In New Jersey, Governor Whitman included pedestrian safety and road and bridge repair as "cornerstones" of the Administration's transportation plan. Funding for infrastructure maintenance is up 28% over last year. $30 million will go to repair aging bridges and $35 million is devote to highway repair. $5 million is set aside for pedestrian safety pilot projects at five of the state's most dangerous intersections (see MTR #202).

Overall, Whitman's budget proposed an extra $200 million ($900 million total) for road and rail capital projects, an increase designed to tide the state over until a new long-term transportation funding program is enacted. The bridges and roads slated for repair will become known when DOT issues its construction project list March 1st.

The budget Governor Pataki proposed for NYS DOT was stronger on alternatives to highways and also had a promising emphasis on road repair. It called for:

• Reduction of the general highway budget by about $200 million. NYSDOT's budget for road projects for the fiscal year would be about $1.5 billion.
• $185 million, mostly federal funds, for the Empire Corridor rail passenger upgrade program the Governor announced with Amtrak last fall (see MTR #191).
• A new $85 million rail freight program ($52 million federal, $33 million state).
• A new $200 million program to fix and maintain local bridges.

Transit Service Issues Unaddressed

The budgets were more disappointing for public transit. NJ sets aside money to start up the Newark light-rail connection between the Broad Street and Pennsylvania stations. But it also cuts operating aid to NJ Transit by $45.2 million, a 23% cut from last year. The Governor claimed that the cut would be met by cost savings and increased farebox revenues from higher ridership.

A look at NJ Transit's proposed operating budget shows the agency intends to spend about 1% less than last year, but it contains a $10 million increase for bus and rail operations and aims cuts at "corporate costs." Still, commuters in standing-room-only trains or bus riders facing long waits could probably come up with at least $45.2 million worth of ideas for improving NJ Transit service. NJ Transit appears to be being punished for good performance, and its riders neglected for making the smart choice to commute by transit. Ridership is at record levels and is increasing every year.

In New York, Governor Pataki announced no NYC subway or bus service increases beyond what he announced as an "historic" service hike in December. But analysis by the Straphangers Campaign after that announcement showed that the Governor's plan contained only modest increases on top of small service upgrades NYC Transit had announced earlier in the fall. No relief for subway sardines.