A Chris Christie appointee who’s been blamed for significant transportation problems in New Jersey is stepping down, but it has nothing to do with Bridgegate. James Weinstein, who has been executive director of New Jersey Transit since 2010, announced on Tuesday that he’s resigning effective March 2. He’ll be replaced by Veronique Hakim, the executive director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Weinstein offered no reason for his departure, but he’s been criticized for storing trains and other equipment in low-lying railyards during Hurricane Sandy. The flooding that ensued caused $120 million worth of damage to NJ Transit’s fleet. This month, the first “mass-transit Super Bowl” turned into an embarrassment when twice as many Super Bowl spectators as projected tried to take NJ Transit. While fans were stuck at the stadium for hours, Weinstein reiterated in his resignation letter that the system moved a record number of people “safely and securely, which was our number one goal.”
