ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, No. 1403

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MARCH 4, 1996

      The Assembly Transportation and Communications Committee favorably reports an Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill No. 1403.

      This substitute bill authorizes the Commissioner of Transportation to allocate and transfer monies from a part or all of any item or items from funds authorized by the Legislature to be appropriated from the revenues and other funds of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority for the FY 1995 and the FY 1996 transportation capital construction programs for extraordinary road maintenance and repairs. The substitute bill authorizes the commissioner to transfer $15 million for extraordinary road maintenance and repairs on the State highway system, $4 million for grants to counties for county road repairs and $6 million for grants to municipalities for municipal road repairs.

      Grants to counties and municipalities would be allocated based on a formula to be developed by the commissioner which gives equal consideration to population, local jurisdiction road mileage, and winter weather conditions.

      Due to the severity and frequency of winter storms beginning in December of 1995, along with the dramatic temperature changes, many roads throughout the State have developed potholes and other damage requiring repair. This extraordinary damage was not anticipated, and therefore not budgeted for. This substitute bill would provide funds to make these necessary repairs.

      As introduced, Assembly Bill No. 1403 would have provided $7 million from the general fund to counties and municipalities for extraordinary winter storm operations. The substitute bill provides $10 million from the Transportation Trust Fund for grants to counties and municipalities, as well as $15 million for the State highway system, for extraordinary road maintenance and repairs and authorizes the funding of the road repair program recently announced by the Department of Transportation.

      As released by the committee, this substitute bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 866 of 1996.