Gov. Chris Christie Thursday proposed spending $3.5 billion in highway and mass transit improvements in fiscal year 2011-12, an allocation that would represent the first year of a five-year Transportation Capital Plan. The governor sees the plan as helping to put New Jersey on the path toward fiscal health by prioritizing projects, decreasing borrowing and increasing pay-as-you-go cash funding. The plan outlines spending priorities totaling $2.3 billion for the state Department of Transportation and nearly $1.2 billion for NJ Transit. “Renewing New Jersey isn’t just a slogan, it’s the product of cohesive policies that attract businesses, create new jobs and control taxes,” Christie said. “The significant investments in our roads, our bridges and our public transportation system contained in this capital program help us move toward our shared goal of rebuilding and renewing the great state of New Jersey.” “This capital program balances the reality of limited resources with the twin imperatives of promoting public safety and maintaining our assets in a state of good repair,” Transportation Commissioner James Simpson added. “Every investment to improve a road or bridge or railroad today helps us avoid far more costly repairs tomorrow.” “Governor Christie’s support for our capital program will allow NJ Transit to serve nearly one million daily trips safely and reliably while modernizing our equipment and technology to enhance the customer experience,” NJ Transit Director James Weinstein said. Read the rest of this entry »

The new transportation budget proposes spending about $850 million on state and local bridges, up from $714 million in the current budget. Road repaving and reconstruction projects would get $284 million, up from $191 million. Local aid for roads and transit would remain at $420 million, including federal funding. The transportation budget was submitted to the Legislature, which will act on it as part of its consideration of the overall state budget. "This capital program balances the reality of limited resources with the twin imperatives of promoting public safety and maintaining our assets in a state of good repair," Simpson said in a statement. "Every investment to improve a road or bridge or railroad today helps us avoid far more costly repairs tomorrow." "This capital program balances the reality of limited resources with the twin imperatives of promoting public safety and maintaining our assets in a state of good repair," Simpson said in a statement. "Every investment to improve a road or bridge or railroad today helps us avoid far more costly repairs tomorrow." Read the rest of this entry »

On May 11, 2011, NJ SEED will release its 2011 Congressional Briefing Book at the 24th Annual Congressional Briefing.   This book is best described as a “road map to economic development” for New Jersey and features an array of federal issues that impact our ability to grow jobs, bolster the economy and enhance the environment in the Garden State.  NJ SEED policy areas of focus include transportation, economic development, environment, and energy.  We urge our members to consider contributing to the newest edition of the Congressional Briefing Book, today!

Materials should be submitted as a Word document and emailed to info@njseed.org. Submissions must be in narrative form and should include background on the issue, why it is important to business and labor interests, current status, and the action you want NJ SEED to take (e.g., “NJ SEED urges the New Jersey Legislature to support S-1234″). Past briefing books can be found at www.njseed.org. Submission does not guarantee inclusion in the Briefing Book. All submissions and updates will be reviewed by the appropriate NJ SEED Issues Policy Committees, and the Executive Committee will have final approval. 

Submissions are due by April 8, 2011!

"It is good news for the port. We're encouraged and optimistic about the future," said Joseph Curto, president of the New York Shipping Association, which represents stevedores and related port businesses. These numbers basically bring us back up to 2007 levels. But it's good news because 2007 was probably the greatest year that the port ever had..." Read the rest of this entry »