Pennsylvania updates 12-year transportation program

Philadelphia — The Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission updated the 12-Year Transportation program. The new plan anticipates $63.9 billion being available over the next 12 years for improvements to roads, bridges, transit systems, airports, and railroads.

“We and our planning partners developed this update with an eye on striking the right balance between allowing for some limited capacity expansion and taking the needed steps to ensure our existing system is well maintained,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. “While we are fortunate to have revenues to support an effective program, we understand that we face challenges to maintain this progress.”

The newly adopted program, which takes effect October 1, anticipates $11.53 billion being available for state highway and bridge projects in the first four years. Public transit is in line for $9.62 billion; aviation, $128 million; rail freight, $228 million, and multimodal projects, $319 million.

Four rural Planning Organizations, 19 Metropolitan Planning Organizations and one Independent County partnered with PennDOT in the review and development of the update. The plan is now submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for review and approval. The Federal Highway Administration coordinates with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the plan’s conformity with air quality requirements.

Public input early in the 12-Year planning process played a key role in identifying investments in the various transportation modes.

The Commission is chaired by the Secretary of PennDOT and consists of 10 appointed citizens and the majority and minority chairs of the state House and Senate Transportation committees.

State law requires the commission to review and update the 12-Year Program every two years. No capital project can move forward unless it is included in the 12-Year Program.

Here are some of the significant projects included in the updated program. Note that some of these were carried forward from the 2017 plan:

• Over $1 billion in improvements to the Interstate 83 corridor including $668 million for the reconstruction of I-83 around Harrisburg and $389 million for widening near York.
• $320 million for the reconstruction of I-70 in Washington and Westmoreland Counties
• $14 million to construct the Chester Valley Trail in Montgomery County
• $165 million in improvements to the US 222 corridor in Berks and Lehigh Counties.
• $61 million in improvements to PA Route 8 in Venango County
• $41 million in safety improvements to US 220 in Lycoming County
• Over $2.4 billion for the I-95 corridor in southeastern Pennsylvania
• $284 million in bridge, pavement and safety improvements throughout the US 6 corridor across Northern Pennsylvania
• $117 million to rehabilitate the Hill to Hill bridge in Bethlehem, Lehigh County
• $91 million for the restoration of the Market Street Bridge in Philadelphia
• Over $19 million for improvements to the Centerville Road interchange in Lancaster County. (New)
• $20 million for continued work on Atherton Street in State College
• $10 million for the rehabilitation of the Johnstown Inclined Plane
• $117 million for Bus Rapid Transit in Pittsburgh
• $15.5 million for improvements to the Bayfront Parkway in Erie to increase safety and provide accommodations to bicycles and pedestrians. (New)
• $168 million for improvements to the SR 228 corridor in Butler County
• Nearly $27 million for the rehabilitation of the 9th Street Bridge in Pittsburgh
• $17 million to reconstruct SR 199 through Athens and Sayre Boroughs in Bradford County. (Moved into first four years)
• $142 million for the SR 61 corridor through Schuylkill County. (One of three projects is new.)
• $13 million for bridge improvements along SR 487 in Columbia County. (Three projects, one new, one moving into first four years and one is carryover.)
• $40 million in bridge improvements throughout Bedford County

Information about the 12-Year program Update is available at www.TalkPATransportation.com.