HARRISBURG – The special commission formed by Gov. Edward G. Rendell to examine the funding crisis plaguing Pennsylvania’s highway and transit systems is reaching out to the public for input before it develops recommendations later this fall.
“Our public transportation and state highway and bridge systems are in a financial crisis,” the commission said in an opening statement of a summary report. “If not solved, this crisis will result in major service reductions across the commonwealth.We must quickly make critical decisions on how to address both highway and transit system needs.”
The Transportation Funding and Reform Commission has produced a short report dimensioning the funding dilemma and containing a number of optional reforms to reduce funding needs, plus a series of funding mechanisms.
The commission chairman, PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler, said the nine-member panel wants to hear from the people of Pennsylvania as it prepares its final report, due to the governor and the Legislature Nov. 15.
Six listening sessions are planned for September around the state.
“Public input will be crucial to the success of our mission,” Biehler said.“Giving people a sense of where we stand and where we need to go in dealing with transportation operations and funding will lay the groundwork for potential solutions.”
Listening sessions are scheduled for:
·Erie – Avalon Hotel and Conference Center, 19 W. 10th St., Sept. 11.
·Pittsburgh – Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 Sixth Str., Sept. 12.
·State College – Ramada Conference Center, 1450 S. Atherton St., Sept. 13.
·Scranton – Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel, 700 Lackawanna Ave., Sept. 14.
·Philadelphia – Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, The ACP Building, 190 N. Independence Mall West, Sept. 15.
·Harrisburg– Hilton Harrisburg, One North Second St., Sept. 18.
All sessions will run from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. To schedule a time to speak at one of the sessions, call 717-214-7700.
Rendell created the commission in February 2005 when he announced his emergency plan to stave off a financial crisis for public transit and make additional investments in highways and bridges. The plan flexed $412 million in federal transportation money to 16 transit agencies in 24 counties and made an additional $530 million available for highway and bridge projects.
Copies of the commission’s preliminary findings report are available online at www.dot.state.pa.us/tfrc.