Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell has proposed to put tolls on Interstate 80, the principal East-West highway across north central Pennsylvania connecting New Jersey and Ohio.
In his proposed state budget, which had not been voted on as of mid-July, Rendell said Pennsylvania was in need of major new income sources to pay for the repair of the state's deteriorating highways and to support public transportation, especially in its two largest cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. If the Governor's budget is approved, which is expected, the highway tolls would go into effect in '09.
I-80 carries the majority of cross-state truck traffic and is a much newer highway than the PA Turnpike, which was the first major toll highway in the U.S. By today's standards, the Turnpike has narrower shoulders and fewer truck parking areas than other Interstates. Being toll-free to date, many trucking companies and owner-operators have preferred I-80 to the PA Turnpike or the New York State Thruway 100 miles to the north, which is also a toll road.
Rendell favors these toll changes rather than gasoline and diesel fuel tax increases, both of which are already higher than in neighboring states. Rendell doesn't want to risk losing fuel tax revenues by encouraging more truckers to buy fuel out of state.
If the tolls are approved by the state legislature, it is likely to take most of 2008 to implement the I-80 plan, erect toll barriers, etc. It had not be determined at this date if the road would have toll barriers at prescribed intervals (as on I-95 in MD and DE) or if a toll ticket system would be used as on most toll roads such the PA, Ohio and Indiana Turnpikes and NY Thruway.
In his proposed state budget, which had not been voted on as of mid-July, Rendell said Pennsylvania was in need of major new income sources to pay for the repair of the state's deteriorating highways and to support public transportation, especially in its two largest cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. If the Governor's budget is approved, which is expected, the highway tolls would go into effect in '09.
I-80 carries the majority of cross-state truck traffic and is a much newer highway than the PA Turnpike, which was the first major toll highway in the U.S. By today's standards, the Turnpike has narrower shoulders and fewer truck parking areas than other Interstates. Being toll-free to date, many trucking companies and owner-operators have preferred I-80 to the PA Turnpike or the New York State Thruway 100 miles to the north, which is also a toll road.
Rendell favors these toll changes rather than gasoline and diesel fuel tax increases, both of which are already higher than in neighboring states. Rendell doesn't want to risk losing fuel tax revenues by encouraging more truckers to buy fuel out of state.
If the tolls are approved by the state legislature, it is likely to take most of 2008 to implement the I-80 plan, erect toll barriers, etc. It had not be determined at this date if the road would have toll barriers at prescribed intervals (as on I-95 in MD and DE) or if a toll ticket system would be used as on most toll roads such the PA, Ohio and Indiana Turnpikes and NY Thruway.
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