HARRISBURG – Legislation that would shut down the current plan to toll nine bridges around Pennsylvania, including four on Interstate 80, drew support from state Reps. Mike Armanini (R-Clearfield/Elk) and Tommy Sankey (R-Clearfield/Cambria).
Senate Bill 382, authored by state Sen. Wayne Langerholc (R-35), passed with bipartisan support and now returns to the Senate for concurrence after being amended in the House.
“Two of the bridges are on I-80 in Jefferson (North Fork) and Clarion (Canoe Creek) counties, not far from our districts,” said Sankey.
“In addition to significant truck traffic, these bridges are frequently used by local residents who would be asked to pay for the convenience of using the interstate, which is the primary reason I voted for the bill.”
Senate Bill 382 would require Pennsylvania’s Public-Private Transportation Partnership (P3) board to develop a detailed analysis of any proposed transportation project prior to approval.
The board failed to do that last November, the officials said, when it approved the transportation initiative that included implementation of a user fee without mentioning which bridges would be tolled.
“The legislation also lengthens the amount of time the General Assembly has to act on a proposal and includes a provision by which smaller groups of members in both the House and Senate could act independently and petition leadership for a vote,” Armanini added.
“Senate Bill 382 would rightfully require the legislature to play a more active role in the process and corrects errors in the original P3 legislation, preventing a proposal like this from getting as far as it did in the future.”