The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
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Mount Savage, MD 21545
Casey: Let states use toll credits
to fund Appalachian highways
Senator urges colleagues for key law change
* Federal law prohibits states from using toll credits towards their non-federal share of an ADHS project. In his letter to Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and James Inhofe (R-OK), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Casey urged a revision to that policy be made to increase the flexibility of states to utilize toll credits to cover non-federal cost shares of ADHS projects.
Dear Chairman Boxer and Ranking Member Inhofe:
I write to support legislative language in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill to allow the use of toll credits for Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) projects. This policy revision is critical so the 13 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) states can better leverage a substantial amount of previously allocated federal funding.
As you know, the Safe, Accountably, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU, P.L. 109-59) included language which prohibits states from using toll credits toward their non-federal share of an ADHS project. Historically, the ability of states to utilize toll credits to cover non-federal cost shares has increased the flexibility of state transportation finance programs, enabled states to more effectively utilize existing resources and encouraged investment in infrastructure. Prior to this statutory change in SAFETEA-LU, state transportation agencies had greater flexibility to furnish ADHS non-federal matching funds when other state highway funds were limited. Repealing the prohibition on using toll credits toward non-federal shares of ADHS projects would allow states to use toll credits for ADHS projects as they could before the enactment of SAFETEA-LU. This would unlock existing unspent balances, make it easier for states to access future funding and allow ADHS projects to move forward. Furthermore, this policy change would eliminate a disparity that does not exist for the vast majority of other federal transportation programs.
Thank you for your past support of the Appalachian Development Highway System. I appreciate your attention to this important issue.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
U.S. Senator
Federal officials urge use of toll credits to finish U.S. 219
Change in law would allow Pennsylvania to use unspent money for critical highway project
For The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 5 -- Today, Congressman Mark Critz provided testimony to the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit (part of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee) on the need to repeal the toll credit language in the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. This would allow states to count toll credits as the required state match for new highway construction (i.e. moving the completion of US 219, from Somerset to I-68, forward).
“The current transportation law discriminates against the Appalachian region by not allowing states like Pennsylvania to use toll credits to meet the required non-federal share of highway project costs,” said Critz. “Repealing this section of the law will jumpstart many highway construction projects, including the completion of US 219 between Somerset and Meyersdale, and create thousands of jobs and economic development.”
“Congressman Critz's testimony today to restore the use of toll credits, especially for Route 219 from Somerset to I-68 in Maryland, is another small step toward the completion of not only a highway project, but also an economic development tool for both Somerset and Cambria Counties,” commented John Vatavuk, Somerset County Commissioner.
Shuster introduces legislation to allow toll credits to complete Route 219
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 29 - This afternoon, Congressman Bill Shuster introduced legislation, H.R. 1218, to allow toll credits to be used towards the completion of Route 219 in Somerset and Cambria Counties.
“The completion of Route 219 continues to be one of my top priorities for the 9th District,” Shuster said. “Everyone I meet with understands this critical north-south route will open the door to greater economic development and a higher standard of living for everyone living in Somerset and Cambria Counties and beyond.”
Somerset County Commissioner Jimmy Marker, who has been a key ally on this critical project, said “Bill Shuster has been a tremendous advocate for Route 219 in Congress and he is continuing his long record of leadership on this issue with this legislation.”
Support for the completion of Route 219 is practically unanimous among residents as well as local, state and federal lawmakers. However, the route remains unfinished due to a change in law that prevented the Appalachian Development Highway System from utilizing toll credits as non-federal matching funds to pay for the completion of the project.
Toll credits are earned when a state like Pennsylvania funds capital highway investments with toll revenues earned on existing toll facilities. Pennsylvania uses toll credits to increase Federal funding to 100 percent for transportation enhancements. The last highway bill, which was signed into law in 2005, prohibited the use of toll credits for routes in the Appalachian Development Highway System, which Route 219 is a part of. Shuster’s legislation would remove the prohibition.
“Bringing Route 219 from construction to reality will take a minor change in legislation, but that minor change has been a major undertaking,” Shuster added. “It is my hope that the bill I introduced will be adopted by itself, or made part of the new highway bill which is being drafted now in Congress.”
“I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Pennsylvania congressional delegation and my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, of which I am a member,” Shuster concluded.