Feds Reject I-80 Tolling Plan
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
Governor Ed Rendell says he will call a special session of the General Assembly to address transportation funding following the federal government’s refusal to allow Pennsylvania to toll Interstate 80.
Tuesday's decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation to deny Pennsylvania’s application to toll I-80 will significantly reduce transportation funding, Rendell said.
"We have to deal with the fallout of this decision; there is no way that we can just do nothing," Rendell said. "I’m going to call a special session of the legislature to address our transportation challenges. We’ll look at every option on the table. This is a dire situation with significant consequences."
He said he'll meet with Legislative leaders to decide on a time for the special session.
One of those leaders, Lt. Governor and Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, said he's pleased with the decision by the highway administration, but agrees that lawmakers need to do something to address transportation needs.
“While this decision is meaningful, it does nothing to solve the current demand to fund our rapidly deteriorating roads and bridges,” Scarnati said. “As I have stated time and time again, citizens can argue on how best to solve our infrastructure issues…no one can argue that a crisis exists.”
State House Minority Leader Sam Smith said his caucus will participate in the special session because it provides an opportunity to focus on the transportation issue.
“House Republicans have long advocated long-term funding solutions which include public-private partnerships, cost-cutting measures, ensuring adequate local funding, requiring transit riders to pay their fair share, and considering competitive contracting to help contain costs into the future," Smith said.
Act 44 of 2007 called for the tolling of I-80 and additional revenue from the Pennsylvania Turnpike to provide $532 million per year for road and bridge repairs and $414 million per year for public transit agencies across the state.
Without I-80 toll revenues, funding for roads and bridges will be cut by about $300 million per year. This means PennDOT will not be able to repair about 100 bridges and 300 miles of roads each year. Funding for 73 public transit systems that provide more than 400 million rides a year to residents in all 67 counties will drop by $160 million per year, resulting in service cuts and fewer capital improvement projects.
“It is clear that the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood followed the letter of the law in making this decision,” said Congressman Glenn Thompson. “Act 44 never met the criteria set by the federal law. This is the third time FHWA has turned down the application, and we can only hope the third time is the charm, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Governor and leaders in Harrisburg will get realistic about the Commonwealth’s transportation future.”
Thompson said the decision is a victory for the people of Pennsylvania, but the battle is far from over.
"Thanks to Act 44 the Turnpike Commission is up to its eyeballs in debt because of the borrowing done based on the premise that I-80 would be tolled. In light of this announcement, I call on our legislative leaders in Harrisburg and all members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation—including those seven who sit on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to come together to find viable and sustainable solutions to our highway and transit funding," Thompson said.
"Moving forward, it would be beneficial if our federal legislators would work with the General Assembly and the Administration in satisfying funding demands,” Scarnati said. “Unfortunately, their involvement did not take place until state legislation was already enacted. We need more federal dollars and we need active participants with solutions, not those federal officials looking for popular headlines.”
“This measure by the Federal Highway Administration is appropriate, but now the work to provide a more sound funding mechanism for our roads and bridges must commence,” Scarnati said.
State Representative Marty Causer said he believes the Federal Highway Administration made the right decision, but he also said lawmakers now need to find a way to fund transportation needs.
"The idea of using the revenue generated from tolling I-80 to fund transportation projects and mass transit in other parts of the state never did make sense," Causer said. "I am not at all surprised federal officials rejected it.
"If tolling had been approved, it would have imposed an unfair burden on individuals and businesses all along the I-80 corridor. I believe rural Pennsylvania is already shortchanged on the amount of road and bridge funds it receives," Causer said.
State Representative Matt Gabler said "This will certainly be very beneficial to the jobs and the businesses and it will really get our economy going again."
Gabler also said he doesn't think the turnpike commission should submit another application.
"As it is in baseball, where three strikes end a player's at-bat, this third failed attempt at tolling Interstate 80 should bring an end to the senseless waste of taxpayer resources that has been poured into the two previous endeavors."
Information gleaned from news releases sent by the offices of Rendell, Thompson, Scarnati, Smith, Causer and Gabler as well as previous reports on the matter.
