PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll has better things to do than worry about changes in federal transportation policy. In a recent interview with Pittsburgh transportation writer Ed Blazina, Carroll said he’s going to stick to touting PennDOT’s accomplishments and his plans for the future.
That approach would seem to make sense, given PennDOT’s performance in Carroll’s first two years at the helm. With the federal government making unprecedented funds available for infrastructure improvements, the Commonwealth has made notable progress in improving roads and bridges, broadband capability, locks and dams, airport improvements, passenger and freight rail and the beginnings of a statewide network of electric vehicle charging stations.
(We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the effort in restoring traffic flow across an I-95 bridge that collapsed when a tanker truck crashed beneath it in June of 2023. Traffic was rolling again in just 12 days, thanks to a herculean effort by PennDOT, engineers, contractors and trade unions. Permanent repairs were completed in less than a year.)
Less flashy but also important is the progress made on reducing the number of bridges in poor condition. The number has been cut from more than 6,000 in 2008 to around 2,300 today.
So, for now, Carroll will keep moving forward, with his ear to the ground, regarding infrastructure funding and other policy issues. To read the entire article on Secretary Carroll’s thoughts, follow this link.