Pennsylvania announces $62bn in transport funding over the next 12 years

The Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission has updated its funding over the next 12 years to $62bn from $63bn in 2014.

The money will finance improvements to sectors including:

• $11.3bn for state highway and bridge projects in the first four years
• $8.6bn for public transit
• $354m for aviation
• $305m for multimodal projects
• $229 for rail freight

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

Leslie Richards, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) secretary, said: "This update reflects the progress we are making, chipping away at our large backlog of pavement and bridge needs while adding some capacity expansion to address long-standing desires for better mobility.

"The update also includes investments across the modes and underwrites our goal of making sure the people of Pennsylvania have options for their day-to-day travels."

Some of the key projects in the updated plan are:          

• Reconstruction of the Interstate 95 corridor in southeastern Pennsylvania, costing $3.3bn    
• Reconstruction of Interstate 83 in the Harrisburg region, including reconstruction of the Eisenhower Interchange, $647m    
• Reconstruction of Interstate 70 in Westmoreland and Washington counties, $491m.    

Four rural Planning Organizations, 19 Metropolitan Planning Organizations and one Independent County partnered with PennDOT in the review and development of the update. 

Image: A panoramic view of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Dllu/Wikimedia Commons)