A New Jersey senator feels it is time for the state to take a serious look at leasing the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway to a private company.
Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-20th District) plans to introduce a bill Monday that will ask the state treasurer to see who would want to lease the roadways. Lesniak says a lease could make the state $10 billion to $15 billion over 75 years.
Under Lesniak?s bill, the winner of a bidding process for the roadways would have several conditions to keep. State police would still continue patrolling the roads and Homeland Security would also be given full access as needed. Lesniak adds that the company would be limited on any yearly toll increases.