How To Cut The Cost Of Infrastructure Construction In NJ

New Jersey's cost of road and bridge construction is the highest in the nation by far. It doesn't have to be.

Forty states use design build bidding which uses the competitive process to design the most efficient construction -reducing construction costs and overhead. New Jersey does not.

On multi-contractor, multi-agency construction, like the Rt. 35 project which cost taxpayers $25 mil for a contractor doing no work for months, a construction project manager could have avoided the work stoppage that kept a contractor idle because of a lack of communication among state and local officials.

Inexplicably Governor Christie suspended Phase II of a contract with Rutgers to recommend measures to cut the cost of infrastructure construction. The cost of Phase II was $60,000.

"Phase II of this study will conduct an analysis of toll road authority expenditures and produce a detailed case study analysis of various NJDOT and toll authority roadway and bridge projects to understand cost efficiency variation more completely."


NEWS RELEASE

Rutgers study estimates cost to build and maintain NJDOT roads

(Trenton) - New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the release of a new study conducted by Rutgers University's Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center that determined the average cost to plan, construct, operate, and maintain one mile of roadway under NJDOT jurisdiction is $183,757.

The study is part of a two phase effort to provide an understanding of aggregate costs associated with NJDOT roadways and bridges. Rutgers will conduct additional research to understand more completely the factors that influence cost efficiency.

“The New Jersey Department of Transportation is committed to providing a modern, safe, and reliable transportation system throughout the State in the most effective manner possible,” NJDOT Acting Commissioner Richard T. Hammer said. “The study is part of an on-going effort to identify those factors that drive costs in New Jersey’s public transportation sector.” 

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PALLONE ANNOUNCES $10 MILLION EMERGENCY FEDERAL GRANT TO REPAIR NEW JERSEY ROADS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, December 6, 2012


LONG BRANCH, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $10 million to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) to repair highways and roads badly damaged by Superstorm Sandy. These funds are eligible to New Jersey as a result of the state’s formal emergency declaration.

Superstorm Sandy caused significant levels of debris to block roads, sign and signal damages, and roadway washouts, presenting a danger to drivers. The emergency funding will be used to restore traffic services, establish detours, and perform emergency roadway repairs.

“Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on our roads throughout the state, including many that pass through the Sixth District,” said Pallone. “I thank the Department of Transportation for this funding that will help us move forward in our recovery from Sandy and repair our transportation infrastructure so it is safe for our drivers.”

The $10 million grant from the federal government reflects the full amount requested by NJDOT to repair New Jersey roads. It is distributed through the Federal Highway Administration.