WALL – Utility and Transportation Contractors Association (UTCA) Executive Director David Rible issued the following statement before tonight’s public meeting in Bayonne regarding the New Jersey Turnpike Extension project:

“The New Jersey Turnpike Extension project is exactly the kind of commonsense infrastructure improvement we should be doing more of, not less. It will make this roadway safer and reduce the overwhelming amount of traffic congestion on that portion of the road, all while putting New Jerseyans to work.

“The Newark Bay Bridge was built before most Americans had seen a color television. It is older than the New York Mets. It would be foolish to ignore this kind of outdated infrastructure and jeopardize the safety of motorists who utilize our highways. 

“We are often left to wonder if opponents of this project drive the same roads that millions of New Jerseyans drive every day. After all, can anyone reasonably argue that the Turnpike expansion in Central Jersey – which removed the infamous bottleneck – has not made that portion of the road easier to travel?

“We appreciate all of the project’s supporters, including Governor Murphy for voicing his support and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority for not giving in to misinformation. We stand ready, willing and able to get to work on this critical project when the time comes.”

About UTCA

UTCA of New Jersey is a non-profit trade association headquartered in Wall, New Jersey. UTCA represents approximately 1,000 member firms in the public and private sectors, active in all phases of heavy, highway, utility, and marine construction, as well as site work including remediation of brownfields and contaminated sites. For more information, log on to http://www.utcanj.org and follow on Twitter @UTCANJ.