U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) hailed the passage of an amendment to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that would increase total transit funding by $3 billion from $9 billion to $12 billion.

“The $3 billion increase in transit funding that was attached to the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act was a common sense addition,” stated Pascrell.  “Railway infrastructure investment is a recession buster.  It puts people to work at railways and in factories all over the country.  It is an intelligent investment that will maximize the utility of underused right-of-ways and improve some the busiest rail corridors in America.”

New Jersey, already slated to receive $334 million in transit capital funding and $150 million in fixed guideway modernization funding under the plan would see a significant boost through the $3 billion increase approved in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The amendment would add $1.5 billion to the $6 billion transit capital program laid out in the plan.  Another $1.5 billion for new starts will add to the $2 billion figure written into the guideway modernization program under the original plan.

“With construction of the ARC project expected to begin as early as this summer, the transit funding committed in this legislation is an encouraging sign for our entire metropolitan region.  Increased transit opportunities mean fewer cars on the road, shorter commutes, a cleaner environment and increased property values.  Home to an expansive network of old railway infrastructure, this funding will serve no state better than it serves New Jersey,” concluded Pascrell.

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