TRENTON -- New Jersey voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment dedicating gas tax proceeds to transportation projects, locking in more than $1 billion a year in new revenue from the recently enacted 23 cent gas tax.

The referendum passed despite a late revolt against the once-virtually uncontested question that passed the Legislature with just one "no" vote and had the support of Gov. Chris Christie.

On its face, ballot question 2 asked voters to protect the new revenue from future raids, ensuring it goes to road, bridge and mass transit projects. It also protects some existing revenues not already constitutionally dedicated. Less obvious is that it also allows the state to finance $12 billion for transportation.

The state expects to collect $1.16 billion a year from the new gasoline tax, $31.1 million a year from increased taxes on non-motor fuels, and $39.6 million a year from a diesel surcharge.

That dedication will prevent governors or legislatures from diverting the revenues each year, and instead provide a steady stream of revenue to finance an eight-year, $16 billion transportation program that includes $12 billion in borrowing and $500 million a year in pay-as-you-go spending.

Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson), who pushed the amendment, has said it would give New Jerseyans confidence their tax dollars are being spent as promised.

"This is something for the voters to make sure ... you cannot take this money and buy drapes with it," he said.

Conservative radio and a handful of Republican lawmakers seeking to overturn the gas tax increase fought the measure, urging New Jerseyans to vote no, sink the state's borrowing plans and force Trenton back to the drawing board.

Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, in a rare break from Christie, had argued the ballot question concealed that voters were also authorizing billions in borrowing for the Transportation Trust Fund.

"Many well-intentioned voters, thinking they are only creating a lockbox, will unknowingly detonate a debt bomb by voting yes," Guadagno said. "They should understand the full effect of their actions."

Voting down the ballot question, she had said, would spark a debate on reforming "our system of taxing and spending."

Proponents said that kind of messaging served only to sow confusion among voters.

"If people vote 'no' next Tuesday, (the gas tax increase) does not unhappen. It's still there," Greg Lalevee, chairman of the Engineers Labor-Employer Cooperative said earlier. "Absolutely I think that anger has been tapped and some very slick people who have a lot of air time are conflating issues. This does not in anyway repeal the tax."

Christie, who signed the gasoline tax hike, was in support of the amendment. His office, disagreeing with Guadagno, said he found it "hard to believe that the lieutenant governor supports giving an unguarded pot of money to the Democrat-controlled Legislature."

The Engineers Labor Employee Cooperative spent $1.2 million and Forward New Jersey spent more than $667,000 in support of the ballot question, according to the Election Law Enforcement Commission.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.