BELLEFONTE, Pa. – On Tuesday, U.S. Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson, and members of the Pennsylvania Delegation requested an in-person meeting with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to discuss Pennsylvania’s plans to toll bridges throughout the Commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Major Bridge Public-Private Partnership (P3) Initiative aims to establish tolls on nine bridges across the Commonwealth, including two sites located in Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District. The Members of Congress have repeatedly expressed concerns with PennDOT that the proposals will place a new tax on drivers and will create several safety issues for local municipalities.
“While there is no doubt that Pennsylvania requires a reliable funding mechanism to maintain and replace existing infrastructure, this plan remains wildly unpopular with the public, transportation industry stakeholders, and the very legislative body that authorized the creation of the P3 Board,” the Representatives wrote.
Over the past year, Rep. Thompson has cited a lack of transparency from PennDOT during this process. Moreover, Rep. Thompson learned in a December 2021 meeting with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that PennDOT submitted paperwork expressing interest in receiving more than $5 billion in federally secured bonds for the projects. At the conclusion of the meeting, it was recommended by FHWA officials that Rep. Thompson seek an in-person meeting with Secretary Buttigieg to discuss the federal financing necessary to complete PennDOT’s tolling plans.
“It was announced last week that Pennsylvania is scheduled to receive more than $1.6 billion to fix more than 3,000 bridges, presenting a windfall for PennDOT. Yet, PennDOT remains hellbent on tolling bridges, despite concerns over the safety and economics of their plan. Pennsylvania is still cleaning up the messes left behind from the failed attempts to toll Interstate 80 more than a decade ago, now is certainly not the time to create new problems for the Commonwealth,” said Rep. Thompson.
Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, Fred Keller, Dan Meuser, and John Joyce joined Rep. Thompson in seeking a meeting with Secretary Buttigieg.
Read the Member’s request here.
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