AASHTO Journal, 8 November 2013
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett last week traveled to cities across the state in an effort to gain support for a “comprehensive transportation plan.”
In Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Oct. 31, against the backdrop of the Birmingham Bridge, which has experienced closures and issues since 2008, Corbett urged citizens to demand action on a transportation bill from their state representatives. The General Assembly returns to session next week, when negotiations could continue on a transportation plan.
“Passage of a comprehensive transportation plan is crucial,” Corbett said. “A vote yes will mean long-stalled projects will move forward and the Pittsburgh region will see safety and economic benefits.”
Corbett also made a stop last week in Philadelphia, where he also highlighted projects in that region that needed transportation funding to keep citizens and visitors moving smoothly throughout the state.
To show citizens what a bill would do for them, PennDOT has released a list of potential highway and bridge projects that would benefit from a “significant transportation bill,” available here. The site also explains what would occur if no transportation plan is agreed to by exploring the “Cost of Doing Nothing.”
“Transportation impacts all of us,” Corbett concluded. “I urge the public to contact their state elected officials and tell them to do the responsible thing and vote yes for safety, vote yes for our economy and yes for our state’s future.”
The Pennsylvania Senate earlier this year passed a $2.5 billion funding proposal (see related AASHTO Journal story here), but the House has yet to vote on the measure.