Did you know that 624 bridges in New Jersey are “structurally deficient,” including the Pulaski Skyway the 222-year old Stony Brook Bridge in Princeton, and there’s no money to fix them? Our award-winning January 2015 cover story “Why Jersey Roads Suck” by Associate Editor Breanne McCarthy explains how the state’s Transportation Trust Fund dried up.
Read on for some of our best reporting from the past year on issues impacting New Jerseyans, including the explosion of e-cigarette lounges throughout the state and the controversial pipeline planned for the protected Pinelands region.
1. Why Jersey Roads Suck
Photo by George Steinmetz
January 2015: Dense population centers, aging infrastructure and a failing transportation fund have put New Jersey on the brink of disaster. By Breanne McCarthy
2. Freedom’s Path: The Underground Railroad in NJ
Photo by Kathy Moore
February 2015: Fraught with peril, the Underground Railroad was a route out of bondage for untold numbers of escaped slaves. By Patricia Weigold Fiaschetti
3. Mean Streets, Sensitive Cops: Camden’s New Guard
Photo by Matthew Wright
February 2015: In Camden, a new county police force aims to connect with the people it is supposed to protect. By Nick DiUlio
4. The Governor at 80
Portrait by Daniel Adel
April 2015: His gentlemanly style of politics may be out of favor, but 25 years after leaving office, Tom Kean is still intent on making a difference. By Kevin Coyne
5. Hanging with the Vapers
Photo by Joe Polillio
May 2015: E-cigarettes, once simply a means to quit smoking, have spawned a new culture, with meeting places, collectible pipes and a rainbow of fruity flavors. By Caren Chesler
6. Unwanted Guests: Invasive Species Infiltrate the Garden State
Photo by Fred Conrad
July 2015: A plague of invasive plants, animals and creepy-crawly things is crowding out Jersey’s natural species. The state spends millions to stop the destruction, but the exotic invaders keep coming. By Anthony DePalma
7. Raking In the Shore’s Crystal Bounty
Photo by Paul Bartholomew
September 2015: The Cape May Sea Salt Company, the latest project from project-loving chef Lucas Manteca, is turning Jersey ocean water into fine salt that aims to be “sensual.” By Diane Stopyra
8. Storm Without End: Sandy Three Years Later
Photo by Matt Furman
October 2015: Three years after Sandy struck New Jersey, those devastated by the hurricane continue to grapple with lost homes and red tape. By Matthew McGrath
9. Pinelands Predicament
Photo by Matthew Wright
November 2015: A proposed natural gas pipeline through just 10 miles of protected land has ignited protest and political intrigue in South Jersey. By Nick DiUlio
10. Terminal Case: The End of Volunteer First Aid
Photo by Erik Rank
December 2015: Has New Jersey’s long-standing tradition of volunteer first aid reached the end of its life span? By Peg Rosen