Federal Government Denies I-80 Tolls
Federal Government Denies I-80 Tolls
Special session of General Assembly will address transportation funding hole
APRIL 6, 2010 | by ERIC BOEHM
There will be no tolls on Interstate 80 across Pennsylvania.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), a division of the federal Department of Transportation, on Tuesday formally rejected Pennsylvania’s application for the right to toll I-80. The decision leaves a gaping hole in the state’s transportation budget, which assumed toll revenue from I-80 for next fiscal year.
Gov. Ed Rendell said he will call a special session of the General Assembly to deal with the shortfall.
Mr. Rendell’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2010-11 includes the assumption of funding from I-80 tolls to provide $513 million to the state’s Motor Vehicle Fund, which totals $2.3 billion of the state’s $66 billion operating budget.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Mr. Rendell said the loss of potential toll revenues from I-80 will result in a loss of $310 million per year for highways and bridges, equaling enough funding to repair 300 miles of road. Mass transit funding will be cut by $160 million per year. The cuts will go into effect when the new fiscal year begins on July 1. Click here to read more.
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Millions Spent to Beautify State, Capitol
Private funding and organzations already exist
APRIL 7, 2010 | by DARWYYN DEYO
They all spend money on making things pretty, pretty with taxpayer dollars.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) spent $876,455 to build 15 ‘beautification’ sites along freeways from August 2008 to August 2009, said Alison Wenger, spokesperson for PennDOT . "We do the design work for the site, do the installation, and then do the maintenance for the site for a year until local services are established," she said. But PennDOT’s sites are "strictly across the highway."
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and National Resources (DCNR) awarded $20 million of taxpayer money in the form of grants in 2009, according to Christina Novak, press secretary for the department. This includes $75,000 for the Greenway Adoption and Education Program to establish a corps of volunteers to conduct four or five illegal dumpsite cleanups in greenways, or trails, and to administer the Adopt-A-Greenway Program; $63,3000 for the Regional Trail Corporation to resurface five miles of trail, improve drainage, disabled access, landscaping, project signs and other related site improvements; $46,500 to Lake Koon Development for construction of boating access, handicapped fishing pier, and parking area, installation of a floating dock; and $30,000 for Hopewell Borough to construct a basketball court. Click here to read more.
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Rubin Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice | April 7, 2010
Millions Spent to Beautify State, Capitol | April 7, 2010
Economic Outlook Bleak in Pennsylvania | April 7, 2010
Senator Orie Charged, Will Step Down as Majority Whip | April 7, 2010
Rohrer Comments on $450 Million Budget Hole | April 6, 2010
Number of Organ Donors Not Increasing Fast Enough | April 6, 2010
Federal Government Denies I-80 Tolls | April 6, 2010
Sources: I-80 Tolling Plan to be Rejected | April 6, 2010
Better "Bogart that joint, my friend" | April 5, 2010
Governor Declares April Financial Education Month | April 5, 2010
Study: Soda Tax Won’t Fix Obesity | April 5, 2010
Toomey Campaign Raises $2.3 Million in First Quarter | April 5, 2010
Rendell: Businesses Must Pay Fair Share of Taxes | April 5, 2010
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