Governor Corbett Hails Signing of Historic Transportation Funding Bill

Press Release

Governor Tom Corbett today in Centre County signed into law House Bill 1060, Pennsylvania's most comprehensive piece of state transportation legislation in decades.

In Pittsburgh later in the day, the governor hailed the landmark legislation that will invest an additional $2.3 to $2.4 billion into transportation by the fifth year of the plan.

The event was held under the 85-year-old Liberty Bridge, the same bridge where Corbett appeared earlier this year to call for legislative action on a transportation plan.

"Standing here today, we've truly come full circle in our mission to set Pennsylvania's future on the right path,'' Corbett said. "I visited this bridge in June and asked the state legislature to work with me to create a comprehensive transportation plan.''

"As a result of our elected officials acting in a true bipartisan spirit, Pennsylvanians all across the commonwealth will benefit from their efforts -- keeping our families safe, helping our commuters get to and from work and creating good paying jobs."

By the fifth year of the plan, this legislation invests an additional:

$1.3 billion annually for state roads and bridges;
$480 million to $495 million annually for public transportation;
$237 million annually for local roads and bridges;
$144 million annually in a multi-modal fund;
$30 million annually for dirt, gravel and low-volume roadways; and
$86 million annually for Pennsylvania Turnpike expansion projects.

Partial funding for the new transportation package is being derived from the elimination of the flat 12-cent gas tax and modernizing an outdated transportation financing structure through the uncapping of the wholesale, Oil Company Franchise Tax.

Pennsylvania law states that revenues from fuel taxes must be directed to highway and bridge-related costs and state police patrol functions and not used for any other purpose.

Many road and bridge projects are slated to start next spring. Also, because of this investment, transit systems in the state will continue to be able to operate without interruption.

Additional projects in the Pittsburgh region that will be completed because of this plan include:

Rehabilitating the Birmingham Bridge in the City of Pittsburgh, $34 million;
Reconstructing pavement and preserving bridges along eight miles of the Interstate 376 Southern Expressway in Allegheny County, from the Business 60 Interchange to the Flaugherty Run Interchange, $87 million;
Preserving pavement and bridges along a nearly seven-mile stretch of Route 28 in Allegheny County, from Russelton to Butler County line, $24 million
Preservation painting and repairing the Port Authority of Allegheny County's Panhandle Bridge, which carries "The T,'' light rail between downtown and the South Side, approximately $20 million.​

For more information on transportation funding and to view a comprehensive list of transportation projects, visit www.dot.state.pa.us.

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