WESB/WBRR News Director
Governor Ed Rendell says he will call a special session of the General Assembly to address transportation funding following the federal government’s refusal to allow Pennsylvania to toll Interstate 80.
Tuesday's decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation to deny Pennsylvania’s application to toll I-80 will significantly reduce transportation funding, Rendell said.
"We have to deal with the fallout of this decision; there is no way that we can just do nothing," Rendell said. "I’m going to call a special session of the legislature to address our transportation challenges. We’ll look at every option on the table. This is a dire situation with significant consequences."
He said he'll meet with Legislative leaders to decide on a time for the special session.
One of those leaders, Lt. Governor and Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, said he's pleased with the decision by the highway administration, but agrees that lawmakers need to do something to address transportation needs.
“While this decision is meaningful, it does nothing to solve the current demand to fund our rapidly deteriorating roads and bridges,” Scarnati said. “As I have stated time and time again, citizens can argue on how best to solve our infrastructure issues…no one can argue that a crisis exists.”
State House Minority Leader Sam Smith said his caucus will participate in the special session because it provides an opportunity to focus on the transportation issue.
“House Republicans have long advocated long-term funding solutions which include public-private partnerships, cost-cutting measures, ensuring adequate local funding, requiring transit riders to pay their fair share, and considering competitive contracting to help contain costs into the future," Smith said.
Act 44 of 2007 called for the tolling of I-80 and additional revenue from the Pennsylvania Turnpike to provide $532 million per year for road and bridge repairs and $414 million per year for public transit agencies across the state.
Without I-80 toll revenues, funding for roads and bridges will be cut by about $300 million per year. This means PennDOT will not be able to repair about 100 bridges and 300 miles of roads each year. Funding for 73 public transit systems that provide more than 400 million rides a year to residents in all 67 counties will drop by $160 million per year, resulting in service cuts and fewer capital improvement projects.
“It is clear that the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood followed the letter of the law in making this decision,” said Congressman Glenn Thompson. “Act 44 never met the criteria set by the federal law. This is the third time FHWA has turned down the application, and we can only hope the third time is the charm, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Governor and leaders in Harrisburg will get realistic about the Commonwealth’s transportation future.”
Thompson said the decision is a victory for the people of Pennsylvania, but the battle is far from over.
"Thanks to Act 44 the Turnpike Commission is up to its eyeballs in debt because of the borrowing done based on the premise that I-80 would be tolled. In light of this announcement, I call on our legislative leaders in Harrisburg and all members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation—including those seven who sit on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to come together to find viable and sustainable solutions to our highway and transit funding," Thompson said.
"Moving forward, it would be beneficial if our federal legislators would work with the General Assembly and the Administration in satisfying funding demands,” Scarnati said. “Unfortunately, their involvement did not take place until state legislation was already enacted. We need more federal dollars and we need active participants with solutions, not those federal officials looking for popular headlines.”
“This measure by the Federal Highway Administration is appropriate, but now the work to provide a more sound funding mechanism for our roads and bridges must commence,” Scarnati said.
State Representative Marty Causer said he believes the Federal Highway Administration made the right decision, but he also said lawmakers now need to find a way to fund transportation needs.
"The idea of using the revenue generated from tolling I-80 to fund transportation projects and mass transit in other parts of the state never did make sense," Causer said. "I am not at all surprised federal officials rejected it.
"If tolling had been approved, it would have imposed an unfair burden on individuals and businesses all along the I-80 corridor. I believe rural Pennsylvania is already shortchanged on the amount of road and bridge funds it receives," Causer said.
State Representative Matt Gabler said "This will certainly be very beneficial to the jobs and the businesses and it will really get our economy going again."
Gabler also said he doesn't think the turnpike commission should submit another application.
"As it is in baseball, where three strikes end a player's at-bat, this third failed attempt at tolling Interstate 80 should bring an end to the senseless waste of taxpayer resources that has been poured into the two previous endeavors."
Information gleaned from news releases sent by the offices of Rendell, Thompson, Scarnati, Smith, Causer and Gabler as well as previous reports on the matter.
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