In New Jersey, transportation isn't just a policy — it's the backbone of our state. And right now, it's causing headaches for far too many of our neighbors.

New Jersey commuters and families, including my own, have faced unacceptable delays, congestion, and service breakdowns on our transportation system that we rely on every day. Too many commuters have had the frustrating experience of waiting for a train or bus that never comes or arrives too late — leading to missed shifts, family occasions, and their kids' events. And on our highways, our patience is tested daily as we sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

New Jersey needs affordable, accessible public transportation that our families and commuters can rely on. As governor, I will tackle congestion and our aging infrastructure by investing in mass transit while maintaining and upgrading our roads and rails.

I have been a tireless advocate for improved service along the Northeast Corridor by demanding accountability from the federal government for service breakdowns caused by neglected Amtrak equipment so that New Jersey commuters don’t keep suffering from another “Summer from Hell” year after year.

Since I arrived in Congress, I have been a staunch advocate for the Gateway Project to build new rail tunnels under the Hudson River — I’ve even been referred to as the “Tunnel Obsessed Congresswoman.” I successfully fought to bring our tax dollars back to New Jersey to fund the largest federal transit investment in U.S. history. This project will double train capacity between New Jersey and New York and create thousands of good-paying union jobs.

Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I brought back billions of federal dollars to repair New Jersey’s aging roads and bridges, and as governor, I’ll continue to make investments and improvements a top priority.

For every one dollar spent on infrastructure, we generate five dollars in economic activity. That is a great return on investment and an economic driver for our state and region. The Northeast Corridor rail line touches 20 percent of the entire U.S. economy and goods from the Port of New York and New Jersey can reach about 50 percent of Americans within 36 hours. We cannot allow our infrastructure to hold back this economic engine, and greater access to this transit network will create key pathways to the middle class for New Jersey families.

I will work with federal partners and New York to keep the Gateway Projects funded and on schedule and secure other investments that improve service and reliability. And NJ TRANSIT must have a customer-focused mindset, improving its communication with riders and making investments that create a better experience that gets people to work on time. A reliable, convenient, affordable, and accessible transit system is vital for New Jersey, will connect people to opportunity, and drive the innovation economy.