Fund NJ Transit campaign unveils new digital billboard off Route 29 in Trenton that underscores the stakes for commuters who rely on the state’s ailing and underfunded bus and rail networks
Trenton, NJ — Amid a looming $1 billion fiscal cliff for NJ Transit that threatens to disrupt service for tens of millions of riders, the Fund NJ Transit campaign has ramped up its call for transformative investments to support the ailing agency including identifying a dedicated source of ongoing funding. The coalition includes advocates and businesses across the spectrum including Regional Plan Association, New Jersey Future, NJ League of Conservation Voters, New Jersey Policy Perspective, Make the Road New Jersey, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, NJ Urban Mayors Association, Via Transportation, Clean Water Action, and Environment New Jersey, among others.
As part of its efforts, ‘Fund NJ Transit’ today unveiled a new digital billboard overlooking Route 29 outside of Trenton, directly targeting the state legislature and Governor Murphy. Advocates are aiming to call attention to the worsening fiscal cliff and the transit system’s significant impact on the regional economy. NJ Transit is facing the threat of service cuts and significant fare hikes for commuters.
“The time to fully and consistently fund NJ Transit is long overdue and we need the State to take immediate action,” said Zoe Baldwin, New Jersey Director, Regional Plan Association. “NJ Transit is vitally important to the state’s – and the region’s – economy, environment, and quality of life.”
Unlike other transit systems around the country, NJ Transit does not currently have a dedicated source of consistent funding. The New Jersey state legislature and Governor Murphy will need to identify a dedicated source of funding to ensure the system is able to operate at full capacity and serve the hundreds of thousands of daily riders who depend on it.
Supporting NJ Transit ensures that transit-dependent riders can access jobs, school, and healthcare, which in turn supports the broader regional economy. A recent RPA study found that commutership from New Jersey grew three times as fast as the rest of the tri-state region, increasing 62% since 1990, and generating a local economic windfall of 310,000 jobs and $30 billion from worker spending in 2022. Furthermore, reliance on public transportation is crucial as we work to combat congestion and curb carbon emissions amid the worsening impacts of climate change on New Jersey’s coastal region in particular.
“I ride the bus almost every day. I take the bus to work, to doctor’s appointments, to visit my family. Since the pandemic, wait times have gotten longer and longer: often 30 minutes, sometimes 1 hour. Last week, I missed an appointment with a specialist that took more than 2 months to schedule because the bus was late. We’re not talking about upholstering ripped seats; we’re talking about health equity and access, getting to work on time or losing your job. Governor Murphy, stand with working families of color: we cannot afford any more service cuts or rate increases. We need a dedicated revenue source to fully fund NJ Transit now,” said Avelino Nazario, Make the Road New Jersey member and Passaic resident
“Transforming NJ Transit is not a luxury; it’s necessary for an affordable state where people can get to work safely and on time,” said Chris Sturm, Policy Director for Land Use at New Jersey Future. “A dedicated funding stream for transit isn’t just about trains and buses; it’s about access to opportunities, healthcare facilities, and commercial activities for New Jerseyans of any age or ability. Let’s invest in progress, efficiency, and a New Jersey where transit riders can look forward to a greener, less congested, and more enjoyable journey every day.”
“The time is now to stop the budget gimmicks and identify a dedicated source of funding for NJ Transit. By expanding public transit capacity, we’ll be able to reduce traffic by bringing cars off the road, reduce air pollution, and improve public health,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey LCV. “As COVID-19 has changed patterns of how people work and where they live, it’s even more essential than ever that we provide robust public transit options to attract businesses and families to our state. It’s never easy to find a dedicated, permanent funding source for any government program. But it’s essential we do so now for NJ Transit.”
“All funding options need to be on the table for NJ Transit, but flat funding or simply socking straphangers with a fare hike won’t make a dent in the fiscal cliff. And NJ Transit has learned what happens when you provide historic fare hikes and service cuts. Transit ridership goes down. This happened during the Christie years, when a nearly 10% fare hike only closed a funding gap of roughly $60 million in 2015. It happened during the Kean Administration, where high fare hikes drove away ridership. But transit has never seen such a massive fiscal gap – that’s why this is the moment to provide dedicated funding to NJ Transit,” said Doug O’Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey. “You can’t cut your way out of a nearly billion dollar budget gap. If Gov. Murphy and the Legislature want to avoid the transit death spiral, now is the time to increase state funding to close the gap and propose dedicated transit funding.”
“Fully funding NJ Transit is the best investment we can make to promote mobility and strengthen the state’s economy,” said Alex Ambrose, Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective. “Safe, reliable, and frequent public transportation reduces traffic, improves air quality, and expands access to good-paying jobs across the region. Lawmakers have to address this funding crisis now before working class families suffer from service cuts and fare hikes.”
“The evidence is clear: public transit is key to advancing sustainability, economic growth, and equity.” said Aparna Paladugu, Director of Policy and Government Affairs at Via Transportation. “To respond to changes in travel patterns and make needed investments in the mobility infrastructure of the future, we urge Governor Murphy and the legislature to fully fund New Jersey Transit.”
“The governor and legislature must immediately fix NJ Transit’s structural deficit period but especially with the fiscal cliff looming next year. It’s essential to cleaning up our air, reducing traffic, and making it easier for New Jerseyans to work and play,” said Amy Goldsmith, NJ State Director, Clean Water Action.
“Dedicated funding for NJ Transit is essential. We call on Governor Murphy and the NJ legislature to get on board,” said Felicia Park-Rogers, Director of Regional Infrastructure Projects at Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “Reliable, frequent, and safe mass transit is critical public infrastructure just like fire departments and water infrastructure. New Jersey’s route forward to a better economy and a resilient climate future requires a robust mass transit system.”
About Regional Plan Association
Regional Plan Association (RPA) is an independent non-profit organization that conducts research, planning, and advocacy to expand economic opportunity, environmental resiliency, improved health, and better quality of life in the New York metropolitan area. Since the 1920s, RPA has produced four landmark plans for the region. The most recent was released in November 2017. For more information, please visit www.rpa.org.
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