Pennsylvania

2013-05-14: The Pennsylvania Turnpike restored tolls late Monday night in the 21 mile, 34km leg south of Harrisburg -  IC226 I-81 to IC247 I-283 - that has served as a detour for I-81 since last Thursday. The interstate was closed after a tanker overturned and its load of diesel burned on a ramp close to the center of the four level I-81/US22/322 interchange.

2013-04-04: The Philadelphia Inquirer's Paul Nussbaum reports this morning that there's a major federal investigation of crimes allegedly committed in the name of "economic development" involving the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) the bistate agency that operates the four major toll bridges linking Philadelphia with the south Jersey suburbs on the east bank of the Delaware River.

Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett is proposing an 80%+ increase in the state gasoline and diesel tax from the present 32c/gallon to nearly 59c/gallon in 2018. Artfully calling it not a tax increase but "Uncapping the Oil Company Franchise Tax"  the proposed measure would raise the tax on motor fuels an average of just over 5c/year over the next five years.

Neither the Declaration of Independence nor the US Constitution grant recognition to 'commonwealths' only to states. Virginia was described by the signers on 4 July 1776 as a state. There were initially thirteen "States of America," one of which was Virginia.  The US Constitution of 17 September 1787 also only recognizes states which it also writes as States with a germanic capitalization of the noun. It contains no reference to any 'commonwealth.'

The founding fathers all signed as representatives of their 'states.'

Robert B Zoellick president of the World Bank noted in an address titled "The Power of Partnerships" (P3s) that for some years now communist countries such as China and Vietnam have been more open to private investment in roads and other infrastructure than several American states and he cited Pennsylvania.

Here's a gutsy 'toll' hike! The US Airways roundtrip basic air fare Pittsburgh-Philadelphia (pre-tax) is rising mid-January from $118 to $698 - a story the Pittsburgh Post Gazette's Len Barcousky has this morning. That's a 5.9-fold increase or 423%.

Barry Seymour head of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission studying tolls on US422 says they'll be best to abandon the tolls plan if the state increases taxes for transportation in line with recommendations of Governor Tom Corbett's transport funding commission. With tax money from Harrisburg a needed modernization and widening of US422 plus rail transit will be fundable with state grants, Seymour says.

Estimates presented by local planners suggest about $1.1 billion of highway and transit improvements can be financed with tolls on US422, a radial route going northwest out of the Philadelphia area. The capital is to be split about two-thirds highway upgrades, one third for a commuter rail service.

by Cindy Inkrote      On March 25, 1805, Northumberland County progressed when the Pennsylvania Legislature voted to incorporate the Centre Turnpike Company.  Residents identified a need for a better road between Sunbury and Reading. The population was increasing and Sunbury, a hub for business and government, needed a more reliable way to transport mail, freight and passengers.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett is moving very slowly to assert control at the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but acted decisively this week at the Delaware River toll bridge authority where he fired all six Democrat appointed commissioners and installed six of his own. Following a precedent set by his predecessor Ed Rendell, Corbett also put himself onto the board.