NJ Transit (NJT) and state officials rolled out the first ever strategic plan for the state’s mass transit agency.
Gov. Phil Murphy was joined by the agency’s CEO & President Kevin Corbett June 8 to unveil NJT 2030, the state’s 10-year strategic plan along with a complimentary rolling five-year capital plan.
“NJT 2030 puts forward the vision for how NJT plans to address a decade-long period of disinvestment, modernize how Kevin and his team will transform NJT’s core business to better serve customers and communities, and by doing so, regain the confidence of their customers, employees and stakeholders,” said Murphy.
NJT2030 Goals
NJT 2030 includes 26 specific strategies categorized into five overarching goals, including ensuring the reliability and continued safety of our transit system; delivering a high-quality experience for customers; powering a stronger and fairer economy for all communities in the region; promoting a more sustainable future; and build an accountable, innovative and inclusive organization delivering for New Jersey.
To realize these goals, NJT2030 performance will be based on improving on-time performance, increasing service on the most congested bus routes, rail and bus fleet replacement, upgrading information technology systems, station rehabilitations and improving accessibility to the system.
“Through these plans, we will build on the significant progress we’ve already made, support our state’s economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, and lay out a path forward for the next ten years,” said Corbett. “The initiatives and metrics within these plans hold us accountable to our customers and stakeholders, while guiding our actions and decisions that will deliver a modernized, best-in-class transit system for the people of New Jersey.”
Capital Plan
The rolling five-year capital plan is being hailed by supporters as a comprehensive capital investment strategy NJT can achieve with sustained and dependable funding over an extended period. The capital plan includes more than 100 projects, designed to establish NJT as a world-class transit system.
The capital plan establishes five performance indicators called “project values” that help translate NJT2030’s goals into metrics applicable to capital projects. The five project values are state of good repair, customer experience, safety, resiliency and business performance
Funding Concerns
“NJ Transit’s five-year capital plan (identifies) projects that are currently proceeding with funding already in place, as well as projects that are not funded but vital to NJ Transit’s service delivery and showing the path forward,” stated Murphy. “We will need to work cooperatively both within the state government and with our federal partners to meet NJ Transit’s identified short-term and long-term capital needs. No one will deny the challenge, but we must work creatively and together to meet them.”
Corbett cited the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation estimates that the plan will generate $54.9 billion of economic output within the state and $15 billion of earnings for New Jersey employees.
“Clearly the capital plans offer a significant return on investment, and will also better position us to successfully secure additional funding through available grants and other sources,” he stated.
