WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today applauded the release of more than $144 million in federal Sandy relief that was awarded to NJ Transit to help the agency cover the costs of equipment repairs and temporary bus and ferry service provided in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

"Receiving these Sandy relief dollars is an important step forward for NJ Transit and its road to full recovery," said Senator Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development. "But we know that these reimbursements and repairs are only the beginning of NJ Transit's improving its ability to sustain severe weather events, and get the people of New Jersey moving as quickly as possible afterwards. That is why I will not stop fighting for the federal funding New Jersey needs to come back better and stronger than we were before the storm."

"This federal investment will help ensure that New Jersey Transit can repair and rebuild stronger than before," said Senator Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and co-author of the Sandy relief legislation. "Commuters from across the region depend on New Jersey's transit systems, and Superstorm Sandy dealt a devastating blow to residents and businesses throughout the area. This federal funding is crucial to New Jersey's rebuilding process and we'll continue working to provide the investments needed to keep the trains running on time."

The $144,416,559 allocated to NJ Transit through the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 will be applied to the following purposes:

  • Repairing flooded rail cars
  • Reimbursements for costs associated with providing substitute ferry and bus service that temporarily made up for rail service and PATH service that went off line due to the storm and flooding
  • Repairing the NJ Coast Line which bore the brunt of the storm
  • Reimbursements for costs associated with clean up - everything from light rail stations, rail track, to the Meadowlands Maintenance Facility was flooded and needed extensive clean up

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