Meanwhile, the AAA Mid-Atlantic auto club, which represents motorists in the region, wants the economic development money spent only on transportation projects.
In a letter Monday to the DRPA, AAA said the funds "should be used for projects that benefit the motorists who pay tolls every day."
The DRPA, which operates four toll bridges and the PATCO commuter rail line, has put off a decision on the leftover money for more than a year.
The DRPA finance committee is expected to recommend this month to the full DRPA board what to do with the money. Jeff Nash, the Camden County freeholder who chairs the committee, said he would advocate returning much of the money to cover transportation-related spending.
"The DRPA intends to focus on projects relating to its core mission, transportation across the Delaware River," Nash said Monday. "I suspect that while some projects may be funded, some of the projects may be canceled and used for transportation capital or to pay back past debt."
Under the terms set when it was borrowed, the money cannot be used for operating expenses of the DRPA but could be used to reduce debt or for capital projects, such as bridge repairs.
Most of the $29.2 million was designated for economic-development projects over the last two years but has not been contractually obligated for those projects.
Economic-development spending over the last 14 years has been a source of much controversy - and considerable expense - for the DRPA.
The agency has spent about $500 million for such things as concert halls, sports stadiums, museums, and monuments, contributing to its $1.4 billion debt and prompting criticism by Gov. Christie and others for its spending priorities. More than 40 percent of commuters' tolls on DRPA toll bridges now goes to pay principal and interest on those debts.
