One of the first challenges New Jersey Governor-elect Chris Christie will face is how to keep New Jersey’s transportation network running. The Transportation Trust Fund, which pays for most of the state’s road and transit projects, will go bankrupt during Christie’s term unless it is reauthorized. But it’s important that any reauthorization of the fund be done wisely and in a way that supports the state’s smart growth and greenhouse gas reduction goals. To that end, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and NJ Future laid out six guiding principles for the Christie administration in an op-ed in the Star-Ledger:

— Encourage transit over traffic. New Jersey residents are increasingly choosing public transportation — ridership is up nearly 50 percent over the past decade. That’s good for the environment and good for drivers because it reduces traffic on our roads. But New Jersey is not adequately funding transit maintenance, expansion or operations, and riders may face fare increases or service cuts next year if there is no action. To fix this, the new governor should increase NJ Transit funding and ensure regular annual increases.

— Make it safer to travel. More than 700 people die on New Jersey’s roadways every year, 20 percent of them while walking. Little has changed since the 1990s. Children and seniors are disproportionately affected. Protecting and enhancing biking and walking projects will help make roadways safer for all users while allowing us to meet greenhouse gas and public health goals. The governor should use more federal funding for pedestrian and bike safety projects.

— Grow the economy. As a densely populated, trade-based state, New Jersey’s economic health will depend on planning for an efficient rail, road and bus network that keeps people and products moving smoothly and efficiently. More jobs need to be located near our transit stations; more of our freight should be carried by rail; and easier access and better support infrastructure is needed for our ports.

— Protect the environment. New Jersey has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and cut them to 80 percent of the 2006 level by 2050. We must link transportation investments to smart land-use decisions that reduce sprawl and the amount of driving we all need to do. The governor should ensure the Transportation Trust Fund gives priority to projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

— Get the most for our money. In these tight economic times, we must ensure that we get the most value for our investments. That means maintaining and fixing what we have; planning and building only what we need, and making sure that every possible dollar goes to these solutions instead of overhead and interest payments. Overly expensive road projects that won’t solve congestion or help the state move towards a greener future should be reconsidered (the widening of the Garden State Parkway comes to mind). And putting all transportation projects on a credit card is not the answer. New revenue has to be raised, whether it’s through a gas tax increase, higher tolls or other sources.

— Be accountable to the public. We in New Jersey will be more likely to support more revenue for transportation if we know where the money is going, what it’s buying, and how spending priorities are set. This means giving the Legislature and the public up-to-date information. We must also judge performance on the basis of outcomes that are important to New Jersey residents, rather than just equating success with high spending.

A TSTC press statement highlighting the need for a wise reauthorization of the Trust Fund was also printed yesterday at New Jersey Newsroom.