A public hearing on Wednesday addressed a controversial project in North Jersey to widen the New Jersey Turnpike.

The state is moving forward with construction on the Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Program.

It includes replacing the Newark Bay Bridge.

"We've seen what's happened around the nation when we don't invest in our aging infrastructure and at the New Jersey Turnpike, it's something that we take really seriously and we must address,” says Lisa Navarro, of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Critics argue it’s bad for local communities, saying more money should be put into mass transit.