Still Hope for I-80

By: Ms. Dawn E. Gessel, Economic Development Specialist

Tolls on I-80? Sen. John Gordner does not believe so.

Sen. Gordner told attendees at the April 11 Central PA and Greater Susquehanna Valley chambers of commerce’s Joint Legislative Forum that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is sitting on the I-80 application.

“It has been four months since the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) returned the PTC’s application without approval,” said Sen. Gordner.

“The FHA had several questions for the PTC, about eight of which it could not answer honestly,” said Sen. Gordner.

“If it was such a slam dunk, wouldn’t you think they (the PTC) would have answered those questions and sent it back,” said Sen. Gordner.

He added that the PTC is one of the most expensively ran commissions in the U.S.

Sen. Gordner also talked to the crowd about Cherokee Pharmaceuticals, the Chesapeake Bay Act and the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway (CSVT) project.

“Cherokee Pharmaceuticals will end up being a $100 million plus project and will bring over 100 jobs to the region,” Sen. Gordner said.

“It is a huge concern,” he said of the Chesapeake Bay Act.

“Originally, the Act was going to cost municipalities around $300 to $350 million, but now officials are saying that figure is closer to $1 billion,” said Sen. Gordner.

He is working on ensuring that the number stays closer to the original estimates.

“I want to see how the state steps up and helps municipalities,” he added.

Sen. Gordner said that he feels that the area has the state funding for the about $300 million CSVT project, but that it was a matter of finding other funding to match what the state can offer.

Rep. Merle Philips also spoke at Friday’s event, held at The Country Cupboard in Lewisburg.

He informed the crowd that the secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) called him to tell him that the Fish Ladder project is going to be reenacted.

In the past, Rep. Philips thought the project was a go. He had even put $300,000 into it, but there was not enough in the budget to complete it, he said.

“There is no doubt in my mind that it will be a reality. It is not a matter of if, but rather a matter of when,” he said.

Sovereign Bank was the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce’s premier sponsor of the forum.

Sen. Gordner Proposes Alternative Plan to Tolls on I-80

The Governmental Affairs Committee of The Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce met on Friday, Jan. 18, 2008, at the Chamber Business Center to discuss the analysis of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Public/Private Partnership Legislation. Among those in attendance was Sen. John Gordner, who shared a summary of discussions held by the Transportation Committee, a bipartisan committee chaired by the Secretary of Transportation.  Membership in the Transportation Committee includes both the majority and minority chairs of the House and Senate Transportation Committee and 10 members appointed by the Governor.

The proposed plan states that the Transportation Committee will be given the power to negotiate 50 year public/private agreements with American-based and majority American-owned companies in return for an upfront payment to the Commonwealth.  The existing PA. Turnpike will be divided into three distinct sections for the purposes of entering into public/private partnership agreements.  The three sections will include the eastern section, from mile-marker 247 on I-76 to the border of New Jersey; the northeast extension section will be from mile-marker 20 to marker 131 on I-476; and the west section will be from mile-marker 247 on I-76 to the border of Ohio.  The plan suggests that by dividing the Turnpike into three sections, it will allow for greater competition among a larger pool of companies.

The Governmental Affairs Committee of The Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce works in a regional manner, advocating for major legislative issues as listed on Pennsylvania’s Chamber Web site. The 2008 legislative priorities are business taxes, healthcare, legal system reform, energy, and the environment, labor laws and regulations, economic development programs, transportation, education and workforce.