This year the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) celebrates the 50th Anniversary of its creation!

Originally established as the New Jersey State Highway Department (NJSHD), the New Jersey Legislature passed the Transportation Act that created NJDOT in 1966. In doing so, NJDOT was the first State transportation agency to be established in concert with the creation of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).

The Transportation Act combined the NJSHD and the Bureau of Aeronautics (transferred from the Department of Conservation and Economic Development) and established the Commuter Operating Agency (COA) to provide commuter rail services. The New Jersey Department of Transportation would be a multimodal agency by integrating various modes of transportation.

David J. Goldberg was the first Commissioner to lead this new Department. Under the Transportation Act, NJDOT's responsibilities were to:

• develop and maintain a comprehensive master plan for transportation development.
• develop and promote programs to foster efficient and economical public transportation services in the state.
• prepare plans for preservation and improvement of the commuter railroad system.
• develop plans for more efficient public transportation service by bus operators and facilitate more effective coordination between bus services and other forms of public transportation, particularly the commuter railroads.
• cooperate with interstate commissions and authorities, state agencies, appropriate federal agencies and interested private individuals and organizations in the coordination of plans and policies for the development of air commerce and facilities.
• absorb the functions of the Bureau of Aeronautics.