The Dredging Of Barnegat Inlet Area Channels Will Stop Just Before Midnight Friday

Gov. Christie's order that all projects included in the state Transportation Trust Fund stop at 11:59 pm. on Friday means that dredging sections of the Barnegat Inlet channels will stop, at least for now.

Gov. Chris Christie recently released a list of transportation projects, including the $1,638,000 project on the peninsula, that will shut down Friday due to a lack of funding after legislators failed to see eye to eye on a gas tax increase to fuel the state's Transportation Trust Fund.

The temporary shutdown of $3.5 billion worth of projects will impact both Department of Transportation (DOT) and NJ Transit initiatives. Work on projects funded by the TTF will stop by 11:59 p.m. on Friday for at least seven days, the governor's office said.

The cost of the Barnegat Inlet project is $2,702,950.

Other projects affected by the shutdown in Southern Ocean include:

- West 11th Street, Ship Bottom, $190,000

- Engleside Avenue, Beach Haven, $150,000

- Mears Avenue, Long Beach Township,$220,000

- Pocahantas Avenue, Waretown, $190,000

- Windlass Drive, Stafford Township,$190,000

- Parker Road, Tuckerton,$350,000

The shutdown follows an Executive Order by Christie, who last week pledged work would be halted if legislators didn't approve a 23-cent gas tax to fund the state's Transportation Trust Fund, which expired Friday.

The New Jersey Assembly passed a 23-cent gas tax hike that came with a 1 percent cut to the sales tax. That measure was supported by Christie, who pledged to sign it by Friday.But the Senate did not support that approach. Senate lawmakers have said they prefer a proposal that would gradually phase out the state estate tax. That cut would cost about $120 million during the next fiscal year and $512 million by fiscal 2021, according to lawmakers.

“As Governor, I am entrusted with the responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this State, as well as the responsibility to aid in the prevention of damage, loss, or destruction of property in the event of emergencies affecting the State. As this executive order states, in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this State, it is necessary that the remaining amounts held by the TTF not be spent on any transportation project that is not absolutely essential,” Christie said when signing the order on June 30.

The plan exempts projects deemed essential for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of all citizens and will not impact projects funded through federal sources.

Photo credit: Army Corps of Engineers