Lance: Congress Making Progress on Transit Dollars

NJ Transit Awarded $10 Million

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today announced that New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) has been awarded a $10 million dollar federal grant from the Positive Train Control Grant Program.  Positive Train Control (PTC) is an automated backup safety system to combat human error in operations and improve reliability.

“This grant announcement is welcome news to weary commuters.  These funds coupled with the $330 million already committed to the Northeast Corridor are needed to improve the mass transit needs of the Garden State.  Commuters have had enough.  Our tristate area is the backbone of our Nation’s transportation system.  It’s an important federal priority and the New Jersey congressional delegation will continue to fight on a bipartisan basis for greater funding and resources,” said Lance.

Lance and other members of the New Jersey congressional delegation have supported New Jersey Transit’s request for federal funding to advance implementation of Positive Train Control along its rail lines.  The effort started in the wake of the train crash at Hoboken Terminal in September 2016 which killed one and injured over 100.  The FAST Act, legislation supported by Lance, included $199 million in competitive grants for passenger railroads to implement PTC. NJ Transit requested the $10 million to fund the third phase of its Advanced Speed Enforcement System.  And the recent government spending measure added $75 million in additional funding for Northeast Corridor projects like the Gateway Tunnel.