--- description: Port Authority says it's sorry, months after lane closures that jeopardized the New Jersey governor's political future title: Chris Christie Bridgegate Scandal: Port Authority Apologizes image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [2016 Election](/tag/2016-election/) ## 2016 Election Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Agency at Center of Christie Bridge Scandal Apologizes by [Dan Hirschhorn](/author/dan-hirschhorn/) ## Dan Hirschhorn Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 19, 2014 9:11 PM CUT by [Dan Hirschhorn](/author/dan-hirschhorn/) ## Dan Hirschhorn Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 19, 2014 9:11 PM CUT The agency that oversaw lane closures leading to a busy bridge last year — and which [ensnared New Jersey Gov. Chris ](http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/08/chris-christie-gets-caught-in-traffic/ "undefined")[Christie](http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/08/chris-christie-gets-caught-in-traffic/ "undefined")[ in a political scandal](http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/08/chris-christie-gets-caught-in-traffic/ "undefined") in the process — formally [apologized](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/nyregion/port-authority-apologizes-for-bridge-lane-closings.html "undefined") to commuters on Wednesday. David Samson, who chairs the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, issued the apology during an agency board meeting, the New York _Times_ reports, more than five months after lane closures on the George Washington Bridge snarled traffic in a north Jersey town, and at a time when Christie is trying to put the scandal that ensued behind him. “On behalf of the board of commissioners, we are deeply sorry for inconvenience caused to our travelers,” Samson said. Referring to officials who resigned last year as questions were raised about whether the lane closures were politically motivated, Samson added: “I cannot allow this agency to be mischaracterized by the actions of a few individuals.” Christie, a leading 2016 Republican presidential contender, saw his political future thrown into doubt earlier this year when documents emerged showing that aides had plotted to close the lanes leading from Fort Lee to the bridge in an apparent political payback after the town’s mayor declined to back Christie’s reelection campaign. The lane closures turned Fort Lee into a veritable parking lot for days. Christie [apologized](http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/09/apologetic-chris-christie-on-bridge-flap-i-am-not-a-bully/ "undefined"), fired a top aide and said he never knew of the plot. [State lawmakers](http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/16/lawmakers-launch-probe-of-christie-bridge-scandal/ "undefined") and [federal authorities](http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/09/feds-set-to-investigate-christie-bridge-scandal/ "undefined") are investigating the matter. The scandal briefly [reignited](http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/31/chris-christie-bridgegate-new-jersey-scandal-fort-lee-david-wildstein/ "undefined") late last month when a former Christie ally said “evidence exists” that Christie knew of the lane closures sooner than he maintained, something Christie has denied. \[[_New York Times_](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/nyregion/port-authority-apologizes-for-bridge-lane-closings.html "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/8593/chris-christie-bridgegate-2016-port-authority-apology/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/8593/chris-christie-bridgegate-2016-port-authority-apology/"},"headline":"Agency at Center of Christie Bridge Scandal Apologizes","datePublished":"2014-02-19T21:11:03.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T07:26:52.795Z","description":"Port Authority says it's sorry, months after lane closures that jeopardized the New Jersey governor's political future","url":"https://time.com/8593/chris-christie-bridgegate-2016-port-authority-apology/","keywords":["2016 Election","2016 Election topic","Chris Christie","New Jersey","Bridgegate"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Dan Hirschhorn","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/dan-hirschhorn/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/2016-election/","name":"2016 Election"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/8593/chris-christie-bridgegate-2016-port-authority-apology/","name":"Agency at Center of Christie Bridge Scandal Apologizes"}}]}] ```