Aid Arrives for Nj Transit

Unknown, 2013-03-15

NJ Transit got its first injection of federal disaster aid on Thursday - a $144 million infusion of money from the Federal Transit Administration - to cover the cost of temporary bus and ferry services, equipment repairs and other immediate expenses the agency incurred after Sandy.

Sens. Bob Menendez and Frank R. Lautenberg announced the funding, which stems from the Disaster Relief Act of 2013.

NJ Transit is seeking nearly $1.3 billion from the FTA to cover costs incurred during Sandy, as well as the cost of strengthening the system against future severe storms.

That includes building sea walls along portions of the system that saw washouts, elevating electric substations that flooded and possibly building new rail yards to store equipment that flooded when the agency left them in low-lying yards in Hoboken and Kearny.

Jim Weinstein, executive director at NJ Transit, estimated damage from Sandy to be $450 million, including $20 million in lost revenue and $100 million in damage to railcars and locomotives that were flooded. He said that the award came two weeks after NJ Transit submitted its application.

Paul Brubaker, press secretary for Menendez, said the agencies can expect to get additional funds.

"This is one step along the way," he said.

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