PennDOT Commission Talks Focused on 422

A Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation commission wants to spend its money wisely.

PennDOT's Transportation Funding Advisory Commission on Monday met for the third time to discuss how the department should invest up to $2.5 billion more per year into Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure.

The commission expects to finalize a plan for Gov. Tom Corbett to review by August 1, PennDOT Spokesman Steve Chizmar said on Wednesday.

During Monday’s meeting, the commission learned how a "local taxation authority could be established to benefit specific roads in a region," according to a PennDOT press release.

Part of the meeting focused on U.S. Route 422 in Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties, but the commission will not make recommendations on tolling specific routes, the release states.

"How do you fund everything?" Chizmar said. "That's what the commission is looking at right now." 

 Several ways to save money and improve efficiency were discussed at the meeting, he said.

Suggestions being considered include eliminating safety inspections for new vehicles and doubling the four-year driver's license renewal time.

Those proposals could lower the department's administration costs, Chizmar said.

The department will also consider ways to work with municipalities to maintain and operate traffic signals, he said.

"It's all very interesting," Chizmar said. "It's a challenge in any economy."