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JANUARY 26, 2010 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Five Alternatives to Tolling I-80
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) continues its push for federal approval to toll Interstate-80, claiming that without it bridges will collapse, highways will crumble, and dogs and cats will start living together. But the proposal represents little more than a tax on I-80 drivers, as 40% of the toll revenue would be diverted to ot
DECEMBER 29, 2009 | Commentary by DICK THORNBURGH
A Road to Savings: Abolish the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
The top-heavy PTC, with more than 2,000 employees, is responsible for overseeing an exponentially smaller infrastructure than PennDOT. The PTC manages 537 miles of turnpike highways; PennDOT manages nearly 40,000 highway miles along with tens of thousands more miles of local roads, railways and bridges. There is an obvious opportunity to merge t
DECEMBER 16, 2009 | Commentary by KATRINA CURRIE
Five Threats to Pennsylvania's Prosperity
Pennsylvania has long been one of the most economically stagnant states in the nation. For the period 1991-2008, the Commonwealth ranked 45th in job growth, 46th in personal income growth, and 47th in population growth. Pennsylvania has also faired poorly in independent evaluations of states' business climates, i
NOVEMBER 6, 2009 | Testimony by RANDAL O'TOOLE
Testimony on Proposed Pennsylvania High-Speed MagLev
The proposed 17-mile Pittsburgh Airport-to-Greensburg maglev line is projected to cost $3.7 billion, or nearly $220 million per mile. Projects like this typically go over budget by an average of 40 percent, so the real cost is likely to be more than $5.2 billion and more than $300 million per mile. That is easily enough money to build an eight-l
SEPTEMBER 3, 2009 | Commentary by MICHAEL NEROZZI
Tolling I-80 is a Recipe for Disaster
Once again, state lawmakers, bureaucrats and special interest groups are looking for another way to grab more money from Pennsylvanians. The latest rendition is tolling Interstate 80 across the northern tier of Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, the I-80 tolling proposal doesn’t comply with federal law, ignores much-needed reform in transp
AUGUST 26, 2009 | Commentary
Keep on Truckin'
With Harrisburg gridlocked by the state budget impasse and Washington battling over national health care, an issue vital to Pennsylvania lurks below the radar. The debate is over the future of the trucking industry—more specifically, legislation that would bolster the transportation sector of our economy,
JULY 23, 2009 | Commentary by RANDAL O'TOOLE
Why Pennsylvania Should Not Build High-Speed Rail
Last week, Gov. Rendell submitted an application to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a share of the $8 billion of stimulus money Congress allocated for high-speed rail. This raises a question for Pennsylvanians: Are you willing to pay $1,000 so that someone—probably not you—can ride high-speed trains less t
SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Delay on Turnpike Lease Is Bad Policy
Commonwealth Foundation Urges Action on Lease Legislation HARRISBURG, PA—Today, the Commonwealth Foundation called on the Pennsylvania legislature to consider Turnpike lease legislation before the end of the current legislative session. “Allowing the lease to die
SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 | Policy Brief by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Paying for Our Paving: Why Leasing the Turnpike Makes Good Economic and Public Policy Sense
Introduction How should Pennsylvania pay for its transportation infrastructure, now that the Federal Highway Administration has rejected the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s application to toll Interstate 80? Gas taxes? Vehicle fees? Tolls?
SEPTEMBER 4, 2008 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Act 44 & Transportation Funding
In July 2007, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed and Governor Ed Rendell signed Act 44. This legislation authorized the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) to increase tolls on the Turnpike; to take control of Interstate 80 by entering into a lease agreement with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT); to be
