Christie offers 5-year funding plan for N.J. roads, bridges

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has unveiled a plan to replenish the state’s Transportation Trust Fund for the next five years. The fund had been expected to run out of money in June.The plan calls for spending $1.6 billion a year on road and bridge projects. Christie said the money will come from new borrowing, Turnpike Authority toll revenue, and the Port Authority — including an unspecified amount that was intended for the canceled ARC tunnel project.Christie said his plan does not call for any tax increases.”What you have here is a plan that is fiscally responsible, that will not burden over the long haul our children and grandchildren with extraordinary debt payments,” he said Thursday. “And will address the needs that we have as a state for infrastructure.”New Jersey Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel said the plan tries to maintain a crumbling transportation system instead of coming up with a long term solution.”Instead of actually coming up with a long-term solution to our transportation needs like a gas tax increase, all we’re doing again is the same old borrow and spend and steal money from different places,” Tittel said.