From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS), by Ford Turner
Some of the federal funds used by Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro to provide a $153 million lifeline to the public transportation system in the Philadelphia region last week were previously designated for an impending repaving project on I-70 in Washington County.
In order to assist SEPTA, which has a $240 million budget deficit and had planned a 29% fare hike, Mr. Shapiro also used the federal money stream for six additional projects throughout the state. Republicans were taken aback and displeased by the action, which the administration portrayed as a not-uncommon flexing of federal highway capital money.
However, a knowledgeable industry watchdog claimed that it seemed Mr. Shapiro did what he had to do in a hurry.
He was elected for that reason. Charles Goodhart, executive director of the Pennsylvania Asphalt Pavers Association, stated that he must make the decision. Additionally, Associated Pennsylvania Constructors executive director Robert Latham presented the recent back-and-forth in Harrisburg that resulted in Mr. Shapiro’s statement and the unfavorable Republican response in a good light.
Mr. Latham, whose trade association comprises hundreds of contractors, engineers, suppliers, and others connected to the state road and bridge industry, stated, “We are happy that the governor and legislators have shifted from a transit-only discussion to a transit-and-transportation discussion.”
In a year where state leaders failed to come up with a coordinated answer to financial issues in both road-and-bridge construction and public transportation, Mr. Shapiro’s appearance in a cold SEPTA building on November 22 marked yet another turning point. In January, the split Legislature that the governor must cooperate with will return to Harrisburg to confront the same obstacle.
The chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Rep. Ed Neilson, D-Philadelphia, commended Mr. Shapiro for his leadership in a written statement.
“I hoped that we wouldn’t be in this situation today and that the Senate and House could work together to come to an agreement before the year ended,” he said. Regretfully, that did not occur.
The I-70 project in Washington County is expected to cost $10.5 million, according to Rep. Jim Struzzi, a Republican from Indiana County who will serve as the House Appropriations Committee’s next minority chairman. The pavement between Bentleyville and Route 519 will need to be preserved. The funding pipelines of projects in York, Jefferson, Mercer, Columbia, and Philadelphia counties are also impacted.
Mr. Struzzi claimed to comprehend Mr. Shapiro’s motivation for taking the action. However, Mr. Struzzi stated that the one-time transfer is only a temporary solution. “What are we doing to fix the issues long-term?” he questioned SEPTA.
The planned roadway improvements, according to Mr. Shapiro, are so distant that they haven’t even been put out to bid. He stated that since we can now invest that money in SEPTA, there is no reason to retain it on the state’s financial sheet.
Additionally, he expressed his belief that the seven projects would ultimately be completed on schedule. Mr. Goodhart and Republicans questioned that.
According to Mr. Goodhart, the end result would probably be a one-year delay, which may cause projects that were originally planned for 2026 to instead take place in 2027.
According to Mr. Goodhart, we are worried. We would want to see the Legislature and the Governor work together.
Before he became a congressman, Mr. Struzzi spent 14 years working at PennDOT.
In an interview, he stated, “At the very least, you are postponing the start of these projects.”
Some of the funds will come from an I-83 project in her district, according to Sen.-elect Dawn Keefer, who is in her last days as a Republican member of the House representing York County. She came to the conclusion that drivers there would have to pay for tire replacements due to potholes on the route, saving the metropolitan region money.
She questioned how running expenditures at a public transit agency could be covered by federal funds meant for major projects like road construction. Scott Martin, a Republican from Lancaster who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, similarly referred to the action as a Band-Aid and claimed it took funds away from vital infrastructure projects that were primarily in Republican districts.
Democrats overwhelmingly supported Mr. Shapiro. He was joined on Friday by Sen. Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia, Majority Leader Matt Bradford of Montgomery County, and House Speaker Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia.
At a news conference in May, state senator Frank Farry (center) advocated for increased financing for SEPTA.Media Services Commonwealth
In agreement with Mr. Shapiro, Mr. Hughes remarked, “This is excellent leadership.”
$283 million for state-wide transit agencies, including $39 million for Pittsburgh Regional Transit, was part of the governor’s proposed budget earlier this year. However, only a small portion of that sum—11 million for PRT—was included in the final budget that was signed in July.
Mr. Latham was certain that the combined funding issue for transport, roads, and bridges will be fully discussed in the upcoming year.
He claimed that it had sort of bubbled to the top.
(c) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2024
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