Sen. Scott E. Hutchinson
HARRISBURG – The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania granted a preliminary injunction stopping Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to toll nine major bridges across the state until further court action occurs, according to Sen. Scott E. Hutchinson. The tolling plan would include I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges in Clarion County.
“This bridge tolling initiative is a tax being imposed on the people of Pennsylvania without legislative approval,” said Senator Hutchinson. “I commend the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania for taking the necessary steps in granting this preliminary injunction and halting the P3 Board and Gov. Wolf’s plans to toll our nine interstate bridges.”
The bridge tolling initiative would cost the average commuter an additional $1,000 per year and was moved through the process without legislative input nor approval. The Commonwealth Court sided with a county and several municipalities that challenged the bridge tolling plan as unconstitutional.
The Senate Transportation Committee held several hearings throughout the state to better understand how PennDOT was authorized to move forward without approval from the General Assembly. Senate Bill 382 would require the P3 (Public-Private Partnership) process to be more transparent, while stopping this current initiative.
This order halts PennDOT’s tolling of the following bridges:
• I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge Replacement Project in Berks County.
• I-79 Widening, Bridges and Bridgeville Interchange Reconfiguration in Allegheny County.
• I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges in Clarion County.
• I-80 Nescopeck Creek Bridges in Luzerne County.
• I-80 North Fork Bridges Project in Jefferson County.
• I-80 Over Lehigh River Bridge Project in Luzerne and Carbon Counties.
• I-81 Susquehanna Project in Susquehanna County.
• I-83 South Bridge Project in Dauphin County
• I-95 Girard Point Improvement Bridge Project in Philadelphia County