Feds to say Yea or Nay on tolling PA/I-80 in 2 weeks - Gov Rendell

Tom Barnes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quotes Governor Ed Rendell as saying he expects the Feds to say something on I-80 tolls in the next two weeks. Rendell and Pennsylvania officials had a meeting on the subject with US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in Washington last week.

Barnes who is the newspaper's lead state political reporter quotes the governor as saying it was a "great meeting", that he is "optimistic" that the state will get tolling authority, but that he got no indication at the meeting whether the decision would be a yes, a no, or a 'we need more information.'

If tolls are approved by July 1 the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will by state law (Act 44) provide the state DOT with $922m for highways and mass transit in 2010-2011. If the Feds turn down tolling I-80 the Turnpike Commission will provide $450m for transit agencies and the state DOT for roads.

Toll collection wouldn't actually start this year but the extra payouts to the state DOT and transit agencies will come from borrowing based on future I-80 tolls.

Until today's report it seemed that the Feds were stalling on a decision, perhaps right beyond the November elections. 

There is no easy decision.

A 'Yes' will enrage communities along the I-80 corridor and invite immediate legal challenges by opponents, since federal law doesn't appear to allow the toll plan put forward under Act 44 to use revenue completely outside the corridor.

A 'No' decision will enrage metropolitan transit interests in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, generating financial pressure to raise transit fares and cut service.

A troublesome backdrop to the decision is the major ongoing federal law enforcement investigation into corruption at the Turnpike.

TOLLROADSnews 2010-03-29