PA House Transportation Hearings Scheduled

House Republican Policy Committee to Hold

Hearings on Transportation Infrastructure Proposals

HARRISBURG - In the wake of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) rejection of Pennsylvania's application to toll Interstate 80 and Gov. Ed Rendell's call for a special legislative session, Rep. Stan Saylor (R-York), chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, today announced the House Republican Policy Committee will hold hearings on a number of legislative proposals to provide for Pennsylvania's transportation infrastructure needs.

The first of these hearings will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 26, in the House Republican Caucus Room, 418 Main Capitol. The first hearing will be to define the problem facing Pennsylvania. The committee will hear testimony from representatives from PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and other stakeholders involved with Pennsylvania's infrastructure.

"The development and maintenance of our infrastructure remains a core function of state government," said Saylor. "This is an opportunity for us not only to address Pennsylvania's aging transportation infrastructure but also to promote job growth in the Commonwealth."

Subsequent hearings will examine the proposals which have been offered to address the crisis. One proposal, introduced by Rep. Rick Geist (R-Altoona), Republican chairman of the House Transportation Committee, includes 11 legislative proposals designed to help close the $2 billion-a-year shortfall in transportation funding in the Commonwealth.

This plan and the recommendations from the Pennsylvania Transportation Funding Reform Commission call for the expanded and aggressive use of public-private partnerships (P3s). The House Republican Policy Committee has held three hearings on P3s and how they can be used to help close Pennsylvania's transportation infrastructure funding gap.

"In 2007, House Democrats pushed Act 44, which proposed tolling I-80 to fund the entire state, without any public disclosure, let alone input," Saylor added. "Now that their plan has been rejected, I am committed to ensuring that every proposal is given full and open consideration. In the coming weeks, the House Republican Policy Committee will hold public hearings to consider transportation funding proposals that have been offered so we can begin the special session with a complete understanding of all the options."