Senate panel approves measure to change bridge tolling process

HARRISBURG — A Senate committee on Wednesday approved a newly introduced bill to require legislative approval for the state Transportation Department’s plans to toll major bridges.

The Transportation Committee voted 9-4 on a party line vote (Republicans in support, Democrats opposing) to approve Senate Bill 382 requiring legislative approval of projects involving a user fee under the PublicPrivate Transportation Partnership Program (P3).

The catalyst for the bill is the recent announcement of plans to toll nine bridges across Pennsylvania under the P3 program to generate an estimated $1.8 billion in revenue for bridge repair work.

SB 382, sponsored by committee Majority Chairman Wayne Langerholc, R-Cambria, would specifically require that a P3 project with a user fee can happen only if the Legislature approves a concurrent resolution favoring it. A P3 project without a user fee could be blocked if the Legislature passes a concurrent resolution to disapprove it under the bill.

SB 382 would also require an analysis to be made public and a 30-day comment period before the P3 board could vote on a project.

Mr. Langerholc has said he’s concerned about the size, scope and precedent set by the P3 bridge tolling plan and its economic impact on motorists and the transportation industry.

He welcomed Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement last week of a new commission to find alternatives to the state’s gasoline tax as a way to fund transportation projects. The commission’s work will take place against a backdrop of declining gas tax revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing use of electric vehicles.

Committee Minority Chairman John Sabatina, DPhiladelphia, voted against SB 382.

Mr. Sabatina said the bill has some merit, but it must be looked at now in the context of the major transportation revenue problems facing Pennsylvania.

“I am concerned about the structural integrity of some bridges,” said Mr. Sabatina.

The panel also voted 11-2 without debate to approve Senate Bill 410 resurrecting an old requirement to display vehicle registration stickers on license plates. The registration sticker requirement was eliminated as a cost-saving measure in 2017 under Act 89.

But the sponsor of SB 410, Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland, has said it’s time to bring registration stickers back to offset declining registration revenue and in the best interest of public safety.

Ms. Ward said there’s been enough of a decline in vehicle registrations to question whether people aren’t renewing registrations because of the lack of a visual reminder or they figure law enforcement won’t question them about it.