The State Plan's legacy in this respect has been weak so far. Governor Whitman has commanded state agencies to account for State Plan priorities in their spending decisions, but NJ DOT makes Plan conformance only a small factor in its capital programming decisions. Because state agencies are the only entities legally bound to the Plan, it is crucial that their investments set the tone for Plan implementation throughout New Jersey.

The Tri-State Campaign sought changes to policies on bypasses, freight movement, and road access management (see MTR #206). As a result, the committee devoted forty-five minutes to language that recognized bypasses' potential to fuel sprawl, but in the end came up with status quo language endorsing bypass construction. Commission Chairman Joseph Maraziti also sought to deemphasize the Plan's discussion of trucks and introduced new language supporting state-funded freight rail capital improvements.

An earlier deletion of transit projects as a priority state investment was also contested - a subcommittee of the planning commission is considering public transit priorities for potential adoption next month.