Transportation Capital Program Fiscal Year 2003 NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NJ TRANSIT July 1, 2002 Governor James E. McGreevey Commissioner James P. Fox Table of Contents Section I - Introduction Section II - Program by Activity Section III - NJDOT Project/Program Descriptions Section IV - NJ TRANSIT Project/Program Descriptions Section V – Glossary Section I INTRODUCTION NJDOT/NJ TRANSIT Capital Investment Strategy for FY03-FY07 Introduction The Transportation Capital Program for Fiscal Year 2003 describes all the capital investments planned by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and NJ TRANSIT for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2002. A multi-year program, as required under federal law, is also under development. Both of these programs are the products of extensive, ongoing participation by the state’s three metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and a wide variety of stakeholders. Both programs are driven by New Jersey’s transportation goals and objectives, as laid out in this “capital investment strategy” report. “Capital investment strategy” is the term used in New Jersey for a method of linking transportation investments with goals, objectives, and performance measures. New Jersey is a national leader in the development of this approach, which ensures that scarce financial resources are used as efficiently as possible to address our most important needs. This report provides an overview of NJDOT’s and NJ TRANSIT’s capital programs and concludes with a summary of the revenues which are planned to be used to finance these programs. NJDOT Smart Growth NJDOT is committed to making transportation investments that implement Governor McGreevey’s “Smart Growth” initiative. “Smart Growth” means simply making choices that promote redevelopment of our cities and developed areas and discourage sprawl and unnecessary consumption of open space. This is the same basic approach that underlies the State Planning Act and the State Development and Redevelopment Plan. Investing in our urban areas The five-year capital program outlines several key investments in our urban areas. These include: • Newark—$117 million will be invested in FY03-FY05 in widening and other improvements to Route 21 (McCarter Highway) in Newark. Renovated Route 21 in downtown Newark Other Newark projects include $18 million for Newark Circulation Improvements in the downtown area. • Elizabeth—The Elizabeth River Viaduct replacement project in Elizabeth is programmed for construction in FY04. An innovative urban landscape project upgrading the Route 82 corridor between Elizabeth and Union Township will go to final design in FY03. Section I – Page 1 • Trenton—In Trenton, $16 million will be spent in FY03 on additional improvements in the Route 29 corridor, including landscaping and construction of a bicycle/pedestrian path. Several key bridges are advancing, including Southard Street (construction in FY04). FY03 will also see the beginning of a 5-year, $10 million commitment to Trenton Revitalization projects, including circulation improvements affecting the waterfront. • Camden—$3.75 million will be programmed in FY03 and FY04 for Camden transit-related street improvements. Resurfacing of city streets and traffic signal improvements will also be funded. • New Brunswick—$83 million is programmed in FY03-FY05 for completion of the Route 18 connector between New Brunswick and Route I-287, with additional funds falling outside the three-year window. Construction will begin in FY04 on the $120 million project to rehabilitate and upgrade Route 18 from downtown New Brunswick to Route 1, which includes improved access to downtown. The design of this project has been shaped by an innovative community partnering effort. • Jersey City—Three major bridge projects, each costing over $100 million, are programmed for construction in FY04 and FY05. They are Route 1&9T over St. Paul’s Avenue and two Route 139 viaducts approaching the Holland Tunnel. Transportation needs of rural areas The program also begins to address the special needs of rural areas. Innovative Smart Growth projects in rural areas include $1 million for purchase of property on environmentally sensitive bluffs on the Route 29 Scenic Byway, $1 million for corridor scenic protection on Route 57, and $1 million for Ecotourism grants. Bridges The Transportation Capital Program for FY03 and the five-year program for FY03 through FY07 contain a major commitment to bridge needs. Altogether, NJDOT plans to invest approximately $300 million a year in bridges over the next three years with likely increases after that. Approximately 165 structurally deficient bridges are programmed for work in the FY03-FY07 program, with another 135 undergoing the “study and development” work of preliminary planning and engineering. New Jersey’s 5,129 bridges provide key links for the movement of people and goods within our state. About 876 of these bridges (17% when 100 weighted by size of the bridge) are rated as structurally