Skip to main content

Pennsylvania Senate approves transportation budget

After lengthy discussions, the Pennsylvania Senate has approved a US$2.3 billion transportation funding bill to repair aging highways and bridges, and bolster mass transit across the state. The bulk of the money, US$1.65 billion, will go toward fixing bridges and roads; about US$475 million will go to mass transit systems, including metropolitan transportation authority Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The funding will be disbursed across all transportation modes, from gravel r
November 22, 2013 Read time: 1 min
After lengthy discussions, the Pennsylvania Senate has approved a US$2.3 billion transportation funding bill to repair aging highways and bridges, and bolster mass transit across the state.

The bulk of the money, US$1.65 billion, will go toward fixing bridges and roads; about US$475 million will go to mass transit systems, including 1267 Metropolitan Transportation Authority 4288 Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The funding will be disbursed across all transportation modes, from gravel roads to superhighways, roads crossing streams and rivers and airports, seaports, rail lines and cycle paths.

The bill also will allow speed limits to increase to 70 mph on certain roads to be determined by a 6111 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation study.

However, the investment comes at a price. Motorists will be footing the bill for the new investments with higher fuel taxes and increased vehicle registration, driver's licence and moving violation fees that will be phased in over five years.

Related Content

  • IBTTA, ITS America applaud long term FAST Act
    December 2, 2015
    The International Bridge, Toll and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) and ITS America have applauded Congressional committee members on reaching agreement on a long-term surface transportation bill.
  • Reauthorization 2012: the facts laid bare
    September 12, 2012
    A reauthorization bill for transportation came into law in July 2012, rubber stamping federal funding increases through the 2014 financial year, among other things. The new bill presents the good, the bad and the ugly of transportation infrastructure in the US, writes Pat Jones On June 29 this year, the US House of Representatives and Senate both approved the conference report on the ‘Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act’ or MAP-21. President Obama signed this legislation into law on July 6.
  • Rhode Island RhodeWorks plan opposed by ATA
    May 29, 2015
    Rhode Island government (RIDOT) has introduced its RhodeWorks plan, designed to address the state's crumbling transportation infrastructure. Rhode Island ranks 50th out of 50 states in overall bridge condition and has lost 1,200 in the construction sector over the past three months. RhodeWorks is focused on solving these two problems at once.
  • From gas tax to road pricing
    March 18, 2020
    Robert W. Poole of the Reason Foundation thinks that trust is going to be essential if US states are to transition from gas tax to road pricing.