Casey: Budget Bill On Senate Floor Could Upgrade Aging Bridges Across PA, Create Jobs and Promote Economic Growth

Press Release

With Pennsylvania number one in the country for structurally deficient bridges, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) called for passage of a key budget bill currently on the Senate floor that could upgrade bridges across Pennsylvania, create jobs and spur economic growth. The Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill is expected to get a vote this week and is part of Congress' annual budget. The legislation contains several initiatives to directly address bridge repairs and broader transportation priorities that are vital to the state.

"The bipartisan Senate bill prioritizes job creation through investments in highways, transit, railways and ports," said Senator Casey. "A safe, reliable and modern transportation system is vital to commerce in our state. Passage of this bill is important for our state's ailing bridges and our roads and I'll be urging Congress to pass this legislation this year."

Below are several programs included in the Senate THUD bill that would benefit Pennsylvania:

- Bridges in Critical Corridors (BRICC): Pennsylvania leads the nation in the highest number of structurally deficient bridges at 5,543. The funding provided in the bill will support bridge projects eligible under the Surface Transportation Program, which is authorized under the (MAP-21). The funding will be distributed through a competitive process, and the Committee requires the DOT to ensure an equitable geographic distribution of funds and an appropriate balance in addressing the needs of urban and rural areas.
- TIGER: The Senate bill supports the TIGER program, which provides grants for significant projects in a variety of transportation modes, including highways and bridges, public transit, passenger and freight railroads, and port infrastructure. Investments in our transportation system are critical when Americans are wasting more time and fuel in traffic and our infrastructure received a failing grade of D+ from the American Society of Civil Engineers this year. The House bill zeroes out TIGER funding.
Past uses of TIGER funds
- Central PA Infrastructure Expansions to Meet Marcellus Shale Development - The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority and Lycoming County was awarded $10 million in TIGER funds in 2010. This funding supported a $53 million multi-modal project with 18 components in six counties in Central Pennsylvania. The counties affected are Lycoming, Centre, Northumberland, Montour, Union and Blair. This funding has been used to build infrastructure that will position the railroads to accommodate increases in rail freight traffic associated with natural gas exploration. It is estimated this project will divert over 5 million trucks off the road over a 20 year period between 2012 and 2031.
- Dilworth Plaza (Philadelphia) -- The Center City District (CCD), in partnership with the City of Philadelphia and SEPTA are working on a complete overhaul of the Dilworth Plaza, the public space to the west of City Hall. This project was awarded $15 million in TIGER II funds from the DOT. The goal of the project is to make Dilworth Plaza a more accessible hub for regional transportation and create a civic gathering space for residents, employees and visitors. Construction is underway in Philadelphia currently.
- Carrie Furnace Flyover (Allegheny County) - The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County was awarded $10 million in 2011 to create a "flyover' above railroad tracks along the Monongahela River to two development sites near the old Carrie Furnace steel mill. Once the site is better connected to the highway, community officials expect businesses and manufacturers to develop it. This project has the ability to create more than 1,000 regional jobs and will promote economic development in the low-income communities along the Monongahela.
- Amtrak: The Senate bill preserves the federal commitment to Amtrak, which provides an energy efficient transportation alternative for more than 31 million travelers annually and another 235 million commuter trips along the Northeast Corridor. The House bill guts funding for Amtrak to the lowest level in over a decade, and will require Amtrak to defer maintenance and other safety projects, put at-risk at least 10,000 jobs and possibly eliminate some of its existing routes. Amtrak also is a job creator in Pennsylvania and employs over 2,600 Pennsylvanians; these jobs could be jeopardy if there are further cuts to Amtrak. In 2012, over 6.1 million Amtrak passengers traveled at Pennsylvania stations and this number is expected to increase in 2013

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