Transportation projects to begin shutdown by July 8 due to lack of funds

The state has announced which state-funded Department of Transportation and New Jersey Transit projects will need to be stopped due to a lack of money in the state's transportation trust fund. Acting

News 12 Staff

Jul 7, 2016, 3:41 AM

Updated 3,114 days ago

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The state has announced which state-funded Department of Transportation and New Jersey Transit projects will need to be stopped due to a lack of money in the state's transportation trust fund.
Acting Governor Kim Guadagno announced Wednesday that the DOT and NJ Transit completed their list of projects that would begin an orderly shutdown on July 8 under Gov. Chris Christie's executive order issued on June 30. That order was issued after state lawmakers failed to come up with a plan that replenish the fund before the deadline ran out.
Officials say that the work stoppage is to ensure that the funds that remain in the trust fund can be used for emergency projects.
Lawmakers had considered a plan that would have raised the state's gas tax by 23 cents, while also decreasing sales tax by 1 percent. The plan was approved by the state Assembly and endorsed by Gov. Christie, but the Senate would not vote on it. State senators said that the decrease in sales tax would have left the state with a budget deficit.
The projects compiled by the DOT and NJ Transit will have to stop by 11:59 p.m. on July 8 for a period of at least seven days. 
Guadagno says that the agencies should use the time during the stoppage "to assess and prioritize the list of projects to obtain the greatest effect out of the remaining TTF funds."