STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Holzapfel, Tiver and Timberlake
SYNOPSIS
Permits certain transportation research contracts to be awarded to private research institutions of higher education and other entities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning transportation research and amending P.L.2019, c.196.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 4 of P.L.2019, c.196 (C.27:1B-21.36) is amended to read as follows:
4. a. The New Jersey Transportation Research Bureau within the Department of Transportation, hereinafter referred to as the bureau, shall serve as a transportation research center for the State.
b. The bureau shall award research contracts to New Jersey public and private research institutions of higher education, or other entities, to conduct the research activities of the bureau. The bureau shall determine whether awarding a research contract to a public or private research institution of higher education or another entity is in the public interest. The award of those research contracts shall be subject to all relevant existing State and federally established public bidding regulations and processes.
c. The bureau shall identify specific areas of transportation expertise [for] of New Jersey public and private research institutions of higher education, and other entities, where all research undertaken by the bureau in that area of expertise is to occur, and shall be subject to all relevant existing State and federally established public bidding regulations and processes.
d. The Commissioner of Transportation shall appoint a manager for the bureau. The duties of the manager shall include but not be limited to:
(1) Administering and operating the bureau;
(2) Overseeing research undertaken by the bureau;
(3) Establishing and maintaining relationships with New Jersey public and private research institutions of higher education and other entities;
(4) Supporting New Jersey public research institutions of higher education in obtaining and maintaining University Transportation Center status under the United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration's University Transportation Center Program; and
(5) Authorizing [competitive bidding for research contracts to include entities in addition to New Jersey public research institutions of higher education, notwithstanding the provisions of subsections b. and c. of this section to the contrary, after making a written determination that the department stands to benefit from additional competition in terms of quality of work product, timeliness of work product delivery, or availability of expertise in one or more specific transportation areas] the bureau to enter into research contracts pursuant to this section.
e. Any contract entered into pursuant to this section shall include a provision that requires research conducted under the contract to consider the transportation and mobility needs of New Jersey residents with physical, sensory, intellectual, and developmental disabilities.
f. For purposes of this section, "entities" [means] shall include, but not be limited to, an entity that is organized as a non-profit organization. "Entities" shall not include a municipal planning organization or a municipal planning organization-related entity, regardless of whether it is organized as a non-profit organization.
(cf: P.L.2023, c.179, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill designates the overpass of Stelton Road at milepost 5.88 of the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate Highway Route 287 as the “Officer Conklin-Officer Cady Memorial Overpass” to honor the memory of Richard H. Conklin and William J. Cady, two South Plainfield police officers who died in the line of duty three years apart on or near this stretch of road.
Consistent with Department of Transportation policy and other road designations, the bill provides that State or other public funds are not to be used for producing, purchasing, or erecting signs bearing the designation for the “Officer Conklin-Officer Cady Memorial Overpass.” The Commissioner of Transportation is authorized to receive financial assistance from private sources for the costs associated with producing, purchasing, erecting, and maintaining signs bearing the designation.