N.J. transit chief resigns; Sandy decisions assailed

    The head of New Jersey’s public transit agency is stepping down.

    NJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein informed employees Tuesday that he had submitted a letter of resignation to Gov. Chris Christie and will leave March 2.

    In his four years in charge of NJ Transit, Weinstein oversaw numerous projects that expanded the reach of the nation’s third largest transit agency. But he’ll also be remembered for two recent events that caused controversy.

    A decision to leave rail cars and locomotives in low-lying train yards in Kearny and Hoboken before Superstorm Sandy led to more than $100 million in flood damage. And ridership projections for the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium were far off-base, leading to lengthy delays.

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    Veronique Hakim, head of the Turnpike Authority, will succeed Weinstein.

    The state’s deputy transportation commissioner, Joseph Mrozek, will take over at the Turnipike Authority.

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal