(HARRISBURG) – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is scheduling the final public comment periods prior to advancing their plan of imposing a new toll on up to nine candidate bridges without legislative approval, according to Sen. Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (R-35), chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

“I was shocked to hear of PennDOT’s tacit approval in November 2020 to impose tolls on any interstate bridge in this Commonwealth, which was not the legislative intent of the Public-Private Transportation Partnership (P3) Program,” Sen. Langerholc said. “Hard-working Pennsylvanians deserve smarter solutions and common-sense reforms – not a call for higher taxes, fees or tolls. The P3 Program must have transparency, public input, and legislative oversight, particularly if PennDOT usurps a user fee costing the average commuter over $1,000 annually in tolls.”

PennDOT has provided the launch dates for the 30-day online comment periods as follows:

• Lenhartsville (Oct. 25)
• South Bridge (Oct. 25)
• Canoe Creek (Nov. 1)
• Susquehanna (Nov. 8)

There will also be an in-person meeting scheduled within the comment period. The public comment period for the remaining five candidate toll bridges will be announced by PennDOT in the coming days and weeks.

Sen. Langerholc urges Pennsylvanians to voice their concerns regarding the bridge tolling by participating in PennDOT’s public comment period.

The DRIVE SMART Act is Sen. Langerholc’s short-term and long-term plan to overhaul the Commonwealth’s transportation system. The comprehensive plan includes Senate Bill 382 (Langerholc), which is currently in the House Transportation Committee, to reform the P3 statute and to terminate PennDOT’s P3 bridge tolling initiative. The plan also recommends innovative federal financing as a better alternative to improve the interstate bridges.