Scotch Plains Mayor Joins with Other Leaders to Urge Federal Funding for Rail and Bus Improvements
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took a NJ Transit train on the Raritan Valley line on Monday to meet with local mayors and hear their concerns about mass transit.
Mayor Josh Losardo joined area mayors in the 40-minute roundtable, expressing appreciation for Buttigieg’s support of the Gateway Tunnel and other major infrastructure improvements designed to improve the area’s aging transportation network.
If approved and signed by President Joe Biden, a proposed $1 trillion infrastructure bill would bring a total of $12 billion to New Jersey, including $6.8 billion for federal-aid highway programs, $1.1 billion for bridge replacement and repairs and at least $4.1 billion over five years to improve public transportation across the state.
Mayor Losardo expressed appreciation to Buttigieg, as New Jersey is a key benefactor in what is being considered the largest infrastructure investment in history.
“Many residents move to Scotch Plains because of the proximity to commuter rail and buses,” said Mayor Losardo, who commutes to Brooklyn. “But when it takes two hours to get to work in New York because of broken trains or buses that just don’t ever show, there has to be a fix. I salute Secretary Buttigieg and the Biden Administration for a plan that can benefit so many of our residents.
The infrastructure bill is designed to give Raritan Valley riders an easier trip into Manhattan. It is called the “Hunter Flyover,” an overpass that would allow Raritan Valley line trains to enter and exit the Northeast Corridor line without delay and allow Raritan Valley riders to be on the same platform as the next New York bound train.
Currently, commuters at Penn Station in Newark have to run downstairs and up another flight to reach the NYC trains.