Dear KTFC member or friend:
The General Assembly approved and sent to Governor Wolf a $40 billion state budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year, beating the constitutional deadline by several days.
It included a $279 million infusion for highway construction, thanks in part to an intensive advocacy campaign by Associated Pennsylvania Constructors and its members. APC generated more than 3,000 emails and social media touch points encouraging legislators and the governor to supplement what would have been the smallest highway construction program since 2008.
APC’s Bob Latham hit the talk show circuit, hitting a variety of broadcast outlets and visiting with the PennLive/Patriot News editorial board during the month of June. APC’s association partners – ACEC-PA, ACPA, CAEP, CAWP, PAPA and PACA – were also very helpful.
The infusion was made possible upon receipt of more than $7 billion in American Rescue Plan Act revenue. While APC and its members were grateful for the additional funds, the action was only a short-term win for the industry.
The industry will next turn its attention to longer-term funding solutions, beginning with the Transportation Revenue Options Commission report due in August.
Be of Good Cheer,
— The Wolff
TRANSPORTATION ISSUE UPDATE
- Highway expansion projects aimed at improving the flow of truck freight in seven parts of the country will collect roughly $275 million from federal coffers in the latest round of discretionary grants awards.
- Gov. Tom Wolf joined U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on a press call to announce that Pennsylvania has been awarded $70 million in federal grant funding to address two critical infrastructure projects.
- U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) introduced legislation to establish a user fee for electric and plug-in hybrid cars to fund the Highway Trust Fund.
- The Pennsylvania General Assembly and Gov. Tom Wolf have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help fix our deteriorating roads and bridges while also solving the funding dilemma of the Pennsylvania State Police.
- The Port Authority of Allegheny County budget for 2022 is 1.8% more than its 2021 budget, but an independent analysis shows ridership is still below pre-pandemic levels.
- The mask mandate in Pennsylvania was lifted on Monday, June 28. However, there are some exceptions.
- PennDOT opened a diverging diamond interchange in York County on Sunday. It is the third in the state and second in the south-central region. It is on I-83 Exit 4-Route 851 in Shrewsbury Township.
- The state’s Public-Private Transportation Partnership Office is inviting the private sector to submit their qualifications to compete for the opportunity to enter into a progressive public-private partnership with PennDOT to administer the Major Bridge P3 Initiative.