Transportation Chief’s Responses Left Much to be Desired
(TRENTON) — Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee Chairman John S. Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) issued the following statement Monday after his committee received testimony from New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner James S. Simpson on why the state’s snow removal response was so poor following the Dec. 26 blizzard:
“While I appreciate Commissioner Simpson’s candor in testifying today about the state’s failure to effectively address the blizzard of 2010, it is disappointing that the leader of New Jersey’s transportation infrastructure was not able to provide answers to many of the committee’s common sense questions.
“Unfortunately, it would seem that this communication breakdown is not limited to our committee room: testimony from the commissioner and from local officials show an unsettling lack of communication between the state and our counties and municipalities.
“Subsequent testimony in front of the committee showed there was no excuse for major state roads in Monmouth County being impassable for seven days. Monmouth County officials testified that all of their roads were cleared by 4 p.m. Monday.”