PHIA News Digest – Vol. 6, No. 45
Infrastructure bill’s passage raises hopes for passenger rail’s return
Local leaders are increasingly hopeful that the passage of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill by Congress represents a giant step forward toward returning passenger rail service along the Route 422 corridor.
Pittsburgh-area towns sue to block tolling on I-79 bridges
Three Pittsburgh-area municipalities sued Friday to block Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration from adding tolls to an Interstate 79 bridge, saying the administration violated procedures in getting to the advanced stage of considering the idea.
White House touts clean energy, transit, rail projects in sprawling infrastructure bill
Federal officials on Tuesday offered details about how money from the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill would be spent, emphasizing the pending law’s potential to add clean energy capacity.
Legislation will examine PennDOT’s highway maintenance funding formula
Senate Resolution 53 was passed with unanimous support and directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to undertake a contemporary review, comparing transportation funding and conditions from 1997 to the present, and the foreseeable future.
PennDOT expects additional $4 billion over five years from infrastructure bill
The orange barrel brigade that identifies road and bridge construction could grow by as much as 50% over the next five years under the federal infrastructure bill passed last week.
Pa. Department of Revenue releases collection totals for the state’s 2021 General Fund
The Revenue Department said that in addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $230.8 million for the month, $19.9 million above estimate. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund – which include the commonly known gas and diesel taxes, as well as other license, fine and fee revenues – total $960.6 million, which is $42.4 million, or 4.6 percent above estimate.
