New Jersey-2022-S669-Introduced

An Act establishing the State Transportation Cost Analysis Task Force.

Whereas, New Jersey has invested more money per mile of highway than any other state since 2009, yet its roads and bridges continue to rank among the worst in the country; and

Whereas, In a recent Annual Highway Report issued by the Reason Foundation, New Jersey's highway system ranks as the most expensive to build, maintain, and operate; and

Whereas, According to the Reason Foundation, New Jersey ranked 48th in the nation in overall highway performance, 36th in percentage of deficient bridges, and 46th in urban interstate pavement in poor condition; and

Whereas, Roads and bridges in poor condition cost motorists in the State an estimated $3.6 billion per year in vehicle repairs and operating costs and $121 billion per year in fuel costs and time lost in traffic on congested roads; and

Whereas, It has been suggested that the State needs to raise the tax on motor fuels by 25 cents per gallon to fund additional transportation infrastructure improvements, which would cost the average driver an additional $300 per year; and

Whereas, Before requiring New Jersey taxpayers to bear a greater tax burden, the State should conduct an analysis of the factors that contribute to New Jersey's expensive road costs and possibly look to other states to determine more cost-efficient ways to use transportation funding in this State; and

Whereas, It is in the best interest of the residents of New Jersey for the State to analyze the billions of dollars that it spends per year on transportation infrastructure and determine more efficient ways to build, maintain, and operate New Jersey roadways; now, therefore,

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

1. a. There is established the "State Transportation Cost Analysis Task Force." The purpose of the task force is to analyze and compare the costs of transportation projects in the State with the costs of transportation projects in other states and to provide informed long-term and short-term recommendations for cost-efficient construction, maintenance, and operation of public highways and bridges in the State. The task force shall conduct a detailed analysis of:

(1) the types of fixed costs paid by the State during and after transportation projects compared with similar types of fixed costs paid by other states during and after transportation projects;

(2) how fixed costs of transportation projects are budgeted or predicted in the State compared with how fixed costs of transportation projects are budgeted or predicted in other states;

(3) the types of variable costs paid by the State during and after transportation projects compared with similar types of variable costs paid by other states during and after transportation projects; and

(4) how variable costs of transportation projects are budgeted or predicted in the State compared with how variable costs of transportation projects are budgeted or predicted in other states.

b. The task force shall consist of 15 members as follows:

the Commissioner of Transportation, who shall serve ex-officio, or the commissioner's designee; the State Treasurer, who shall serve ex-officio, or the treasurer's designee; the Executive Director of the New Jersey Transit Corporation, who shall serve ex-officio, or the executive director's designee; the Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, who shall serve ex-officio, or the executive director's designee; the Executive Director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority, who shall serve ex-officio, or the executive director's designee; the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, who shall serve ex-officio, or the chairperson's designee; the Chairperson of the Policy Board of the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization, who shall serve ex-officio, or the chairperson's designee; the Chairperson of the Board of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, who shall serve ex-officio, or the chairperson's designee; three public members appointed by the Governor, one upon the recommendation of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, one upon the recommendation of the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association of New Jersey, and one upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council; a member of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; a member of the General Assembly appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; a member of the Senate appointed by the Senate President; and a member of the Senate appointed by the Senate Minority Leader.

c. The members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties to the extent that funds are made available for that purpose.

d. The task force shall organize within 30 days of the appointment of a majority of its members and shall select a chairperson from among its members. The task force shall meet at the call of the chairperson.

e. The Department of Transportation shall provide staff support to the task force. The task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State department, board, bureau, commission, agency, or authority, as it may require for the purpose of carrying out its duties under this act.

2. The State Transportation Cost Analysis Task Force shall prepare and submit a final report, which shall include its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-10.1), to the Legislature within six months after the task force's organization.

3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire on the 30th day after the task force has submitted the final report pursuant to section 2 of this act.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the "State Transportation Cost Analysis Task Force" (task force). The task force is to analyze and compare the costs of transportation projects in the State with the costs of transportation projects in other states and to provide informed recommendations for more cost-efficient construction, maintenance, and operation of public highways and bridges in the State. Additionally, the task force is to conduct a detailed analysis of:

(1) the types of fixed costs paid by the State during and after transportation projects compared with similar types of fixed costs paid by other states during and after transportation projects;

(2) how fixed costs of transportation projects are budgeted or predicted in the State compared with how fixed costs of transportation projects are budgeted or predicted in other states;

(4) how variable costs of transportation projects are budgeted or predicted in the State compared with how variable costs of transportation projects are budgeted or predicted in other states.

Under the bill, the task force is to consist of 15 members as follows: the Commissioner of Transportation, or the commissioner's designee; the State Treasurer, or the treasurer's designee; the Executive Director of the New Jersey Transit Corporation, or the executive director's designee; the Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, or the executive director's designee; the Executive Director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority, or the executive director's designee; the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, or the chairperson's designee; the Chairperson of the Policy Board of the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization, or the chairperson's designee; the Chairperson of the Board of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, or the chairperson's designee; three public members appointed by the Governor, one upon the recommendation of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, one upon the recommendation of the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association of New Jersey, and one upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council; a member of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; a member of the General Assembly appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; a member of the Senate appointed by the Senate President; and a member of the Senate appointed by the Senate Minority Leader.

The bill requires the task force to prepare and submit a final report, which is to include its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature within six months after the task force's organization.