Sen. Menendez Calls On Congress To Approve Funding For Federal Highway Trust Fund

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- There could be big trouble for a lot of road and bridge projects if the U.S. Congress doesn't come up with the funding by next month.

As WCBS 880's Levon Putney reported, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) is ringing the alarm.

"Just look around you, examples of our infrastructure deficit are all around us," the senator said.

Listen to Sen. Menendez Calls On Congress To Approve Funding For Federal Highway Trust Fund

Menendez said if they cannot get Congress to fund the Federal Highway Trust Fund, "We will be paralyzed."

As for summer maintenance, "Any project that's under way will totally stop because there will be no federal funds that will flow to it," Menendez said.

"Recently, Amtrak's president said there is less than 20-year operational life left in these 100-year-old tunnels," said Ray Poccino.

Poccino is head of New Jersey's laborers union. He wants jobs in building a new trans-Hudson rail tunnel, but said the old system will go slower and needs more costly repairs as years go by.

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