ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5606

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 15, 2023

      The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5606.

      As reported, this bill reappropriates unexpended funds from the “Statewide Transportation and Local Bridge Bond Act of 1999” (act) to the Department of Transportation (department) that were originally appropriated for the purpose of: (1) financing the costs of transportation projects; and (2) providing grants to county and municipal governments for the costs to rehabilitate and improve certain structurally deficient bridges.

      The bill provides that the funds appropriated to the department, which were originally appropriated to provide grants to county and municipal governments for the costs to rehabilitate and improve certain structurally deficient bridges, are to be administered by the department to offset any eligible cost to rehabilitate and improve certain structurally deficient bridges, but only within the county to which the funds were previously appropriated.

      Additionally, the bill provides that the funds appropriated to rehabilitate and improve certain structurally deficient bridges that are not expended or obligated within two years of the bill’s effective date are to be consolidated into a single account and redistributed to each county based on a formula established by the department.  Under the bill, funds that have not been obligated, but are required to complete a project under development, are subject to consolidation and redistribution.