(The following story by Judy Rife appeared on the Times Herald-Record website on January 12, 2010.)
NEWARK, N.J. — Richard Sarles, NJ Transit’s executive director, will retire in advance of Gov.-elect Chris Christie taking office.
Sarles, 64, a professional engineer and long-time Port Authority project manager, joined NJ Transit in 2002 and became executive director in 2007.
He subsequently secured the money to build and advanced to construction the new $8.7 billion commuter rail tunnel to Midtown known as Access to the Region’s Core, or ARC.
Christie, who takes office Jan. 19, has nominated James Simpson, the former leader of the Federal Transit Administration and an ARC supporter, as Department of Transportation commissioner and NJ Transit chairman.
James Weinstein, a former New Jersey DOT commissioner, is Christie’s choice to succeed Sarles.