Pocono News Section

Feds Again Reject I-80 Tolling Plan

Feds Again Reject I-80 Tolling Plan - Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 04:09AM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Tuesday April 06 2010
HARRISBURG -- The feds have once again rejected Pennsylvania's efforts to toll Interstate 80. Governor Ed Rendell says the decision will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

This is the third time that federal highway officials have shot down the state's request to put toll booths on Interstate 80.

The plan has been controversial to say the least. As everyone knows Interstate 80 is one of the main highways through Northeastern Pennsylvania. It stretches from Monroe County, through Luzerne County and into central Pennsylvania.

Many drivers, and truckers especially, were against the tolling plan. They said it was unfair.

The governor said tolling Interstate 80 was a necessity. Officials thought it could have brought in at least $900-million a year by tolling I-80 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

They wanted to use that money for roads, bridges and mass transportation projects across the state.

In the past the feds rejected the idea because their rules say you can only toll a road to make improvements on that highway. But the state's plan calls for the money to be used for projects across the state.

The governor says lawmakers must now fill a big hole in the transportation budget. The governor says that means they'll have to raise money in other ways. Hes suggesting everything from privatizing to taxing oil companies.