deficient, meaning they require 90 US DE MD CT NJ replacement or rehabilitation. One of NJDOT’s 80 MA NY PA most important objectives is to restore these 70 bridges to a state of good repair and keep % Acceptable them there. The 2,357 bridges on the state 60 highway system carry very heavy traffic loads 50 including most of New Jersey’s truck traffic. Bridges on the National Highway System Condition of New Jersey’s busiest bridges, (Interstate highways and other key roads) compared to other states in our region carry the heaviest traffic of all. As shown in the accompanying figure, New Jersey rates fairly well in the condition of our NHS bridges, compared to benchmark states in our region and to the US average. Section I – Page 2 NJDOT has direct responsibility for bridges on the state highway system, as well as local bridges crossing NJ TRANSIT rail lines and railroad “orphan” bridges. As shown in the accompanying figure, there has been gradual improvement in the physical soundness of these state-owned bridges over recent years. During the next five years, despite continued high funding levels, we anticipate a temporary downturn in system condition due to the declining condition of several major bridges. During the next 10 years, 13 high-cost bridges are due for complete replacement or major rehabilitation. Each of these bridges will cost at least $50 million in construction costs, while some will cost as much as $300 million or more. Collectively, these 13 bridges will cost more than $2 billion for construction with additional costs incurred for design and right of way 100100 90 acquisition. Seven of these bridges are 90 planned to go to construction within the next 3 80 80 fiscal years: 70 6070 % Acceptable % Acceptable FY03 5060 • Route 35, Victory Bridge over the Raritan 50 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y River, Middlesex County F F F F F F F F F F F 90 Y Y96 Y02 Y04 Y10 FY04 F FY92 FY94 F FY98 FY00 F F FY06 FY08 F • Route 1&9, Elizabeth River Viaduct, Union County New Jersey’s state-owned bridges will show a FY05 short-term “dip” in conditions, as high-cost • Route 1&9T, St. Paul’s Avenue Bridge, Hudson bridge needs appear County • Route 52, Ocean City Causeway, Cape May and Atlantic Counties • Route 70, Manasquan River Bridge, Monmouth and Ocean Counties • Route 139, 12th Street and 14th Street Viaducts, Hudson County • Route 139, Hoboken and Conrail Viaducts, Hudson County The funding needs for these 13 bridges goes well beyond any conventional funding that can be foreseen. NJDOT plans to apply through the federal government for a long-term financing plan and will be seeking additional special appropriations through Congress. NJDOT is also pursuing a number of lower cost programs to improve bridge condition. These include: • Bridge Scour Program – This program provides for examination and improvements to bridges that may have been subject to underwater damage due to stream flows. • Bridge Deck Replacement – NJDOT is pursuing an innovative program to develop “quick- turnaround” projects to improve bridges which require replacement of the bridge deck (that portion of the bridge that supports the traffic) without change to the supporting structure of the bridge itself. • Historic Bridge Preservation – NJDOT is also pursuing a program of funding to provide needed minor repairs to historic bridges. Section I – Page 3 Bridges carrying local roads are generally in poorer condition than state highway bridges. They are mainly owned by county governments. More than 200 of these bridges have been 100 programmed for replacement or rehabilitation 90 using funds provided by the 1999 Bridge Bond 80 Act. 70 Other projects are included in NJDOT’s capital program for use of state or federal funds. This 60 combined effort is expected to bring about a 50 significant improvement in the condition of local bridges over the next five years. Local bridges will improve over the next 5 years Roadway Preservation The 2,300 miles of New Jersey’s state highway system constitute the heart of our state’s surface transportation network. One of NJDOT’s highest priorities is restoring deficient parts of this network to a state of good repair and maintaining the entire system at the best possible level of condition. NJDOT is committed to a long-term program to shrink the backlog of deficient highway segments and to identifying and implementing state-of-the-art engineering techniques and management practices to manage this system for the best possible performance. At the present time, about 84% of New Jersey’s national highway system roadways (interstates and other high-traffic highways) meets the 100 national standard for pavement condition. As 90 DE US shown in the accompanying figure, this is lower CT PA MD than some of the states in our region. Although 80 MA NJ NY this ranking is related to the very high traffic 70 loads put on New Jersey’s highways, it is also a result of historic underfunding of programs for %Acceptable 60 highway resurfacing, rehabilitation, and 50 reconstruction.