PHIA News Digest – Vol. 3, No. 20
Trillium opens its third public CNG location in Lawrence County
Trillium, along with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and New Castle Transit Authority celebrated the opening of the commonwealth’s newest compressed natural gas fueling station in New Castle.
Transit leaders: Lack of funding leads to negative economic consequences
A new report released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) warns that decades of under-investment has had a negative effect on the economy, resulting in lost jobs and declining business revenue.
Bikes vs. cars vs. pedestrians: How Philly can win the transportation culture war
What can be done to prevent tragedies like the loss of Pablo Avendano and the nearly hundred other individuals who die on Philadelphia’s streets and sidewalks each year?
Congress needs to pass a bill to fix transportation and infrastructure: Ray LaHood
Former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and former Governor of Pennsylvania Ed Rendell discuss what the government needs to do to rebuild and modernize infrastructure in the United States.
Failure to restore and modernize U.S. public transit results in a loss of $340 billion
Decades of under investment in America’s aging bus and rail public transit infrastructure has a negative effect on business revenue, and results in lost jobs and wages, according to a new study from the American Public Transportation Association.
PA Turnpike cracks down on $17 million in unpaid tolls
The Turnpike Commission has launched the first 19 criminal prosecutions against drivers across the state who have failed to pay.
PHIA News Digest – Vol. 3, No. 18
Learning curve does not squelch Bath’s faith in state police coverage
State Police trooper will protect the borough starting July 1. The borough, which is home to about 2,700 people, opted out of their agreement with the Colonial Regional Police Department last year as they are unable to afford membership.
Our view: Luzerne County should OK $5 fee, but not as long-term fix
We feel that lawmakers should move ahead with the $5 plan, but only for one year, while the state match is available. They should include a very clear sunset provision so that this $5 fee doesn’t linger on into perpetuity, long after most people have forgotten about it.
As transit agencies inch toward electric buses, environmental groups want more progress
Environmental advocates in Pennsylvania want to see a faster switch to electric buses to help eliminate emissions that can worsen asthma and cause other health problems.
House considered speed camera bill in Pennsylvania
In 2013, Latanya Byrd’s 27-year-old niece Samara and her three children were hit and killed while crossing the street in Philadelphia. This is why Byrd joined others at the State Capitol Tuesday to urge lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 172.
PHIA News Digest – Vol. 3, No. 17
Today is the last day SEPTA will sell tokens to most riders
Philadelphia is the last big American city that still uses tokens on transit, but Monday marks the last day SEPTA will sell the coins to most riders (with a few exceptions).
Large road, bridge construction season looms
State transportation officials unveiled a $464 million summer road and bridge construction program Monday for six Northeast Pennsylvania counties that will affect 626 miles of roads and 83 bridges.
PennDOT using recycled materials to improve rural roads
PennDOT is renewing its commitment to fixing rural roads across northeastern Pennsylvania. Just one day after Earth Day, PennDOT announced it is trying to be more environmentally conscious by expanding its “Recycled Asphalt Paving” program, or RAP, for short. Crews will be using ground up pavement from other road projects, making them useful again for rural roads across the region.
PHIA News Digest – Vol. 3, No. 16
The four-letter word changing daily commutes
Paying an extra toll for rush hour driving isn’t a popular idea with many motorists. But its time seems to have come. Is it here to stay?
Be aggressive on toll evaders
The turnpike’s prosecution decision is a sound one. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale reported in 2016 that the turnpike commission had written off about $20 million a year in unpaid tolls. Tracking down that money is important not just for the sake of revenue but as a matter of fairness for the vast majority of drivers who dutifully pay the tolls.
Associated PA Constructors holds first-ever TQI and Partnering event
Sixteen highway construction projects shared the limelight last week with the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors’ James J. Skelly Award winner at the first of what will be the Annual TQI and Partnering Awards Banquet, intended to recognize and honor projects exemplifying the goals of Pennsylvania’s Act 89 of 2013.
Pennsylvania sets stage for increased AV oversight
The commonwealth of Pennsylvania has drafted guidelines for autonomous vehicle testing, but it’s unclear whether car manufacturers will comply. Without legislative action, there’s still no requirement beyond having a licensed driver behind the wheel of a self-driving car.
View from Route 30 — what’s left of it — shows enormity of collapse, landslide
The quiet media scrum on the remaining road surface Wednesday and the distant sound of two excavators and a bulldozer grading the hillside below were a stark contrast to the normally bustling highway that carries 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles a day. But the highway has been closed since three lanes collapsed April 7, causing a landslide behind Electric Avenue below that displaced 31 people and destroyed two apartment buildings and two houses. Read more
PHIA News Digest – Vol. 3, No. 15
Warehouse development around Lehigh Valley International Airport spurs study
The surge of proposed and approved warehouses around the Lehigh Valley International Airport has drawn outrage and opposition from nearby residents, but a call for a new study suggests PennDOT and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission are concerned as well.
DOT announces $264M in grants to modernize bus infrastructure
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration recently announced that $264 million would be spent to improve the safety and reliability of the nation’s bus systems. The projects selected to receive grants include the Port Authority of Allegheny County to purchase low-floor clean diesel buses.
Westmoreland Transit looks for ways around Route 30 delays into Pittsburgh
Westmoreland County Transit Authority officials hope to have a revised plan in place by Monday’s morning rush hour to deal with service delays caused by the landslide.
4 ways Uber wants to expand its services
For years, Uber has fought with cities and resisted regulations by insisting that it was a technology company, not a transportation company. But the company’s top officials on Wednesday signaled a major shift in approach: Uber wants better relationships with cities, and it is most definitely focusing on transportation.
$670M transportation project continues in Valley
Construction of the $670 million Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation project continues as a fourth contract is set to be bid on this fall. Representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation outlined the progress being made in the construction of the new 13-mile, four-lane highway connecting Route 147 in Northumberland County near Montandon to Route 15 in Union County near Winfield and Routes 11-15 in Snyder County near Selinsgrove. Read more
