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Gas prices to go up in New Year along with other increases

Gas prices here in Central Pennsylvania are the lowest they’ve been in more than 5 years. But enjoy it while it lasts because come January 1st filling up ...

Gas prices here in Central Pennsylvania are the lowest they've been in more than 5 years. But enjoy it while it lasts because come January 1st filling up will cost more. It currently costs around $2.39 per gallon in areas of Central PA. That's above the national average but it's the lowest drivers in our area have paid in quite some time. But with the New Year comes an uptick in price. It's all due to Act 89, known as Pennsylvania's Transportation Funding Law.

The state's uncapping of another third of its Oil Company Franchise Tax will cost about 10 cents more per gallon. That will help pay for highway and bridge repairs.

"If we want to fix our roads and we want to fix our bridges, the money has to come from somewhere. So nobody likes to pay more but it's a necessary evil," says Tom Wilson, from York Township.

"When the price of gas goes up it makes me think twice. You really don't want to sit there and fill up every time when you know it's going to cost you 60 dollars compared to 30 or 40," says Javier Montalvo, from York.

PennDOT says it repaired more than 1600 miles of roads and 80 bridges this year.

"If people haven't somehow seen roadwork in their community, they're going to be," says PennDOT spokesman, Erin Waters-Trasatt.

And it's all because of the recent enactment of a new transportation funding law.

"The fact is, you'll see on the national stage, Pennsylvania has taken action that tons of other states have need to do and they're trying to advocate to do right now," says Waters-Trasatt.

Drivers also can expect increases in the cost of vehicle registration, driver's licenses, and inspection stickers.

"Most of these licensing and vehicle fees haven't been increased since, in some cases,  the 80s, the 90s, and at least a decade in most cases," says Waters-Trasatt.

On top of those hikes, starting January 4th, the cost to travel on the turnpike is going up, too. 5% for both easy pass and cash customers.

"It helps to pay for the operation and maintenance and capital improvements of our turnpike system but it also helps to finance transportation throughout the commonwealth of Pennsylvania," says Carl DeFebo, a Pennsylvania Turnpike Spokesperson.

 

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