Mar 7, 2005 By Christine Haines 3 min read

Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposal to use federal highway funds to subsidize mass transit programs in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia is not expected to affect any current state road projects. According Pennsylvania Department of Transportation press secretary Rich Kirkpatrick, the $412 million in federal highway funding had not been anticipated in the current budget. The governor’s proposal calls for an immediate $68 million to be used to help the Port Authority of Pittsburgh (PAT) and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in Philadelphia.

“Using the $412 million doesn’t mean that any project now on the TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) will be canceled,” Kirkpatrick said.

The TIP is a 12-year list of road improvement projects, with funding designated for projects deemed to be the top priority in the first four years of the list. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission determines the priority list. Kirkpatrick said it will be up to the SPC to decide whether it wants the additional federal funds for bus service in Pittsburgh.

The SPC is composed of representatives from 10 counties and the city of Pittsburgh, including representatives from Fayette, Greene and Washington counties. The commission will meet Thursday in Pittsburgh to consider the governor’s plan.

U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, who represents all or part of 15 counties, including part of Fayette, has criticized Rendell’s plan, saying it will take money away from rural road and bridge projects.

“Federal highway funding should be used for our roads and highways in Pennsylvania. Our highway system weaves a thread of economic viability through our state and between our urban areas. We fight hard to bring additional federal money back to the state to help relieve congestion and traffic. You cannot travel from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia without going through central Pennsylvania and the finding designated for rural Pennsylvanians should be used to improve roads in those areas,” Shuster said.

Shuster is a member of the Transportation Committee and chairman of the Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Subcommittee.

“If the governor had not been forced to flex, this money could have gone to additional highway and bridge projects,” Kirkpatrick said.

Kirkpatrick said that if the SPC and its Philadelphia counterpart, the Delaware Valley Area Planning Commission, vote against using the $68 for a transit bailout, that doesn’t mean their areas will receive that same amount for road projects. Kirkpatrick said a no vote would also force PAT and SEPTA to cut service as much as 20 to 25 percent and to increase fares by 40 to 50 percent.

“The need is very dramatic at this point,” Kirkpatrick said.

Nancy Basile, executive director of the Mid-Mon Valley Transit Authority, said a major service cut by PAT could affect Mon Valley residents as well.

“We do have a lot of individuals, particularly the ones who work in Oakland, that hop on our buses and take them into Pittsburgh to connect with the buses,” Basile said.

The MMVTA makes 42 trips in and out of Pittsburgh each day Monday through Friday, carrying 1,200 passengers a day, or 600 individuals taking roundtrips on the service.

The GG&C Bus Co. in Washington also carries passengers daily into Pittsburgh. Ridership figures were not available Friday, but the on-line bus schedule shows 12 trips between Washington and Pittsburgh Monday through Friday. Basile said the Beaver and Westmoreland County transit authorities also connect with Port Authority buses.

According to Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission spokesman Joe Agnello, the governor’s proposal will not affect funding for the Mon/Fayette Expressway project. Agnello said that to date, all federal funds received for the expressway have been specifically earmarked for the project and are not subject to approval by the SPC.