Wisniewski: No TTF for Pothole Patching

December 18, 2009

TRENTON – Assemblyman John Wisniewski, chairman of the Assembly transportation committee, on Friday released the following statement regarding proposals to use Transportation Trust Fund money for work such as pothole patching:

            “The Transportation Trust Fund was rightly created to pay for work such as the planning, engineering and construction of public highways throughout New Jersey and to help attract federal dollars for that work.
 

            “It was not created to patch potholes.
 

            “While I understand the financial crunch New Jersey is facing, the TTF is too important to haphazardly change for routine maintenance. The TTF is intended for long-term capital projects and using it for short-term repairs would be a dangerous precedent.

            “It’s very likely I will call hearings on the TTF’s fate early in the next legislative session.
 

            “With the trust fund set to run out of money in 2011 and Gov.-elect Christie planning to move forward on borrowing $1.2 billion for the fund, I look forward to hearing what options the incoming administration has for keeping it alive.”