NJ DOT long-term planning and budget documents released last month described the repair goals as "out of reach," while allocating $1 billion to categories associated with lane additions and bypasses between FY 2002-2004 (MTR #305). The law requires the DOT to reduce the back-log of structurally deficient bridge and pavement repair projects by half within the next five years. In FY2002, NJ DOT has assigned only $22 million from the Transportation Trust Fund towards bridge preservation projects, while over $60 million will go for new or widened highways.

In the speech to the NJ Environmental Federation's annual conference, DiFrancesco said that if elected Governor he would see that NJDOT meets the legislative mandates. In a hand-out that accompanied his presentation, DiFrancesco listed his role in inserting the popular bridge and road repair amendment into the Transportation Reauthorization Act as a prominent environmental achievement. DiFrancesco was State Senate President during the Trust Fund reauthorization. The handout describes the repair mandate as "a key provision of transportation investment that emphasizes repairs over new construction."

Appropriations Committee Hearings on the NJ DOT FY 2002 budget are scheduled for April 18th and 19th in the Senate and Assembly, respectively. Many legislators support the road repair goals and are likely to object to the DOT budget for its lack of compliance. As Acting Governor, DiFrancesco can follow through on his promise and steer the DOT clear of budget and road program confrontations during the hearings by immediately ordering a rewrite of the agency's annual budget and capital investment strategy.