NJ Transit receives fiscal year 2022 authorization to secure capital funding
Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
Federal funding continues to support transit systems as they deal with impact of Covid-19.
NJ Transit
The NJ Transit Board of Directors recently adopted the 2021 update to A Five-Year Capital Plan along with the Fiscal Year 2022 authorization to secure funding. A Five-Year Capital Plan is an unconstrained vision of projects to demonstrate opportunities for safety, service, reliability, resiliency, sustainability and other improvements critical to NJ Transit.
“The Capital Plan is a comprehensive roadmap to building the next generation transportation system in New Jersey while maintaining current services,” said NJDOT Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. “It is critical that we make these investments in our infrastructure to power the future of sustainable transportation and deliver the world-class service that our customers expect and deserve.”
“The Capital Plan is critical to not only maintaining the services we provide but also looking at what our demands will be down the road and making sure we are prepared,” said NJ Transit Board Vice-Chair Cedrick Fulton. “The benefits of these investments will be felt for years to come as we continue building a stronger and more resilient transit system to lead our recovery from the pandemic.”
“The Capital Plan update approved by our Board this evening represents another significant step forward for NJ Transit customers and the entire state of New Jersey,” said NJ Transit President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “NJ Transit will build on the momentum of the last year to continue advancing projects that are transforming our system for our customers. In addition to the benefits to safety, reliability and the customer experience, the many advancing projects in our Capital Plan will be integral to the State’s economic recovery as we come out of the pandemic.”
The Capital Plan funds continue state-of-good-repair investments in transit stations and infrastructure, new and upgraded infrastructure, investments in the Northeast Corridor, fare modernization, safety initiatives, bus and rail car purchases.
The Capital Program continues to prioritize investments in infrastructure to maintain an overall state-of-good repair, enhance reliability, safety, and resiliency as well as improve the overall customer experience on the system.
A Five-Year Capital Plan contains two sets of projects – the first set includes projects already funded by existing or expected resources. The second set identifies proposed projects for which funding has yet to be identified but vital to NJ Transit’s service delivery.
NJ Transit continues to aggressively advance its zero-emissions bus program with the release of its plan to meet a 100% zero-emission bus fleet by 2040 earlier this year. The plan is highlighted by several key efforts including the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) from qualified consulting firms for the Bus Garage Modernization Program and the grant award for $5.15 million in federal funding to acquire up to four additional battery electric buses to be used in the Newark region. NJ Transit also remains on track to award a contract for the purchase of eight electric buses in Camden by the end of this year.
Two notable milestones were reached in FY 2021. NJ Transit achieved certification of its Positive Train Control (PTC) system by the Federal Railroad Administration ahead of the federally mandated December 31, 2021 deadline. NJ Transit also executed a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) in the amount of $766.5 million with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to fund a critical $1.897 billion mega-project to build a new, fixed, two-track railroad bridge across the Hackensack River.
Capital construction activity continues at a brisk pace with two major construction projects: The Long Slip Fill and Rail Enhancement Project (total project cost $195 million) and the Raritan River Bridge Replacement project (total cost $595 million). Other major active construction projects underway include the Elizabeth Station project (total cost $71 million), the Lyndhurst Station project (total cost $31.6 million), the Market Street Bus Garage (total cost $27 million) and the Bus Operations Control Center (total cost $18 million). Other rehabilitation projects – Perth Amboy Station Improvements (total cost $47 million), Lackawanna Cut-off (total cost $62 million), and Hoboken Yard Signal/Wayside Power Repair (total cost $93.9 million) are scheduled for award during this current fiscal year.
