NJ Transit

Climbing out of a deep hole

It’s going to take a while for New Jersey Transit to dig itself out of the oversize trench that oversize-ego, oversize-mouthed “Bridgegate” Chris Christie gleefully dug for it during his eight interminably long, interminably loud and intrinsically corrupt years as governor of the Garden State. Meanwhile, NJT customers are enduring the effects of Christie’s transportation starvation diet—a locomotive engineer shortage, cancelled commuter trains, and a PTC implementation program that’s behind schedule.

NJT sets FY2019 ops, capex spend

New Jersey Transit, the nation’s third-largest public transportation agency, on Aug. 8 adopted a Fiscal Year 2019 budget consisting of $2.32 billion in operating expenditures and a $1.46 billion capital program. The budget, which NJT stressed does not include any fare increases, “supports continued investments in personnel, infrastructure and equipment to maintain the system in a state-of-good-repair and enhance the overall customer experience.”

NJT: $600MM for Portal North Bridge

New Jersey Transit’s Board of Directors on June 13 approved a financing agreement with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) that provides up to $600 million toward the construction of the first phase of a new Portal Bridge, a key component of the ambitious Gateway Project to improve passenger rail service between New York City and New Jersey. The funding commitment “solidifies New Jersey’s local share of the project cost,” NJT said.

Silverman to expand Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell rail practice

Suzanne Silverman has joined the New York City office of Denver-based Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell LLP as a partner. She will be part of the firm’s Rail, Transit, Highways, and Infrastructure practice group, working with Adam Giuliano, an attorney involved in leading the KK&R’s public-private partnership (P3) and alternative project delivery practice group.

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