|
I-80 tolling faces opposition |
|
|
|
Friday, 28 September 2007 |
|
By Becky Polaski
Many Pennsylvania residents are up in arms regarding the proposed plan to turn Interstate 80 into a toll road.
The tolling plan would be instituted through Act 44. According to the Interstate 80 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpikes Web site, "Act 44 is a comprehensive plan regarding the state transportation budget. It has received particular attention because it sets a plan in place to use a variety of funding sources to improve all forms of transportation throughout Pennsylvania, including a new partnership between PENNDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Overall the new partnership plan provides for $973 million dollars for the next 12 years."
Even though the money generated from the tolls would be used on Pennsylvanias highways and bridges as well as on transit, converting Interstate 80 into a toll road would likely cause more harm than good.
"Well its certainly going to affect our business, there’s no question about that," said Sam Bevacqua, owner of Bevacqua Truck and Heavy Duty Repairs. "We probably run about 80 percent of our trucks right now on Interstate 80. If they throw a toll on there, what they’re talking about right now is about $96 to $120 to cross the state of Pennsylvania. There’s certainly going to be some questions as to where that money is going to come from. Right now, we avoid the toll roads as much as possible because any time we pay tolls we have to pass it onto the customer. If they put a toll road on there were probably going to try to avoid it, which means were probably going to try to use secondary roads as much as possible. Everyone else is going to do the same thing and try to get onto the secondary roads and run them as much as possible as well. Its going to affect everybody. Everybody in the trucking industry is already pretty well strapped because of fuel and insurance costs. You’ll probably see a lot of small companies go out of business because they’re not going to be able to handle it."
In addition to affecting business and transportation costs, converting Interstate 80 into a toll road will impact tourism as well.
"We have so many things right now playing against us for tourism with the gas prices and people not deciding whether they want to travel or not," said Rusty Snyder, President of the Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau and one of the owners of the Double Diamond Deer Ranch. "I know with my own business here at the Deer Ranch we have exactly half the amount of customers we had several years ago. Its definitely because of the gas prices. If they add the toll to Interstate 80 on top of that its going to make people look for alternative routes and different places to go and its definitely going to impact the local area."
Legislators, such as Congressman John Peterson, are fighting the decision to toll travelers on Interstate 80.
In a press release issued by Peterson on August 29, 2007, he questioned, "How many Pennsylvania businesses will leave our commonwealth as a result of Act 44…25, 50, 100, 1,000, or more? How do you feel about Pennsylvania having two of the country's highest toll fees along the turnpike and I-80? Will imposing among the country's highest tolls along I-80 and the turnpike bring down or increase the cost of doing business in Pennsylvania? Is doubling the size and scope of the Turnpike Commission a good idea? These are all serious questions that Pennsylvanians were never afforded the opportunity to weigh in on through public hearings. There weren’t even any long term economic analysis conducted, aside from the 2005 PENNDOT study that concluded against tolling I-80, which has been arrogantly disregarded by the governor and Mr. Brimmeier."
At the same time though, legislators such as Senator Scarnati are supportive of the tolling plan.
"While placing tolls on I-80 was a plan I never fully supported, I did, however, recognize it was the lesser of the evils being discussed," Scarnati stated. "A gas tax and selling the Pennsylvania Turnpike to a foreign company are options I will not support. Pennsylvania has more deteriorating roads and bridges than any other state in the country and we must find real solutions to this problem."
With the argument over the decision to convert Interstate 80 being far from over, individuals wishing to find out more information can visit www.paturnpike.com/I80 and also contact their local legislatures to voice their opinions on the issue.
|
|
Last Updated ( Monday, 01 October 2007 )
|
