Last week, former Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Bob Franks released a transportation agenda and sparred over transportation issues in a televised debate with his rival in this month’s Republican primary, Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler.

In the debate and the agenda paper, Franks committed himself to removing the barrier toll booths from the Garden State Parkway within 90 days of becoming Governor, either through eliminating tolls or by replacing the current system with technology to read E-ZPass tags at normal highway speeds.In the debate, he suggested that toll elimination may “not be possible” and was enthusiastic about high-speed toll collection.He said in a recently faxed update, “I am committed to working with state officials to eliminate the Parkway’s barrier tolls in an effective and cost-efficient manner.”

Other positions in his policy paper are:

· Full funding for the Transportation Trust Fund.Franks promised he would not allow the diversion of transportation funds. The budget crafted by Acting Governor DiFrancesco currently siphons off $90 million from the Transportation Trust Fund for the general fund.

· Expanded parking lots and jitney services at commuter rail stations.

· More bi-level train cars for NJTransit.

· Trans-Hudson rail tunnel as a top construction priority

· Support for new commuter rail service on the West Trenton Line, the Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex line, and the Lackawanna Cut-off.

· Modernize and improve bus fleets and expand routes.

· Expand cross-Hudson ferry service.

· Appointment of a commission to resolve congestion on Route 55 in the NJ Pinelands.

· Support for deep channel dredging at the NY/NJ port.

· Replace motor vehicle tailpipe testing with an on-board diagnostic test.

McGreevey, Franks on Anti-Toll Bandwagon - May 14, 2001

NJ Senate Candidates: Transportation Goals Seem Similar - November 6, 2000

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