In April, I hosted a field hearing of a working group of Congressional and Pennsylvania State Legislators, entitled Local Voices: Examining PennDOT’s P3 Major Bridge Tolling Proposals at the Clarion County Administrative Building.

The purpose of the hearing was to examine PennDOT’s Major Bridge Tolling Proposal and to receive testimony from stakeholders and PennDOT’s Secretary Yassmin Gramian.

Public hearings play an important role in providing input from local businesses, community members, and stakeholders who understand the devastating cost these tolls would have on our communities. Those participating were disappointed by the lack of transparency throughout the process or planning the misguided bridge tolling proposal.

One witness was Greg Lander, CEO of Klapec Trucking, a small business based in Venango County. Mr. Lander highlighted the additional operating costs tolls would have on his business.

In efforts to continue the dialog and bring attention to this issue, I conducted surveys with two questions posed to county residents: “Are you supportive of tolling either the North Fork Bridges or the Canoe Creek Bridge along the I80 corridor for the purpose of rebuilding and replacing the bridge? And: “Once the bridge project is complete would you support allowing PennDOT to use toll revenues on other projects?”

In Clarion County, 90 percent of respondents would not support tolling the Canoe Creek Bridge for the purpose of rebuilding and replacing and 91 percent of participants did not support using the toll revenues on other projects.

I am concerned this tolling proposal will place a further tax burden on Pennsylvanians, who already pay the second highest gas tax in the country.

I remain committed to serving as a proactive voice for solutions when it comes to the challenges facing Pennsylvania’s aging infrastructure.

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s May 2021 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.