The big news this afternoon is that the Federal Highway Administration sent a response to the joint application the Turnpike Commission and Penn DOT filed to toll Interstate 80. The feds had 14 points they wanted answers to, many of which I don’t think there are legitimate answers to. When the amendment to this bill, offered by Vince Fumo, was introduced in the Senate, I said that I did not think that this concept would fit the federal program. I shared with the Republican members, information I got from the Republican House Transportation Committee staff and Minority Chairman Rick Geist. I was ridiculed for providing the information. This set back voting on this bill for about a week and a half as more members started to look at the issue and see that it may not work. Of course, the transportation bill, known as Act 44, was bad public policy for a host of other reasons. We were then totally unprepared to present a transportation package and we still are totally unprepared to present a transportation package. Penn DOT has a huge budget and they have been widely criticized for numerous things and nothing has changed. Despite all of the studies and news reports, no real change has occurred and to my knowledge, none is planned. This is a very disappointing situation that is so important to our citizens and our economy, doesn’t anyone see this?
- John
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