Senators Baker and Gordner Urge the U.S. Secretary
of Transportation to Reject I-80 Tolling
(HARRISBURG) - - State Senator Lisa Baker (R-20) and State
Senator John R. Gordner (R-27) along with eight of their colleagues recently
called on U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to reject the proposed
tolling of Interstate 80.
"We write as members of the Pennsylvania Senate to strongly
oppose the conversion of Interstate 80 into a toll road," Senators Baker and
Gordner wrote in the letter to Secretary LaHood. "We are deeply concerned about
the significant economic consequences such a conversion will have on our state's
businesses and residents as well as the considerable amount of debt the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will incur if this proposal is approved."
In addition to Senators Baker and Gordner, the Senators who
signed the letter to Secretary LaHood include: Lisa Boscola (D-18), Jake Corman
(R-34), John Eichelberger (R-30), Mike Folmer (R-48), Jeffrey Piccola (R-15),
Bob Robbins (R-50), Mary Jo White (R-21), and Gene Yaw (R-23).
"We voted against Act 44 when it came before the Senate and
we remain strongly opposed to this proposal for a number of reasons. There are
numerous financial, legal and quality of life issues that remain unresolved even
as this proposal moves forward," Senators Baker and Gordner said. "Our letter to
Secretary LaHood clearly states our concerns about this plan and the impact it
would have on our residents and our regional economy."
The lawmakers seek to inform the Obama Administration of
the reasons why the Bush Administration previously rejected the application to
toll I-80 on September 11, 2008. Among the concerns cited by the Senators are:
The swift method by which Act 44 was passed and is now
being implemented undermines the process envisioned by the federal
government in its pilot Interstate tolling program which calls for an
analysis of "the interests of local, regional, and interstate travelers."
The proposal to toll Interstate 80 fails to meet any of
three criteria required by the federal government to institute tolls on
interstate highways. Those three criteria include traffic congestion
relief, reduction of vehicle emissions or the need to construct additional
road infrastructure.
A 2005 study by the state Department of Transportation
concluded that tolling Interstate 80 was not a viable option to fund the
state's transportation needs. The resubmitted tolling application confirms
this by the massive amount of debt obligation required under the plan.
The lawmakers said the plan would also have a dramatic and
devastating effect on many Pennsylvania businesses. Citing Weis Markets with its
major distribution center and 57 stores along the I-80 corridor, the Senators
wrote: "The company has indicated that tolling will double their current
operating costs, likely making further expansion or investment in those areas
cost prohibitive."
Geisinger Health System, based in Montour County, would see
a $4 million increase in operational costs through tolling without any direct
benefit to the organization's mission of providing health care. "At a time when
the nation is focused on the debate over health care reform," the Senators
commented, "it would be counterproductive to increase Geisinger's operational
costs by $4 million annually when President Barack Obama recently stated, 'We
have long known that some places, like the Intermountain Healthcare in Utah or
the Geisinger Health System in rural Pennsylvania, offer high quality at costs
below average.'"
A copy of the letter from the Senators to Secretary LaHood
is available at www.senatorbaker.com
and
www.senatorgordner.com.
Contacts:
Jennifer Wilson
Office of Senator Lisa Baker
(570) 675-3931
Joshua Funk
Office of Senator John Gordner
(717) 787-8928
