Issue Position: Transportation

Issue Position

Transportation touches every facet of our lives. If any part of the transportation system breaks down, we feel the impact immediately. Investment in our transportation modes is vital to enhancing our economy, increasing our safety, maintaining our global competitiveness, and most importantly improving our quality of life. Through my work on the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am actively working on transportation issues that are important to the 8th District.

Surface Transportation Bill
On June 29, 2012, I joined my colleagues in passing a surface transportation authorization bill that was signed into law by President Obama on July 6, 2012. The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, or MAP-21, authorized federal highway, public transit, highway safety, motor carrier safety, and hazardous materials safety programs until September 30, 2014. Congress was unable to pass a long-term reauthorization of these programs, and instead, passed a short-term extension that is set to expire on May 31, 2015.

Our Nation's infrastructure is in dire need of investment. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave U.S. infrastructure an overall grade of D- in its 2013 Infrastructure Report Card. Unless Congress enacts a fix to ensure federal funding for transportation projects, states will once again face massive uncertainty about whether they will get reimbursed for infrastructure projects. In urban areas, such as the 8th District, transportation plays a critical role in the soundness of our economy and in our quality of life. I support long-term investment in our Nation's transportation infrastructure and believe it is imperative that Congress works towards finding a long-term solution that addresses these needs.

Improving Pedestrian & Bicycle Infrastructure
Our streets should be accessible to everyone -- young and old, motorcyclists and bicyclists, pedestrians and wheelchair users, bus riders and business owners. However, too many of our roads are designed solely for cars and trucks. I am a strong supporter of the implementation of Complete Streets, which ensures that transportation agencies design and operate the entire right of way to enable safe access for all users. Simple adjustments such as sidewalks, bike lanes, special bus lanes, accessible transit stops, and improved cross walks will make our streets safer, our environment cleaner, and communities healthier and more accessible.

That is why I introduced the Bicycle and Infrastructure Improvement Act (H.R. 199). This bill would create a new tool for mayors and communities to finance much-needed infrastructure, including in low-income neighborhoods, without adding and spending to the deficit. The Bicycle and Infrastructure Improvement Act would also establish a low-interest, long-term loan program for communities to build biking and walking networks. The bill would be paid for by an $11 million set aside from the $1 billion Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program.

Commuter Relief
Commuters sitting in traffic during peak hours spend an extra 34 hours of time stuck in traffic, which is a 14 hour increase from 1982. For many Americans, transportation costs account for their second highest household expense. A national commuter relief program will ease the burden of commuting for many families.

To provide commuter relief, I introduced H.R. 200, the Commute Less Act of 2015; legislation that would help expand commuting options by giving employers the tools and resources needed to provide their employees with alternative forms of transportation. Additionally, sponsors of large projects would be required to submit congestion mitigation plans.

Freight and Moving Goods
New Jersey's economy depends largely on our ability to effectively and efficiently move goods. More than 269,000, or approximately 1 in 8, jobs in the state are directly affected by the goods movement industry, which includes the shipping of everything from food and clothing to cars and industrial supplies. More efficient goods movement enhances our ability to move on the roads, decreases harmful environmental effects, and minimizes damage to our infrastructure.

The Department of Transportation estimates that freight tons transported are expected to double by 2035, and this increase will lead to increased congestion on our nation's already over burdened highways, railways, airports, and ports.

To alleviate this expected increase in congestion, I introduced the Multimodal Opportunities via Enhanced (MOVE) Freight Act of 2015. The MOVE Freight Act would strengthen our national freight transportation policy by creating a national plan for moving goods efficiently by road, rail, water, and air. The MOVE Freight Act would also expand the definition of the national freight network to include rail, navigable waterways, inland ports, seaports, freight intermodal connectors, airports, and aerotropolis transportation systems, helping to establish a truly modern freight policy and ensuring U.S. global competitiveness.

Aviation
With the proximity of the Newark Liberty International Airport to the 8th District of New Jersey, I am committed to protecting the workers and the customers of Newark Airport. As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pushes extensive airspace redesign and proposes congestion pricing schemes, Congressional oversight is essential, and I have been working with my colleagues to ensure that the FAA hears the concerns of the people of New Jersey. I believe we all deserve air travel that is safe, reliable and affordable.

High Speed Rail
While countries across the world have invested in high speed rail, the United States is lagging behind. New Jersey is located on the Northeast Corridor, which is the nation's busiest corridor that runs between Washington, DC and Boston, MA. Dedicated, high speed rail in this region will create new jobs, sustain long-term employment, and spur economic development in the region. The ridership in the Northeast Corridor can support this infrastructure investment. Indeed, rail has grown exponentially during the last decade, and the current air/rail market share has reached 73% between Washington, DC and New York, NY. Federal investment in the Northeast Corridor is not yet at the level necessary; however, there have been funds provided to upgrade the rail infrastructure. Nearly $800 million in high speed rail funding was awarded to the Northeast Corridor to update tracks. The White House Council on Environmental Quality, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation, announced a pilot project aimed at speeding up the environmental review process for high speed rail service in the Northeast Corridor. Investing in infrastructure is sound policy and high speed rail investment has the ability to revitalize our economy, lower our carbon footprint, and provide an additional transportation alternative.

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