New Jersey is entering the home stretch regarding its need to reauthorize the state Transportation Trust Fund. The deadline for action to breathe new revenue into the state fund for transportation projects is June 30, but little has been heard from Trenton since December, when State Senate President Donald DiFrancesco introduced a proposal for a four-year state transportation financing package (MTR #247).

DiFrancesco's bill makes some effort to grapple with highways' promotion of sprawl, but the bill did not include details on what $1 billion per year would be spent on. Anti-sprawl and pro-transit sentiment are running high in the Garden State. In Trust Fund reauthorization, NJ has a strong opportunity to fashion a transportation policy that will deliver in these areas.

To accomplish this, DiFrancesco's bill should be amended along the following lines:

• Prevent highway construction that cuts through State Plan-defined open spaces or Green Acres lands
• Prioritize highway maintenance and public transit over new road construction through a specific set of spending targets.
• Spending targets would also hike transportation aid to counties and municipalities
• Transit programs should accelerate new services that are in demand, and phase out diesel bus purchases.