ASSEMBLY, No. 2740

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 27, 1997

By Assemblymen WOLFE and HOLZAPFEL

An Act concerning transportation and amending P.L.1984, c.73.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Section 3 of P.L.1984, c.73 (C.27:1B-3) is amended to read as follows:

    3. The following words or terms as used in this act shall have the following meaning unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:

    a. "Act" means this New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act of 1984.

    b. "Authority" means the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority created by section 4 of this act.

    c. "Bonds" means bonds issued by the authority pursuant to the act.

    d. "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Transportation.

    e. "Department" means the Department of Transportation.

    f. "Federal aid highway" means any highway within the State in connection with which the State receives payment or reimbursement from the federal government under the terms of Title 23, United States Code or any amendment, successor, or replacement thereof, for the purposes contained in the act.

    g. "Federal government" means the United States of America, and any officer, department, board, commission, bureau, division, corporation, agency or instrumentality thereof.

    h. "South Jersey Transportation Authority" means the public corporation created by section 4 of P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-4) or its successor.

    i. "New Jersey Highway Authority" means the public corporation created by section 4 of P.L.1952, c.16 (C.27:12B-4) or its successor.     j. "New Jersey Turnpike Authority" means the public corporation created by section 3 of P.L.1948, c.454 (C.27:23-3) or its successor.     k. "Notes" means the notes issued by the authority pursuant to the act.

    l. "Public highways" means public roads, streets, expressways, freeways, parkways, motorways and boulevards, including bridges, tunnels, overpasses, underpasses, interchanges, rest areas, express bus roadways, bus pullouts and turnarounds, park-ride facilities, traffic circles, grade separations, traffic control devices, the elimination or improvement of crossings of railroads and highways, whether at grade or not at grade, and any facilities, equipment, property, rights of way, easements and interests therein needed for the construction, improvement and maintenance of highways.

    m. "Public transportation project" means, in connection with public transportation service, passenger stations, shelters and terminals, automobile parking facilities, ramps, track connections, signal systems, power systems, information and communication systems, roadbeds, transit lanes or rights of way, equipment storage and servicing facilities, bridges, grade crossings, rail cars, locomotives, motorbuses and other motor vehicles, maintenance and garage facilities, revenue handling equipment and any other equipment, facility or property useful for or related to the provision of public transportation service.        n. "State agency" means any officers, department, board, commission, bureau, division, agency or instrumentality of the State.               o. "Toll road authorities" means and includes the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the New Jersey Highway Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

    p. "Transportation project" means, in addition to public highways and public transportation projects, any equipment, facility or property useful or related to the provision of any ground, waterborne or air transportation for the movement of people and goods.

    q. "Transportation system" means public highways, public transportation projects, other transportation projects, and all other methods of transportation for the movement of people and goods.

    r. "Maintenance" means, in relation to public transportation projects, direct costs of work necessary for preserving or maintaining the useful life of public transportation projects, provided the work performed is associated with the acquisition, installation and rehabilitation of components which are not included in the normal operating maintenance of equipment and facilities or replaced on a scheduled basis. The work shall ensure the useful life of the project for not less than four years and shall not include routine maintenance or inspection of equipment and facilities that is conducted on a scheduled basis. This definition shall not apply to the term "maintenance" as used in subsection l. of this section.

    s. "Circle of Mobility" means an essential group of related transit projects that include (1) the New Jersey Urban Core Project, as defined in section 3031 of the "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991," Pub.L.102-240, and consisting of the following elements: Secaucus Transfer, Kearny Connection, Waterfront Connection, Northeast Corridor Signal System, Hudson River Waterfront Transportation System, Newark-Newark International Airport-Elizabeth Transit Link, a rail connection between Penn Station Newark and Broad Street Station, Newark, New York Penn Station Concourse, and the equipment needed to operate revenue service associated with improvements made by the project, and (2) the modification and reconstruction of the West Shore Line in Bergen County connected to Allied Junction/Secaucus Transfer Meadowlands Rail Center; the construction of a rail station and associated components at the Meadowlands Sports Complex; the modification and reconstruction of the Susquehanna and Western Railway, as defined and provided in section 3035 (a) of the "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991"; [and] the modification and reconstruction of the Lackawanna Cutoff Commuter Rail Line connecting Morris, Sussex and Warren Counties to the North Jersey Transportation Rail Centers; and commuter rail service in the central New Jersey region terminating at the proposed Lakewood Transportation Center in Ocean County or other location, as determined by the Board of the New Jersey Transit Corporation, pursuant to a resolution of the board providing for the achievement of a consensus among the interested parties as to the direction of the proposed rail line; provided, however, that this 1997 amendatory act shall not be construed as affecting any priorities which may have been assigned to any other project in the Circle of Mobility.

(cf: P.L.1995, c.108, s.1)

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill adds to the definition of the "Circle of Mobility" commuter rail service in the central New Jersey region terminating at the proposed Lakewood Transportation Center in Ocean County or other location, as determined by the Board of the New Jersey Transit Corporation, pursuant to a resolution of the board providing for the achievement of a consensus among the interested parties as to the direction of the proposed rail line. This bill also provides that it would not affect any priorities which may have been assigned to any other project in the Circle of Mobility. Current law provides that the New Jersey Transit Corporation is to proceed expeditiously to complete the Circle of Mobility.

    To adequately address the commuting and development patterns that are being established in the Central New Jersey area and to enhance State and regional economic opportunities, a commuter rail linkage in the central New Jersey region must become a transportation option. This rail linkage must be provided to avoid aggravating the significant traffic congestion and related problems now experienced on this area's highways by residents who must rely on autos and busses to commute to work and for other purposes.

Expands definition of Circle of Mobility to include commuter rail service in central New Jersey.