Here's What New Jersey's New Transportation Commissioner Is Facing

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie tapped veteran Democratic political strategist Jamie Fox to lead the state's Department of Transportation.

"I know, if confirmed, he'll do an extraordinary job at the Department of Transportation, and I look forward to working with him on a day-to-day basis, because there's going to be a lot of transportation issues we're going to need to deal with," said Christie at his office in Trenton Thursday. "And having somebody with his experience, not only in transportation but in this building, will be an extraordinary help to me and the people of this state."

Assemblyman James Wisniewski ominously hinted at those issues even as he threw his support behind Fox's nomination. "All of us who bear responsibility for transportation policy must be prepared to leave our comfort zone as we seek transportation funding solutions that will put New Jersey on a sustainable path into the future," he said. (Wisniewski, who chairs the Assembly's Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee, will kick off a series of hearings next week examining the possibility of merging the state's DOT, NJ Transit, and the Turnpike Authority as a cost-saving measure.)

If confirmed by the Democratic-led state Senate — essentially a foregone conclusion — Fox's first order of service will be dealing with the state's rapidly draining Transportation Trust Fund.

The TTF, which is funded by the state's gas tax, pays for road and infrastructure repair as well as transit improvements. But the gas tax has not kept pace with the state's transportation needs, and Christie — harboring presidential aspirations — has steadfastly refused to increase it. Consequently, the TTF has been flirting with insolvency for years. The head of ForwardNJ, a recently-formed coalition advocate for funding solutions, said earlier this week: "Put quite simply, New Jersey’s transportation system has run out of gas.” Coming up with a stable source of funding to repair the state's roads and bridges is likely to be Fox's most pressing problem.

But the TTF is far from Fox's only problem. Earlier this year, the head of Amtrak warned that the Hudson River's aging rail tunnels are coming up against the end of their useful life span. But ever since canceling the ARC Tunnel back in 2010, the state hasn't taken a leadership role in building a new tunnel — leaving NJ Transit rail commuters increasingly vulnerable to train delays and overcrowding in a tunnel that's already at capacity.

New Jersey commuters who head into NYC by bus aren't faring any better. The Port Authority Bus Terminal is also falling apart, and in recent months New Jersey bus riders have been showing up at town halls and NJ Transit board meetings in droves, pleading for relief from delays, the terminal's seriously unsavory bathrooms, and leaking ceilings. While New Jersey doesn't control the PABT, NJ Transit is the terminal's largest tenant, and it's coming under pressure to do what it can to make the bus commute experience better.

Previously, Gov. Christie has used the Port Authority to bail the state out of its transportation funding crises. But with several Bridgegate investigations ongoing, the Port is under scrutiny, and both New York and New Jersey are rethinking its oversight.

At his nomination announcement Thursday in Trenton, Fox was optimistic. "Thank you for allowing me to go back to something I love," said Fox to the governor, "and (something) I believe that is important for the state."