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PRINCETON, N.J. (CBS/AP) ― Less than a month after suffering serious injuries in a car crash, Gov. Jon S. Corzine on Sunday was preparing to return to work.

Corzine broke his leg, 11 ribs, his collarbone and sternum in the crash, but told The Associated Press on Saturday he planned to resume gubernatorial duties on Monday.

"We're prepared on Monday to take back the constitutional responsibilities of the governor," Corzine said. "I had a review by my doctors in conjunction with our lawyers to make sure we're in position to take on those roles. Everybody's in concurrence."

The Democratic governor met with staff on Friday to prepare for his return.

"I gave them a few suggestions, so they might be upset about it, but other than that, I think we're ready to roll," Corzine said.

Corzine will work from Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton, where he is undergoing rehabilitation. Exercise equipment has been installed in the mansion's second-floor living area and the outdoor pool will be heated to help with Corzine's therapy.

"It's stressful in the leg, but they're working very hard to get my flexibility back," Corzine said. "I can now ride a bike and do 360 degrees on that bike, able to walk up and down the stairs with crutches of course. I can walk around the grounds, not a speed demon, but we're able to do things that make it possible to work and work here at Drumthwacket."

The governor is expected to use videoconferencing to communicate with staff at the Statehouse, 10 miles south in Trenton.

Corzine's return means Richard J. Codey, acting governor since Corzine's accident, will return solely to his Senate president duties.

Corzine spent 18 days in a Camden hospital, much of it in intensive care.

He underwent three surgeries on his leg and needed to use a ventilator to breathe for more than a week. He was released from the hospital on Monday.

Corzine's SUV was traveling at 91 mph in a 65 mph zone just north of Atlantic City, heading to a meeting at the governor's mansion in Princeton, when the crash happened.

The meeting was with just-fired radio show host Don Imus and the members of the Rutgers women's basketball team, about racially insensitive comments made by Imus.

The crash happened when the governor's SUV was clipped by a pickup truck and slammed into a guard rail. The pickup had swerved to avoid another vehicle that was trying to get out of the way of the governor's vehicle.

Corzine wasn't wearing his seat belt, as required by state law, but he voluntarily paid a $46 fine and apologized to the state.

Corzine conceded he won't be able to do ceremonial events as governor while he's recovering at the governor's mansion, but said he'll get plenty done.

"I can focus on policy priorities, and that will be fun," Corzine said.

Still, Corzine said he'll have to balance work with recovering.

"It will be important that I discipline myself, husbanding my energies, making sure I eat and do the things that both the therapists and doctors want me to do, stay to those regimens, but I don't have any concern about us being able to do that," he said. "I think it can be done. I think I'll heal. I think I'll be as strong as I was hopefully by the end of the year, and I don't think it's going to take that long for the public to see me walking and moving around."

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)