Zellman completes term as transportation chair

NEWARK — Susan M. Zellman, a Sussex County Freeholder, completed her two-year term as chairman of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), citing the many accomplishments that have improved transportation for residents of Sussex County and the region. The NJTPA oversees regional transportation planning and annually authorizes more than a billion dollars in federal surface transportation funding for 13 counties in northern and central New Jersey. At the NJTPA’s biennial reorganization meeting on Jan. 11, Zellman said, “I am proud of the work of the NJTPA and the bi-partisan role it plays” in addressing transportation needs. A key highlight under Zellman’s leadership over the past two years was use of stimulus funding provided by the federal government to undertake key projects and spur the economy. Of the $750 million in stimulus funding spent in the NJTPA region, $124 million was specifically targeted to projects chosen by counties and cities represented on the NJTPA. Another key achievement under Zellman’s leadership was the approval of a new long-range transportation plan guiding investment over the next 25 years. Among the new initiatives in Plan 2035 was an emphasis on “Complete Streets,” which involves promoting road designs and investment that makes streets accessible and safe for all residents and travelers, including pedestrians and bicyclists. “Developing a new plan gave the NJTPA an opportunity to conduct extensive public outreach in every county and the opportunity to focus on several issues that go beyond our traditional concerns, such as climate change and development,” she said. Outgoing NJDOT Commissioner Stephen Dilts said, “Chairman Zellman was an effective advocate for the people in northern New Jersey and I appreciated her strong leadership throughout her tenure.”