Joins nine Senators in second letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary

Harrisburg, PA – Wednesday, August 13, 2008, Senator John H. Eichelberger, Jr. along with nine other senators, sent a second letter to United States Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters reiterating their opposition to tolling Interstate 80.  The Senators drafted the letter after the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation resubmitted their application pursuing federal approval for the plan.

“Tolling Interstate 80 is a bad idea for the overall economy of Pennsylvania, for the businesses there now and for the economic development plans of the future,” John says.  “The re-submitted application isn’t any better than the first application.  The proposal still relies on debt to finance the bulk of capital improvement projects on I-80 and studies still show businesses situated along the interstate would face increasing costs of up to $8 million dollars annually.  Pennsylvania is already a business ‘un-friendly’ state and the proposal to convert I-80 into a toll road might as well be another nail in the coffin,” he says.

The Senators are asking Secretary Peters to carefully consider their concerns while reviewing the Commission’s resubmitted application.