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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
05/20/2024 02:19 PM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20130&cosponId=13431
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House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: September 30, 2013 02:28 PM
From: Representative Keith Gillespie
To: All House members
Subject: Tolling of Interstates
 
As the General Assembly and Administration continue to grapple with how best to fund the Commonwealth’s growing transportation infrastructure needs, I soon will be introducing legislation intended to convert into a toll road any interstate highway in Pennsylvania, or a segment thereof, eligible for conversion into a toll road under existing applicable federal programs.

My legislation directs the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to first conduct civil engineering studies and financial analysis to determine the feasibility of such conversions, and then to apply to the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration under any applicable federal program that allows for the conversion of interstates to toll roads. Currently, six such programs exist within the FHWA:
  • Conversion of HOV lanes to HOT lanes
  • Express Lanes Demonstration Program
  • Interstate System Construction Toll Pilot Program
  • Reconstruction or replacement of bridges or tunnels on interstates
  • Interstate System Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Pilot Program
  • Value Pricing Pilot Program
I believe that exploring and proceeding with the option of converting interstates to toll roads is a viable revenue-generating alternative to the continued exclusive reliance on gasoline taxes to fund our surface transportation system. As motor vehicles continue to become more fuel efficient and as vehicle-miles-traveled continues to trend downward, gas taxes will prove to be an unsustainable source of funding to meet the transportation infrastructure needs of our Commonwealth and our nation. Shifting the paradigm to a more equitable user fee such as tolling is something that most transportation experts envision occurring over the long term.

I see my legislation as a valuable component of a comprehensive transportation funding plan.


Introduced as HB1781