By Albio Sires

Every year, New Jersey drivers lose an average of $713 driving on our roads, 37 percent of which are in poor condition. The New Jersey-New York City metropolitan area suffers the worst traffic congestion of any urban region in the country, where the average driver wasted 56 extra hours in traffic last year and spent an extra 23 gallons due to delays. And it’s not just poor road conditions that impact New Jersey residents—7.8 percent of our bridges are structurally deficient, and it will take about $8.6 billion to repair our state’s drinking water infrastructure. Newark Liberty International Airport was found to be the second most delayed airport in the nation.

In addition, the century-old Hudson River Tunnels are in serious need of repair and were severely damaged in Superstorm Sandy in 2012. A closure of just one tunnel could reduce capacity by as much as 75 percent and force tens of thousands of commuters into other modes of travel. While this may seem like a New Jersey problem, the quality of this infrastructure impacts commerce and travel nationwide. This corridor serves a region that is home to 17 percent of the U.S. population and 97 Fortune 500 company headquarters and contributes 20 percent of the national GDP. In sum, our crumbling infrastructure—from roads and bridges to rail and airports—makes us less prosperous and less safe. 

As a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I have long advocated for sustained investment in New Jersey’s infrastructure to meet these needs. That’s why I was proud to vote in favor of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, which passed the House on November 5 and which President Biden signed into law on November 15. This historic legislation will have real, tangible benefits for millions of New Jersey residents though investments in our roads, bridges, transit systems, rail corridors, and airports. In addition, it will connect the 115,468 people in New Jersey who currently lack internet access to broadband and make 18 percent of residents eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which helps low-income families afford internet access.

The Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will deliver results for New Jersey, create a generation of good-paying union jobs, and support sustained economic growth throughout our state. Below is a breakdown of how the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will invest in New Jersey. 

Transportation

Roads- $6.8 billion

Transit- $4.1 billion

Bridges- $1.1 billion

Electric vehicles- $104 million

Ferries- $24.4 million 

Airports 

Airport infrastructure- $272 million 

Broadband 

Broadband- $100 million 

Rail and Gateway Project

Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor- $30 billion

Supplemental appropriation- $8 billion

Annual authorization- $3 billion 

*Gateway is eligible to receive a portion of these funds. 

Water Infrastructure

Clean drinking water- $1 billion 

Superfund/Brownfields

Superfund sites- $5 billion

Climate Resiliency

Climate resiliency – $15 million 

Cyberattacks

Cyberattacks- $17 million

Albio Sires is the Congressman from the 8th District.