Dear KTFC Members & Friends:

PennDOT was prompted to close a six-mile stretch of eastbound I-84 this week when a hole was discovered in the decking of the bridge spanning Shiny Mountain Road in Pike County, near Promised Land State Park.
 
A detour was set up along Route 507 to Route 390, and back to Interstate 84, and there was considerable traffic congestion as construction crews worked to repair the bridge.
 
The events serve as a reminder that, despite the passage of Act 89 of 2013, we still have a long way to go in bringing our highway infrastructure up to an acceptable level. It also reminds us that the condition of our infrastructure is a statewide issue, affecting urban, suburban and rural areas alike.
 
And finally, as PennDOT’s construction lettings begin to shrink due to declining fuel tax revenue and increasing maintenance costs, it points to the need for vigilance in our advocacy for adequate transportation funding, and ensuring that fuel taxes and license and registration fees are used for their intended purpose, and not diverted for nonhighway items.

Be of Good Cheer,

— The Wolff

TRANSPORTATION ISSUE UPDATE