Example of Why There’s No Money to Fix Bridges

As I pointed out in a recent post, much of Pennsylvania’s transportation funding goes not to fix decaying infrastructure, but to beautification and other low-priority projects.

For instance, take this project in Camp Hill, Lemoyne, and Wormleysburg, from the Patriot News:

New roundabouts would replace traditional traffic lights at three intersections along Market Street: at 12th Street in Lemoyne and at 17th and 21st streets in Camp Hill ….

Several new retail spaces would be created along the new portion of 10th Street. The used car lot adjacent to the market would become a park-like area with sculpted green space, brick paving and more structured parking around the market.

In addition to turning vacant or rundown areas into more refined green spaces, the streetscape proposal includes planting 400 to 500 new trees, using different varieties, such as oaks and sycamores, depending on elevation and the lay of the land.

No new trees will be planted, however, along Front Street in Wormleysburg, so as not to obstruct the views across the river to the city of Harrisburg and the state Capitol, especially at the intersection with Walnut Street, Bachik said. A low-level stone wall would replace the steel guardrail that currently runs along Front Street.

Roundabouts, trees along the street, and a stone wall – that’s what is supposed to stimulate the economy and provide the infrastructure we need for economic growth?