County officials reported that the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) approved the FY2026'2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and adopted its long-range plan, called "Connecting Communities." County staff said the TIP and long-range plan will move to the NJTPA full board for final action at the next meeting.

As part of the transportation update, the meeting recorded a presentation on freight operations by CSX. Meeting notes state CSX's network reaches about two-thirds of the U.S. population, connects to more than 240 short-line partners and over 70 port terminals, and reported revenue of approximately $14.5 billion in 2024. County leaders framed freight rail as a continuing backbone for moving goods nationwide.

Why it matters: The TIP identifies regional transportation investments and helps prioritize state and federal funding requests. The long-range plan guides transportation priorities across the NJTPA region, and freight statistics underscore the role of rail in local and regional logistics.

The board did not take a separate county vote on the NJTPA actions at the work session; the items were presented as part of a routine regional update and will appear before the NJTPA full board. Officials also noted the county continues local transportation projects tied to regional planning.