Letter from chief of staff to Rep Peterson (R-PA) against tolling I-80

I very much appreciate your articles on I-80 tolling in Pennsylvania and the fiasco of Act 44. There is no question that the tolling of I-80 was thought to be an easy bailout by the leadership of both parties in Harrisburg for the self inflicted transportation woes of the State. I applaud TOLLROADSnews for exposing the fiasco, especially the self preservation role of the patronage polluted and scandal ridden Turnpike Commission.

However, I have trouble agreeing with the below quote from your most recent I-80 article.

“COMMENT: Tolling I-80 makes a lot of sense for Pennsylvania. This highway is largely an out-of-staters road and it is absurd to put the costs of maintenance and expansion on Pennsylvania motorists alone with taxes. Its users should pay via tolls.

The local politicians predicting gloom and doom from tolling are plain wrong in saying tolls are an economic burden. They produce a better road, better maintained, and expanded when necessary. A better road with tolls is a boon not a burden.”

A few points. I believe that 90% of the cost for construction of I-80 came from federal funds (all 50 states) and that the reason our interstate highway system was created is self evident by the name.  In addition, Pennsylvania still receives more than its fair share of trust fund money from the feds, $1.15 for each dollar it contributes. Add to that the commercial fees collected and it would be difficult to defend the statement that Pennsylvania motorists “alone” were paying for the “costs of maintenance and expansion” of I-80.

About the “gloom and doom” from local politicians. I suggest that you check with just a few of the businesses located on I-80 for their opinion. With the only two East/West corridors in PA tolled charging the highest rates in the country, many businesses and their jobs will leave at the first opportunity and any expansion or new economic development will be hard to come by for an already challenged state. 

A few examples: a new distribution center being built by Target (by Target’s own admission) would not be built if it had known I-80 would be tolled; two Owens Illinois glass plants (980 Union jobs) will have to pay an additional $1.2 million a year in tolls, - a great incentive to move out of PA by expanding their production in other states; a small trucking company computed its new tolls to be an additional $450,000 a year, equal to its yearly profits, making it difficult for them to continue “to do business in Pennsylvania”.  There are a thousand other examples of the potential negative economic effects of tolls on the I-80 corridor.

As for the “better road with tolls” concept of economic development. I-80, even by PennDot’s admission, is in the best shape it has been since its construction and is now toll free. One wonders how charging fees will bring in more development.  All one has to do is look at the lack of any substantial development along the 67 year old  PA Turnpike to counter that theory.  And comparing rural I-80 in economically depressed Pennsylvania to toll roads in booming Northern Virginia , California, Texas, Florida and even New Jersey where there are alternative toll free routes is weak at best.

As mentioned. I appreciate the thoughtful analysis of TOLLROADSnews.com on the slight of hand being performed by our legislative leaders in Harrisburg with more than self serving support by the Turnpike Commission. However, your conclusion that “Tolling makes a lot of sense for PA” is difficult to understand.

Jordan Clark, Chief of Staff
Rep. John E. Peterson
Fifth District, Pennsylvania
Jordan.Clark@mail.house.gov