Who Really Controls the PATH? And Remember to Vote by June 10
Note: You may be receiving this newsletter if you recently signed a petition from Hudson County Complete Streets.
Hello neighbor,
Transit isn’t just about trains, it’s about who’s got the power to run them
Over the past month, our campaign for a better PATH has gained support from elected officials, local leaders, and thousands of riders like you. But behind every weekend delay, and every overcrowded platform is a bigger question:
Who’s responsible?
Here’s the truth: If we want better transit, we have to understand how it actually works — and who has the power to fix it.
Remember to Vote by June 10th
New Jersey is holding its first competitive primaries in over 100 years. Primaries will be held for each party’s nomination for Governor and Assembly. In Hudson County, there will be assembly elections for legislative districts 31 (South JC, Bayonne, and Kearny), 32 (north JC, downtown JC, and Hoboken), and 33 (North Hudson).
Getting your vote in is how you make a difference.
1. 🚦 Why the Governor and Assembly Matter for Transit
Here is what’s at stake.
The Governor wholly controls NJ TRANSIT, the Turnpike Authority, and NJ Department of Transportation. The governor appoints the entire boards of these bodies and can exercise additional control by rejecting any month’s board meeting minutes. The Governor could use that power to reject actions that further the $10.7B widening of the Turnpike Extension and direct its board members to instead increase the amount the Turnpike Authority transfers to NJ TRANSIT.
The Port Authority of NY/NJ runs the PATH train. And the Governor of NJ appoints half of the Port Authority board. If either the Governor of NJ or NY is unsatisfied with how the PATH is being run or the funding support that is provided, they could veto the board’s decisions when they fall short.
The State Assembly and Senate control an annual budget of over $55 billion and pass laws that can fund or stall redesigns and improvements to dangerous state roads, to fund more buses and trains, and build protected bike lanes.
2. 🚇 Why the PATH Matters
PATH moves more people into Manhattan than NJ TRANSIT trains to Penn Station, and actually PATH ridership has surpassed NJ TRANSIT rail ridership overall. Yet PATH’s service gets far less funding, oversight, and attention. In March 2025, public transit ridership was:
NJT Buses: 11,364,722
PATH: 5,472,816
NJT Rail: 5,327,012
3. 🗳️ New Jersey Primary Day is June 10th
Vote by June 10th! Your voice matters most when you use it at the ballot box. Early voting has begun and will continue through Sunday.
Together, we’re putting transit on the map.
Remember to vote!
— The Hudson County Complete Streets Team
Upcoming Events
Our online calendar is being updated frequently with community bike rides, socials, street fairs, and more!
Worth Reading or Watching
Get Involved
Join our Slack Workspace!
Sign, forward and share our active campaigns.
Visit our local advocacy groups and reach out to them. We are still looking for local champions in West New York, Guttenberg, and Secaucus.
Make a donation to support our movement!
Around the Hudson
NJ TRANSIT released the Existing Conditions Report for NewBus Hudson.
The West Hudson Circulation Project will study mobility for the west region of the county, which includes Kearny, Harrison, and East Newark.
The Meadowlands District is working on a safety action plan.
Learn more about Newark’s BIKENewark project.
Harrison has released materials for the Harrison Streets for All project plan.
The Greenway is underway. Stay up to date here.