Rep. Dick Stevenson (R-Mercer/Butler) today commended the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for its denial of an application by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to toll Interstate 80. 

“This message illustrates that government officials do listen to the people and can make the right decision,” Stevenson said. “It would have been inherently unfair to allow the tolling and further damage our struggling economy. By denying this application, the FHWA has told the Turnpike Commission that it cannot impose tolls on an area of the state that will not directly benefit from them. Essentially, PennDOT and the Turnpike Commission cannot rely on poor public policy to continue sending money to failing mass transit systems and congested highway systems our residents will never use.” 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) denied the application to toll I-80 as part of the Interstate System Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Pilot Program. This was the second time the PTC submitted its full application. In late 2007, the FHWA returned the proposal seeking additional information, and in September 2008, the application was denied by the Bush administration. 

“In December, my colleagues and I traveled to Washington, D.C. and met with the Federal Highway Administration to convince them that tolling would be further harmful to our struggling economy, and I am pleased we had the chance to tell them face to face the impact of its decision,” Stevenson continued. “Whether the denial was based on a questionable market valuation, the increasingly suspect Turnpike Commission or a failure to appropriately address the strict criteria of the pilot program, the agency evidently understood that there were more reasons to deny the tolling than to approve it. I am pleased the FHWA has not succumbed to the pressures of politics inside the Washington, D.C. Beltway and have really listened to those who will be most affected by this decision.” 

Stevenson noted that although this decision leaves the current budget proposal hundreds of millions of dollars short, this encourages movement on legislation for innovative and collaborative transportation funding solutions like public-private partnerships, also known as P3s.  

He hosted a hearing of the House Republican Policy Committee on P3s today at Grove City College where testimony included the use of P3s in public transit systems. If P3s are to be used in Pennsylvania, millions of dollars federal and state transportation funding could instead be set aside for highway and bridge projects. 

“As we move to the next steps beyond tolling and find a realistic way to fund transportation in Pennsylvania, it is important to think creatively and turn to 21st century solutions for 21st century challenges,” Stevenson said.  

“From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank the many individuals, businesses, local officials and others who have stood strong in our opposition to the tolling, in addition to Congressman Glenn Thompson and others at the federal level who helped us make our case,” he added. “This is tremendous news to our area and to our economy, and I am hopeful the Turnpike Commission received the message loud and clear and finally puts this issue to rest.” 

Rep. Dick Stevenson
8th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(724) 458-4911
(717) 783-6438
Contact: Jennifer Algoe Keaton
jkeaton@pahousegop.com
(717) 705-2094
Member site:  DickStevenson.com
Caucus site:  PAHouseGOP.com