SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 866

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: MARCH 18, 1996

 

      The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 866.

      Senate Bill No. 866 authorizes the Commissioner of Transportation to allocate and transfer monies for extraordinary road maintenance and repairs from the revenues and other funds of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority appropriated for the FY 1995 and the FY 1996 transportation capital construction programs. The bill authorizes the commissioner to transfer $15 million for 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 that 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 bill would provide funds to make these necessary repairs.

      As reported, this bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 1403 ACS of 1996 (DeCroce/Kavanaugh).

 

FISCAL IMPACT

 

      This bill authorizes the use of $25 million in Transportation Trust Fund monies for extraordinary road maintenance and repairs for State highways and county and municipal roads.