SEPTA and I-80 Tolling

While the transportation industry is propping up the myth that I-80 tolls won’t be used for transit in Pennsylvania, SEPTA officials are busy lobbying for I-80 tolling in order to get more money, suggest they’ll be “back into that spiral we were in 10, 15 years ago” without that extra money. One of these days I fully expect SEPTA to come to the legislature and admit that they need infinity dollars to keep functioning.

Proponent of I-80 tolling are pushing Sen. Arlen Specter to “go see the president and get this done.” This, despite the fact that the decision rests with the Federal Highway Administration, and the law covering tolling of current freeways forbids using tolls for transit and diversion to other projects. But I guess if Sen. Specter and President Obama both want it done, laws don’t matter.