRANSIT
Capital Program

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and NJ TRANSIT prepare a Transportation Capital Program annually which includes a list of all projects that can be funded from the State's Transportation Trust Fund (TTF). The plan is to be submitted to the Legislature each year on March 1 for review and approval. The Legislature makes any necessary changes and provides its final decisions in the Appropriation Act which takes effect July 1 each year.

NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT must also prepare a State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) each year for approval by the three Federal Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) that cover the State of New Jersey. The STIP provides a list of all federal and state funded projects planned for the next three FYs within expected Federal and State resource levels.  The MPOs must specifically approve projects programmed for Federal funds in order for the projects to be authorized for advancement by the Federal Highway Administration.

The annual capital program appropriations to the Transportation Trust Fund (e.g. $2 billion in FY 2025) are separate and distinct from the annual revenue appropriations to the Authority (e.g., motor fuels tax, PPGRT, sales tax, etc) which provide debt service and pay-as-you-go funding. The capital program appropriations to the TTF serve as spending authorization enabling NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT to issue contracts and purchase orders for projects.  The Authority then pays for actual expenditures, funded through bond proceeds and any remaining revenue appropriations.

A review of appropriations for the Transportation Capital Program shows how funds have been allocated between NJDOT, NJ TRANSIT, and Local Aid since 1985.

Transportation Capital Program
State/TTF Appropriations

• FY 2012 through FY 2016 included $1.8 billion from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) primarily to reconstruct the Lincoln Tunnel Access Project (i.e. Pulaski Skyway and Wittpenn Bridge).

• FY 2017 included a supplemental appropriation of $400 million.

• FY 2019 included a supplemental appropriation of $50 million to NJ Transit for eligible Preventative Maintenance, Capital Maintenance, and Capital Program Implementation costs.

• FY 2021 adjusted appropriation included an additional $600 million for the advancement of transportation projects statewide.

• The 2024 Reauthorization authorizes a total of $10.367 billion in appropriations for five years: $2 billion for FY 2025; $2 billion for FY 2026; $2.060 billion for FY 2027; $2.122 billion for FY 2028; and $2.185 billion for FY 2029.  The increases in FY 2027, FY 2028, and FY 2029 ($60 million, $122 million, and $185 million, respectively) are to be allocated at 25% each for: county aid, municipal aid, NJDOT, and NJ Transit.