In a letter to Governor Donald DiFrancesco and NJ Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein, three Democratic members of New Jersey’s Congressional delegation called last week on NJ DOT to comply with bridge and road preservation spending goals set in last year’s Transportation Trust Fund law.

Representatives Bill Pascrell (8th District), Robert Menendez (13th), and Steven Rothman (9th) wrote that they were concerned “with the NJDOT not placing the goal of fixing our structurally deficient bridges and road pavement surfaces at a much higher priority than it is now. We would like to see significant funds added to these categories in NJ DOT's annual spending program.”

Remarking that new federal omnibus transportation legislation will be debated in 2003, the Congressmen noted, “In Congress, we lobby for more federal funds. However, we want to ensure that New Jersey also devotes appropriate state sums to fixing these bridges.” All three hold positions that give them direct influence over federal transportation grants. Pascrell and Menendez are members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, while Rothman is on the Appropriations Committee.

The letter concludes, “The renewal of the State Transportation Trust Fund last year included a clear five-year ‘fix-it-first’ mandate. We request that NJDOT commit to follow this legislative language.”

Fix-It-First - October 11, 1996

Potholes and Politics - November 6, 1998

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