Official: $3 billion needed for Pennsylvania roads (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania has 7,000 miles of roads in “poor” condition, 5,600 “structurally deficient” bridges and insufficient financial resources to fix them, state Transportation Secretary Allen Biehler said yesterday.
“It is just not acceptable,” Biehler told the House Republican Policy Committee.
Yet, the portion of the 40,000 miles of state highways in poor condition is down from 11,000 in 2002, Biehler said. And through the state’s $1 billion “accelerated bridge program” and $400 million in federal stimulus spending last year, PennDOT reduced the number of structurally deficient bridges for the first time in a decade.
Repair and replacement work needed is expected to hit $3 billion, up from $1.6 billion in 2005-06.
Gov. Ed Rendell wants a collective approach from the Legislature heading into a May 3 special session. The federal government recently rejected Pennsylvania’s plan to put tolls on Interstate 80, creating a $470 million hole in the transportation budget.
Rendell said yesterday he plans to speak with state House and Senate leaders this week about transportation funding.
“The only thing that’s not an option is doing nothing,” he said yesterday in Pittsburgh.
Rep. Brad Roae, R-Crawford County, asked Biehler about increasing transit fares across the state, to cover most of the $800 million spent annually for roads and bridges. If a $2 fare increased to $4, it still would be cheaper than owning and operating a car, he said.
But, Biehler cautioned: “Some riders won’t have the means to pay double fares, and that would put more pressure on our roads.”
Port Authority of Allegheny County estimated it lost about 5 percent of its riders in the first three months of 2008 after a 25-cent fare increase and 15 percent service reduction.
David Zazworsky, special consultant to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, recommended raising the cap on the state’s oil company franchise tax, because wholesalers primarily would pay.
James Runk, president of the Pennsylvania Motor Trucking Association, agreed that a gas tax, wholesale tax or motor registration fee increase would be “fair” way to raise money. “We need everybody in Pennsylvania to pony up and pay their fair share,” he said.
Several agencies and interest groups that rely on Act 44, the state’s 2007 transportation funding bill, said the source of its funding isn’t as important as its size and sustainability.
“Predictability is key,” said Port Authority CEO Steve Bland.
“The first thing to do is to change the standard operating procedure, because there’s a lot of waste in it,” said Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Chairman Charlie Camp, a Beaver County commissioner. “Everything requires a lot of review because everything is over-designed, over-built.”
By Brad Bumsted and Matthew Santoni
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
