Pennsylvania Transportation Commission adopts updated 12-year program

Langhorne, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission updated the 12-Year Transportation program. The new plan anticipates $61.9 billion being available over the next 12 years for improvements to roads, bridges, transit systems, airports and railroads. That compares with $63.3 billion in the last update in 2014.

"Through on going efficiencies at PennDOT, we continue to stretch taxpayers' dollars to reach as many transportation needs as possible," said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. "This update reflects the progress we are making, chipping away at our large backlog of pavement and bridge needs while adding some capacity expansion to address long-standing desires for better mobility. The new update also includes investments across the modes and underwrites our goal of making sure the people of Pennsylvania have options for their day-to-day travels."

The newly adopted program, which takes effect Oct. 1, anticipates $11.3 billion being available for state highway and bridge projects in the first four years. Public transit is in line for $8.6 billion; aviation, $354 million; rail freight, $229 million, and multimodal projects, $305 million.

Four rural Planning Organizations, 19 Metropolitan Planning Organizations and one Independent County partnered with PennDOT in the review and development of the update. The plan is now submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for review and approval. The Federal Highway Administration coordinates with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the plan’s conformity with air quality requirements.

Public input early in the 12-Year planning process played a key role in identifying investments in the various transportation modes. The Commission is chaired by the Secretary of PennDOT and consists of 10 appointed citizens and the majority and minority chairs of the state House and Senate Transportation committees.

State law requires the commission to review and update the 12-Year Program every two years. No capital project can move forward unless it is included in the 12-Year Program.

Some of the key projects in the updated plan:

• Reconstruction of the Interstate 95 corridor in southeastern Pennsylvania, $3.3 billion.
• Reconstruction of Interstate 83 in the Harrisburg region, including reconstruction of the Eisenhower Interchange, $647 million.
• Reconstruction of Interstate 70 in Westmoreland and Washington counties, $491 million.
• Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation Project, Snyder, Union and Northumberland counties, $331 million.
• Reconstruction of Interstate 84 in Pike County, $318 million.
• Reconstruction of U.S. 1 in Bucks County, $250 million.
• U.S. 222 improvements in Lehigh and Berks counties, $160 million.
• Replacement of the Interstate 84 bridges over Lackawanna County Railroad and Roaring Brook in Lackawanna County, $143 million.
• U.S. 322 Potters Mills relocation, Centre County, $122 million.
• Widening of U.S. 322, the Conchester Highway, in Concord Township, Delaware County, $97.6 million.
• Rehabilitation of the 6th, 7th and 9th Street bridges in Pittsburgh, $67 million.
• Interstate 376/Banksville interchange improvements in Pittsburgh, $62 million
• Transit facility expansion for Centre Area Transportation Authority in Centre County, $31.7 million.
• U.S. 6 reconstruction in Meadville, $10.4 million.
• Route 403 Central Avenue Bridge replacement over Stonycreek River in Johnstown, $7.5 million.

Information about the 12-Year program Update is available at www.TalkPATransportation.com.