Pennsylvania DOT To Be Awarded $12.9b From Bipartisan Bill

It will be a big boost for highway and bridge construction projects.

Source : Wikimedia

September 2, 2022

Author : Alex Bustillos

Pennsylvanian transportation will get a facelift thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides a much-needed boost for humongous new projects.

According to the most recent Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data, the general condition of Pennsylvania’s bridges is worrying. 14.6 percent of the state’s bridges are in poor condition. There are 3,353 bridges and approximately 7,540 kilometers of roads in bad condition in Pennsylvania.

In Pennsylvania, travel times have increased by 7.6% since 2011, and the average annual cost per motorist for driving on roads needing repair is $620. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides the largest investment in bridges since the building of interstate highways.

The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is slated to provide Pennsylvania with $11.3 billion for federal-funded highway programs and $1.6 billion for bridge replacement and rehabilitation.

In addition, the state is anticipated to receive $2.8 billion over five years to enhance public transit alternatives, $171 million over five years to assist in establishing an EV charging network, and $355 million over five years to improve airport infrastructure.

Recently, Governor Tom Wolf and White House infrastructure coordinator Mitch Landrieu met to discuss the investments.

“An investment in infrastructure is an investment in our communities and the people who live there,” explained Governor Wolf. “The Biden Administration has made historic investments in infrastructure, including here in Pennsylvania, and we will continue to capitalize on this historic opportunity by working with local communities to identify needs and build solutions that work for our people.”

The state anticipates that there will be an influx of $84 billion over the next 12 years, a majority of it from the IIJA federal funding.

To facilitate the fund disbursal, the Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission (STC) has revised the 12-Year Program, a multimodal, financially limited planning instrument used to identify and prioritize transportation projects and the necessary money to accomplish them.

No capital project can proceed without its inclusion. State law mandates that the STC conduct a plan review and update every two years. The STC consists of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) secretary, the majority and minority chairs of the state House and Senate Transportation committees, and ten people nominated by the governor.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has already made a noticeable impact on transportation projects in Pennsylvania across all modes,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian stated. “While additional investment in our large transportation network is certainly needed, PennDOT takes pride in being a responsible steward of federal, state, and local dollars to help improve infrastructure across all modes.”

The state anticipates allocating $11.4 billion for public transportation, $16 billion for state highway and bridge construction, $168 million for aviation, $232 million for rail freight, and $330 million for multimodal projects throughout the first four years of the plan.

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Category : Department of Transportation Investment in Infrastructure State Government

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