Legislation requiring the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) to hold its regular meetings in other regions of the state is moving quickly through Trenton. 

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"It would include a provision that at least one regular meeting of the NJTA would be held in Bergen County for instance and that the meetings that are held in the southern part of the counties are held on a rotating basis between Cape May, Atlantic and Ocean County but we've also included Salem and Gloucester Counties," said State Senator Chris Connors, one of the measure's sponsors.

The State Senate recently approved the bill, sending it to the State Assembly for consideration.

Connors said it's important that residents who are hours away from the NJTA's offices in Woodbridge can lend their voice to projects that impact them. He said some cases, having more public input could have saved the NJTA millions of dollars.

"One primary example was the erection of the security fence in the southern part of the roadway which required the Turnpike Authority after further review and outrage by the local residents there to take that fence down costing upwards of a million dollars or so."

Connors said they're also looking to address the makeup of the NJTA's membership in another bill. He said the NJTA is pretty much void of South Jersey representation.

"We also have to be mindful of the fact that those membership seats are now filled by individuals that do not include anyone from Camden, Cape May, Atlantic or Ocean Counties. Given the magnitude of projects that we do have in the southern part of the state, it gives a greater opportunity for people to provide input with regard to those scheduled projects."

 

 

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