NJDOT Transportation Asset Management Plan

New Jersey is projected to experience a significant population boost by 2030, adding 1.7 million to its current 8.5 million citizens. As a result, the amount of freight moving to, from, and within New Jersey will increase by approximately 65%, with the majority via trucks on already congested highways.

Additionally, construction cost and economic inflation, the erosion of motor fuel taxes, asset depreciation, improved fleet fuel efficiency, and hybrid and electric vehicle adoption threaten the state’s ability to keep pace with its growing transportation needs and requirements.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is committed to providing safe, sustainable, and adequately maintained transportation infrastructure. NJDOT needed a trusted advisor to assist in developing a Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP) to advance asset management practices while meeting federal requirements, including setting state-of-good repair objectives and establishing long-term risk-based investment strategies.

GFT was selected to develop New Jersey’s initial TAMP in 2018, which solidified the processes for all future TAMP cycles. The project team included pavement and bridge asset management and transportation financial planning experts. We leveraged our deep agency knowledge and industry relationships with key stakeholders to optimize efficiency and quality.

Exceeding the minimum federal requirements for the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) for bridges and pavements for the national highway system (NHS), the TAMP also addresses NBIS for the state highway system. The TAMP is a key element of NJDOT’s performance-based management program, including efforts to achieve National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) targets.

We established bridge and pavement management systems methodologies to conduct network-level and gap analyses evaluating various treatment and investment scenarios. The ultimate goal is to use management systems to drive programmatic Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) fund allocation. The technical work provided a strong analytical foundation, while the policy work established state-of-good-repair objectives and identified a robust enhancements program.

Due to our expertise and previous successful outcomes, we continued supporting NJDOT with its 2019 and 2022 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) TAMP submissions. The TAMP met state transportation asset management systems, supported performance-based infrastructure preservation planning, and standardized risk management practices for NJDOT’s investment decision-makers.

The TAMP:

• Documents asset management policy goals and state-of-good repair objectives.
• Prepares a multi-year improvement program focusing on people, processes, and technology.
• Establishes governance and organizational roles.
• Improves investment decision transparency.
• Coordinates with the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and all other state NHS NBIS bridge and pavement owners.

The team streamlined communication, implemented improvements, and identified future enhancements while meeting an aggressive schedule. The December 2022 TAMP also incorporated new federal requirements regarding extreme weather and resilience within lifecycle cost and risk management analysis.

In 2024, the team assisted NJDOT in its annual consistency review to demonstrate progress in asset management objectives and investment strategy alignment. Additionally, the Bureau of Structural Evaluation and Bridge Management uses the TAMP as part of the NHPP target-setting process.