PHIA News Digest – Vol. 4, No. 10
Pennsylvania removes barrier to third-party EV charging station ownership
The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission has approved tariff supplements for four FirstEnergy utilities that will clarify rules around third-party electric vehicle charging in an attempt to encourage development of charging infrastructure.
PennDOT details new local access tied to I-80/I-99 interchange project
After being discussed for what seems like ages, the proposed high-speed interchange at Interstates 80 and 99 is kicking into gear with a $34 million federal grant received by PennDOT.
Commitment to Route 322 project is welcome, and long overdue
The old description of Penn State as “equally inaccessible from all directions” might finally fade in the rearview mirror with Gov. Tom Wolf’s February commitment to completing U.S. Route 322’s “missing link” near State College.
Pedestrian deaths up 41 percent in Pennsylvania
Fueled by ubiquitous sport utility vehicles and distracted drivers, Pennsylvania saw a 41 percent increase in the number of pedestrian fatalities in the first six months of 2018 over a similar period the previous year, a new report has found.
2018 was the worst year for pedestrian deaths since 1990
Pedestrian deaths have been on the rise for a decade, reaching their highest level since 1990 last year. According to preliminary estimates, there were 6,227 U.S. pedestrian deaths in 2018.
What-ifs cause concern for state’s transportation
The state Transportation Advisory Committee developed a report showing that the state Department of Transportation just may be heading for disaster.
Why the SEPTA budget depends on outcome of Pa. Turnpike lawsuit
An ongoing lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is threatening to derail some of SEPTA’s most ambitious infrastructure projects, including the $1 billion upgrade to the city trolley system and renovations of the City Hall station.
Secretary: Turnpike could be headed for “catastrophic” reckoning
Lawmakers grilled state transportation officials over the turnpike’s ongoing funding issues in a budget hearing Tuesday. The Turnpike Commission is behind on payments to the state amid a lawsuit over its rising tolls.
Transportation secretary on Real ID backlog: ‘We’re ramping up’
Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards told a state senate committee Monday she’s not concerned about a backlog of requests for Real ID cards that many residents plan to use for domestic air travel next year.
Controversial state police funding plan offered as a conversation starter, acting commissioner says
Gov. Tom Wolf’s latest attempt to raise money for the Pennsylvania State Police by imposing a fee of up to $166 per person on municipalities that rely on the department for police protection may not be the “end-all, be-all” solution but it’s an idea that is hoped will get the conversation started with the General Assembly.
We need Gov. Wolf’s Restore Pennsylvania plan to fix infrastructure
This year, Gov. Wolf has proposed a four-year, $4.5 billion plan called Restore Pennsylvania to overhaul the infrastructure that supports us daily. The initiative comes at a needed time to rehabilitate aging systems.
Two governors float major gas tax increases to fund transportation needs
The prospect of raising gas taxes often makes politicians skittish, whether at the state or federal level. But two Midwestern governors — one Democrat and one Republican — are showing no such qualms. They’re not only calling for gas tax hikes, they’re calling for those hikes to be big.
