Highway funding programs are not simply government services—they’re infrastructure for the economy. In fact, they’re the backbone of the economy, because without infrastructure, we can’t ship goods and get people to work and school.
Maintaining and growing this infrastructure to keep up with population growth is a constant public need that citizens have entrusted our government to provide.
States like Pennsylvania have made a positive impact on funding our infrastructure. Passed on November 25, 2013, House Bill 1060 is the most comprehensive piece of state transportation legislation in decades. Signed by Governor Tom Corbett, the bill will invest billions of dollars into improvements to the state’s highways, bridges, and mass transit systems. According to PennDOT, by its fifth year, the plan will generate at least $2.3 billion a year in additional funding for transportation improvements.
With House Bill 1060, Pennsylvania reprioritized and reallocated its state funds for transportation alone. The law essentially states that infrastructure is a need. It dedicates certain fees to provide a transportation system that is safer, more efficient, and easier to use for businesses and the traveling public, and no agency can use those fees for something else.
So, hats off to Pennsylvania, because it understands that providing better roads, safer bridges, and viable public transit is a government obligation to its citizens. In a brave move, the Commonwealth paved the way for reformed transportation funding. Other states, like Virginia and Maryland, have also approved similar funding measures. Let’s hope more states get on board. Because supporting sustainable transportation revenue is vital to keeping the economy running and our infrastructure from crumbling.
Tune in to our next blog to learn details of House Bill 1060—where additional funding will come from and what it will do for Pennsylvania.
Additional Reading:
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Website: http://www.dot.state.pa.us/internet/web.nsf/PennDOTHomepage?OpenFrameSet. Accessed May 2014.
Nussbaum, P. (November23, 2013). “What Pa. transportation bill will cost you.” Retrieved from http://articles.philly.com/2013-11-23/news/44368213_1_gas-tax-gallon-wholesale-tax. Accessed May 2014.
