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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Joseph Markosek |
  
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House Transportation Chairman calls for expedited action on tolling application
HARRISBURG, Aug. 1 – House Transportation Committee Chairman Joseph Markosek has
appealed to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters
for expedited approval of the cornerstone of Pennsylvania's 2007 transportation
law, Act 44.
Markosek, D-Allegheny/Westmoreland, said federal approval of the state's plan
to toll Interstate 80 is critical to the ability to repair and rebuild the
roadway.
"This is an aging, heavily traveled highway, built in the mid-20th century; it will be an expensive repair project over the next decade," Markosek said. "Without approval of the tolling application, there are no resources to make critical improvements to I-80, other than what can be funded through PennDOT's already strapped resources. The transportation committee explored all plausible avenues towards keeping I-80 safe and operational, and tolling was clearly the most realistic and sustainable mechanism.
"I ask that Secretary Peters recognize the dire consequences resulting from inaction and move quickly on approving the first phase of the application to toll Interstate 80. Until then, on I-80 alone, hundreds of miles of concrete and asphalt and 431 bridges will continue to age as inflation and cuts in federal funding leave transportation projects coming up short."
Markosek said the state plans to design a toll system that will minimize the effect on the local travelers who are a minority of the interstate's users. Most I-80 drivers either operate commercial vehicles or vehicles from outside Pennsylvania. Tolls on I-80 will generate $2.5 billion for additional improvements to I-80 in the next decade, such as pavement reconstruction, resurfacing, safety improvements and bridge reconstruction.
Markosek added that considerable progress has been made to bring the plan to fruition. A traffic and revenue study and a separate engineering survey of I-80 are ongoing. In addition, the turnpike commission has held numerous public hearings on the proposed tolling of I-80 and has also met with all nine planning organizations across the I-80 corridor and throughout the state.
More information on Act 44 and the Federal Highway Administration review process can be found at www.paturnpike.com.
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