State senators against toll on I-80

Ten state senators, including Lisa Baker and John Gordner, who both represent portions of Luzerne County, have called on U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to reject a state proposal to toll Interstate 80.

“We write … to strongly oppose the conversion of Interstate 80 into a toll road,” the letter stated. “We are deeply concerned about the significant economic consequences such a conversion will have on our state’s businesses and residents as well as the considerable amount of debt the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will incur if this proposal is approved.”

All seven senators whose district has I-80 running through it signed the three-page letter, in addition to three from the south central part of the state who previously opposed tolling the road.

The letter was sent nearly three weeks after the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and state department of transportation submitted supplemental materials to an application that was previously sent to the Federal Highway Administration. Those materials answer questions about the financial structure of the proposal that has sparked strong opposition from residents, business owners and elected officials across the northern half of the state that rely on the 311-mile interstate for travel and commerce.

The proposal calls for PennDOT to lease the roadway to the turnpike, which would operate the tolls. The submission also provides information about how much money will be needed to maintain Pennsylvania’s interstates and details about the nine potential locations for toll collection sites.

The I-80 tolling plan was a key component of a 2007 state law, known as Act 44 that was designed to generate billions of dollars to fix roads and bridges and subsidize mass transit systems across the state. That law, which also authorized higher tolls along the existing turnpike system, has already provided more than $2 billion in new transportation money, but revenues will drop sharply in July without the I-80 tolls.

The federal government rejected the plan in September 2008 but the state never took the plan off the table.

Baker, R-Lehman Township, speculated that the renewed attempt is just the governor’s effort to see if a new administration in Washington will reach a different conclusion than the prior one.

She said she and others are “going to continue doing everything in our power to convince the federal government to say ‘no.’”

“We voted against Act 44 when it came before the Senate and we remain strongly opposed to this proposal for a number of reasons. There are numerous financial, legal and quality of life issues that remain unresolved even as this proposal moves forward,” Baker and Gordner said in an e-mailed statement. “Our letter to Sec. LaHood clearly states our concerns about this plan and the impact it would have on our residents and our regional economy.”

Baker said the plan would also have a devastating affect on many Pennsylvania businesses, a number of which have contacted her to voice their concerns.

“I have heard from many local businesses that are concerned about the economic impact and that view this as a major obstacle,” Baker said.

Weis Markets, which has a major distribution center and 57 grocery stores along the I-80 corridor, would be one of the largest companies impacted by tolling the interstate.

“The company has indicated that tolling will double their current operating costs, likely making further expansion or investment in those areas cost prohibitive,” the senators pointed out to LaHood.