Stephen Dougherty, Executive Director, South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA)

In an interview with Invest:, Stephen Dougherty, executive director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA), discussed the organization’s efforts to modernize infrastructure and enhance regional connectivity. “Our focus is on improving efficiency, safety, and sustainability while supporting economic growth,” he said.

What have been some recent milestones for the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA)?

The first major milestone was achieving our largest year of revenue for our toll road, the Atlantic City Expressway. This is exciting as it allows us to fund current projects and operations while also advancing new initiatives. Our traffic was exceptionally strong, partly due to a mild winter with minimal snow and inclement weather. This favorable weather led to increased traffic heading toward beaches and shore areas, which was beneficial for our business. Throughout the summer, we also saw high traffic volumes. This was likely due to a combination of a strong national, state, and regional economy, which encouraged people to use their discretionary income to visit shore points, including Atlantic City, Cape May County, and North on the Garden State Parkway. It was a profitable summer for us.

On the development side, we kicked off three significant projects. The first is our all-electronic tolling project, which will eliminate cash collection on the expressway. Currently, we have two mainline barriers and automated coin machines on ramps for cash collection. Later this year, we will transition to all-electronic tolling. Approximately 90% of our customers who use E-ZPass will see no change, while the remaining 10% who use cash will receive bills in the mail. This transition will improve convenience, efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability by reducing carbon emissions. We are carefully scheduling construction to minimize disruptions, especially during the busy summer months, which we refer to as our “100 days of summer” from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

The second major project is the widening of the expressway by 13 miles in each direction. We are adding a third lane on the western and eastern end, which will complete the expressway with three lanes in both directions for its entire length. We are currently finalizing the design and expect to break ground in 2026 or 2027. This project, costing over $200 million, will enhance efficiency for our customers.

The third project is a partnership with the Delaware River Port Authority and NJ Transit to construct the Glassboro-Camden Light Rail Line in Camden and Gloucester Counties. The South Jersey Transportation Authority has committed over $200 million to this project, $50 million already spent on preliminary engineering, design work, property acquisition, and utility relocation. This 18-mile light rail system will connect Camden, which is undergoing significant revitalization, to Glassboro, home to Rowan University.

Rowan has grown to nearly 25,000 students today, making this project an exciting opportunity for young people to stay in New Jersey, receive a quality education, and contribute to the region’s economic growth. We are proud to be part of these projects, which aim to improve service, grow the economy, and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors.

What is the current state of the transportation industry in New Jersey?

We have seen significant financial support and funding from Washington through the Build America and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. New Jersey has received substantial funding to invest in infrastructure, and many projects are moving forward. We work closely with other transportation agencies, including the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, NJ Transit, and the Delaware River Port Authority. Collaboration is key, as our projects often impact these agencies. By coordinating efforts, we can minimize disruptions and improve efficiency.

One challenge is catching up on projects that were delayed due to funding shortages. For example, our all-electronic tolling project has been in the works for over a decade, but we only secured funding after a toll increase in 2020. Cash collection on toll roads is now obsolete, similar to elevator operators or milk delivery services. Essentially, we are utilizing 2015 technology, not 2025. So, while we are excited about this project, it highlights the need for continued investment to modernize our infrastructure.

Another challenge is balancing the many needs of our transportation network. We must prioritize projects that provide the greatest benefit to our customers and the region. For example, we own and operate the Atlantic City International Airport, which saw over 1 million passengers in 2024. We are working to expand air service, partnering with Spirit Airlines and American Airlines. American Airlines offers a unique bus service from Atlantic City International to Philadelphia International Airport, providing a seamless connection to over 90 destinations. This service is highly efficient, with less than a 5-minute wait time for TSA security, compared to longer waits at other airports. We are seeing growth in inbound travel, which is exciting as it brings more visitors to the area. We are also exploring ways to balance this service with traditional air travel to maximize convenience for our customers. 

What opportunities do you see for public-private partnerships to expand or enhance the scope of SJTA services?

Earlier this year, the state of New Jersey passed a law allowing for design-build projects in transportation. We have a couple of projects that we think, in the future, will be able to utilize that law to get a few new projects completed. Regardless, at the end of the day, I think that will provide new services and new projects more efficiently and, hopefully, at a lower cost. Now, to be able to have that as a possibility or an option, it mutually benefits us as well as the traveling public.

And, as mentioned before, we are going to all-electronic tolling as 90% of our patrons utilize E-ZPass on the road, where they do not have to stop to pay a toll. We are hoping, and we are seeing some continued growth there. Even a year ago, we were at 88% to 89%. We have seen it go up about a percentage point over the last few years annually, on average. People are finding it more efficient, easier to travel, and it benefits everybody involved. As we continue to see opportunity and growth there, the signage that we put up on the road, our Integrated Toll Services Program, through variable message boards or otherwise, allows us to communicate to the driver in real time, whether it is by email, text message, or physical structures on the road themselves. This allows drivers to know, for example, if there is construction ahead, an accident ahead, or if they should detour. We also work closely with various travel apps like Waze and Google Maps to communicate with our customers and their customers as well. That real-time, live communication is extremely helpful.

Lastly, one of the items we are working on, and recently received an award for, is what we call the BIRD Grant. BIRD is an acronym for Binational Industrial Research and Development. This is a grant in partnership with the BIRD Foundation out of Israel for cybersecurity and airport security-related services. That is a little bit unique to the original point of public-private partnerships but also shows how technology is continuing to advance here and benefit our customers. Obviously, cybersecurity is a serious issue around the country, and the FAA has put in requirements for what systems must be in place. Thankfully, through this grant, we are going to be able to meet those systems, but ultimately, it is also going to provide a better product for us internally with greater security.

What are SJTA’s top priorities for the next two to three years, and what are your aspirations for the system’s role in South Jersey’s transportation network?

There are really three things specifically. On the expressway side, we want to finish our all-electronic tolling project soon. We will break ground soon on the widening project, and we will look for some continued development on the Glassboro-Camden rail line with our sister agencies. At the airport, we always want to continue to grow air service and develop commercial carriers for people looking to visit or travel out of the region. We are also working on two large cargo-related projects. One of which is a 30-acre property located not far from the runway for cargo operations. There is a hangar being built right now that is going to allow for a pilot program to see what the developer is going to be able to produce in the way of bringing in cargo. 

There is another agreement in which we are working with a company out of Los Angeles to develop 400 acres immediately adjacent to our largest runway, a runway of over 10,000 feet, which can land any type of aircraft in the world. By doing so and having our own airspace, we really see some opportunities for cargo development here. We are going through some environmental approvals and staging right now. We are confident that they will be completed soon and we hope to have shovels in the ground before long. Ultimately, it will be about 400 to 430 acres of cargo development, which is exciting. Especially for businesses who normally would have to fly into JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, or Philadelphia, where some of that cargo might have to wait a few days just because of the amount coming in, we see this as an opportunity for some of the items that have a shorter shelf life or are perishable to get to their locations more efficiently and at a cheaper cost. As you can see, we are busy in 2025 and anticipate this flurry of activity to continue for many years to come.