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NJ Governor picks Priya Jain as transportation commissioner
The Governor has tapped the infrastructure expert for transit overhaul.
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Anushka Pathak - Fri, 30, Jan 2026
- 16:24 EST
- 19
Priya Jain / Courtesy: LinkedIn
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill nominated Indian American civil engineer Priya Jain as commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Jain will lead efforts to repair deteriorating infrastructure, reduce commute times, streamline permitting, and expand transit access across the state.
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The nomination signals a push to accelerate project delivery and modernize the state’s transportation system. The administration has identified major priorities, including continued work on the Gateway Tunnel project, preparations for America’s 250th anniversary, and transportation planning linked to the FIFA World Cup.
“I am thrilled to announce Priya Jain as my nominee for Commissioner of the Department of Transportation,” Sherrill said, adding that Jain has led major transportation projects across New Jersey and globally and understands how to deliver complex infrastructure from the ground up.
Sherrill said the administration aims to reduce delays, repair aging roads and bridges, expand bus services, and continue progress on the Gateway Project by cutting through bureaucratic barriers.
Jain is a Morris County resident with experience managing large-scale transportation and infrastructure programs in New Jersey, nationally, and internationally. Under the proposed structure, she will work closely with Kris Kolluri, who serves as chief executive officer and president of NJ Transit and executive director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
Kolluri welcomed the nomination, saying, “Governor Sherrill is taking a different approach to transportation in the Garden State, and Priya is the perfect choice to help us reach those goals.” He said priorities include reducing delays, improving communication with riders, speeding project approvals, and preparing for upcoming national and international events.
Jain said she plans to prioritize safety, reliability, and access if confirmed. “I am honored to be nominated as the next Commissioner of the Department of Transportation,” she said. “New Jerseyans rely on our transit systems each and every day, and as Commissioner, I plan to work closely with the Governor in order to reduce commute times, make our roads and bridges safer, and improve access to transit all across the state.”
She said efforts will focus on cutting permitting delays, advancing the Gateway Tunnel, expanding transit access in South Jersey, and repairing aging infrastructure statewide.
The nomination follows Sherrill’s inauguration as New Jersey’s 57th governor on Jan. 20, after her victory in the 2025 election. The appointment awaits confirmation by the State Senate.
Jain's professional experience includes serving most recently as president of the Americas at Mace Consult, previously as executive vice president and chief growth officer at Atlas, senior vice president for sales and strategy at Atkins, and in senior leadership roles at CH2M. Early in her career, she worked on the original ARC Tunnel project in New Jersey.
She serves on the advisory board for civil engineering at the City College of New York and previously served on the foundation board of the International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association. She is also the founder of Prabhat, a nonprofit focused on education access for underprivileged children in rural India and the United States.
Jain holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in physics from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from the University at Buffalo, part of the State University of New York system.
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