Lawmakers question bridge toll plan

PennDOT wants to raise money by tolling 9 additional bridges, one in Berks County

State lawmakers questioned PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian on Tuesday about a novel plan to pay for the rehabilitation of nine bridges by collecting tolls on the spans, including one in Berks County.

Gramian outlined the benefit of PennDOT’s Pathway plan during a transportation budget hearing before the House Appropriations Committee.

“We got into the COVID situation and our revenues dropped drastically,” Gramian said. “We are extremely concerned about what will happen.”

The final state budget is scheduled to be adopted by June 30.

Bridge tolling is the first step PennDOT is considering to help with an $8.1 billion loss in revenues in fiscal year 2021 due to fewer motorists driving and the transition to electric-powered vehicles.

Gramian said the $2.2 billion rehabilitation costs would be funded by the $1 to $2 tolls on the bridges and would be recouped over 30 years. Construction would begin in 2023.

The Interstate 78 bridge in Lenhartsville is one of the nine under consideration for the project. The bridge crosses Maiden Creek in Greenwich Township and serves as an overpass to Route 143.

Rep. Tim Hennessey, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, asked Gramian why PennDOT chose to fund the bridges by tolls and not bonds.

“If we borrow money, we would have to pay it back,” Gramian said. “This gives us the opportunity to pay for it with tolls.”

Hennessey, a Chester County Republican who also represents portions of Montgomery County, said he anticipates PennDOT will receive another

round of funds from the federal government to make up for the funds lost during the pandemic.

Rep. Stan Saylor, chairman of the Appropriations

Committee, said the Pathways proposal is positive.

Saylor, a Republican who represents part of York County, suggested PennDOT come up with a plan to charge a higher registration fee to drivers of electric cars to make up for not paying a gas tax.

Rep. Leanne Krueger, a Delaware County Democrat, said her constituents are concerned about more traffic congestion with tolls on the I-95 Girard Point Bridge, another of the bridges being considered.

“Anyone who drives on I-95 is already getting

into traffic congestion,” said Krueger, a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Gramian said a traffic study would be part of the planning.

Gramian said revenue losses suffered by SEPTA and Port Authority transit systems is also a problem,

but the smaller transit companies were not as adversely affected.

These are the other bridges where tolling is being considered:

• I-79, Bridgeville Interchange Allegheny County.

• I-80, Canoe Creek Bridges Clarion County.

• I-80, Nescopeck Creek

Bridge, Luzerne County.

• I-80, North Fork Bridge, Jefferson County.

• I-80, Lehigh River Bridge, Luzerne and Carbon counties.

• I-81, Susquehanna Project, Susquehanna County.

• I-83, South Bridge Project, Dauphin County.