The county paid to repair one project after motorists complained of flat tires from stalled construction.
PATERSON -- Passaic County has filed notice that it intends to sue the state over road projects that have stalled as the Transportation Trust Fund debate continues in Trenton.
The tort claim filed last month by county counsel William Pascrell III alleges the state breached its contract to provide funding for eight projects.
The projects include the $14 million replacement of the Eighth Avenue Bridge between the City of Passaic and Wallington, $2.5 million in repairs to the Spruce Street Avenue Bridge over the Passaic River and millions to repave streets in numerous municipalities.
The replacement of the Eighth Avenue Bridge between Passaic and Wallington is one of the many projects stalled due to the TTF stalemate. The $330,000 repaving of Central Avenue in Passaic had started the day before the project was halted due to the governor freezing all TTF projects.
After some drivers reported getting flat tires from elevated manholes and inlets, the county completed the project using their own funds in early August, County Spokesman Keith Furlong said.
The notice to file suit also states that the county may sue for any demobilization and reassembly costs tied to the TTF shutdown.
"The longer that communities wait for a solution to the Transportation Trust Fund the more dangerous our roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure become," said State Assemblyman Gary Schaer in a statement. "And this doesn't account for the damage being done to our economy by leaving construction crews without work."
Last month, Union and Hudson Counties filed similar notices of claim that they intended to sue the state over stalled TTF projects.
Earlier this week, NJ Advance Media reported that the Governor and the legislature were considering $1.3 billion in tax cuts to resolve the impasse over transportation funding.
Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.