Associated Pa. Constructors Reacts to Rejection of I-80 Tolling Plan

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Associated Pennsylvania Constructors, on behalf of the state's highway construction industry, issued the following statement in reaction to the Federal Highway Administration's rejection of the request to place tolls on Interstate 80.

Three and a half years after the governor's Transportation Funding and Reform Commission declared that there is a funding crisis in Pennsylvania, the situation has now become even worse.

By the 2011 construction season, PennDOT's annual lettings will have fallen to $1.5 billion, compared with $2.2 billion as recently as 2008.  The $1.8 billion funding gap identified in 2006 has become significantly larger.  Meanwhile, highway safety deteriorates, traffic increases, congestion worsens and the condition of roads and bridges continues to deteriorate.

Pennsylvania's opportunity for economic recovery and growth and the creation of jobs are dead in the water without a transportation system that safely and efficiently accommodates the movement of materials, products and people throughout the state.  

Rejection of the tolling application immediately makes this one of the top issues in the campaigns for governor, General Assembly, Congress and U.S. Senate.  It is time to stop talking about how not to fund our transportation infrastructure and to start developing a comprehensive solution.  

APC is a trade association consisting of more than 400 members that include contractors, consulting engineers, material suppliers, manufacturers, and others with an interest in Pennsylvania's road and bridge construction industry. The association has been serving the industry for more than 80 years and represents the majority of active highway contractors in the state.

SOURCE Associated Pennsylvania Constructors