(The following editorial appeared on the Daily Record website on July 11.)
TRENTON, N.J. — Performing an unenviable balancing act between expenses and revenues, NJ Transit has proposed a new fiscal-year budget with no fare increase. It’s a good move at the right time — as soaring gasoline costs have more of us hopping buses or trains for that long commute.
The proposed budget also envisions the purchase of dual-fuel engines that run on diesel and electric. This could mean a smoother commute for riders who now have to switch to electric trains in Newark because belching diesel engines are not permitted in Hudson River tunnels.
Smartly, the budget is also anticipating for the presumptive new Hudson River rail tunnel by allocating $9.7 million to purchase land and for engineers and consultants. That’s a good way to stretch out the expense, even if slightly, of a $7.2 billion project.