HARRISBURG, Pa. — Just as the I-83 South bridge unites Cumberland and Dauphin Counties, it also unites their elected leaders against a proposed toll to pay for the bridge's needed infrastructure improvements.
Dauphin County commissioners signed a resolution on Wednesday “strongly opposing any and all plans to toll” the bridge. Cumberland County commissioners signed a similar document in January.
Even though officials are opposed to the tolls, they are in support of its necessary repairs. The bridge was built in 1960 and widened in 1982. It carries more than 125,000 vehicles over the Susquehanna River between downtown Harrisburg and Cumberland County every day, according to PennDOT.
PennDOT’s proposed renovation project would completely replace the seven-lane bridge with a 10-lane bridge over the course of seven years, at a cost of $500 to $650 million.
PennDOT officials are searching for new strategies to fund the project, as 74% of current bridge and highway funding comes from federal and state gas taxes. As cars have become more fuel-efficient, gas sales have fallen.
The agency is proposing paying for the bridge by tolling vehicles $1 to $2 to drive across through EZPass or Toll By Plate, starting in 2024. The cost for commercial vehicles would be higher.
Officials from Dauphin County say the toll would disproportionately burden locals like Darlene Jackson of Shipoke. She’s worried about the added congestion on other bridges if drivers avoid the toll, though she admitted she would probably be one of those drivers.
“So now I’ll have to take the beltway to get around rather than the shortcut," said Jackson. "That’s disheartening, definitely."
Officials also raised concerns that a toll would discourage work-from-home employees to return to their office jobs across the river.
“This toll, in my opinion, will yet be another cost that triggers workers to opt into telework versus coming and working in the downtown, supporting our small businesses,” said Harrisburg City Councilman Dave Madsen.
Officials are calling on PennDOT to pay for the bridge with some of the $4 billion coming to Pennsylvania as part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“The bridge needs to be fixed, and we need to invest in infrastructure, but let’s use some of that federal money,” said State Rep. Greg Rothman (R-Cumberland).
A bill that would require legislative approval to create new tolls already passed the Pennsylvania Senate and House. It is currently back in the Senate for concurrence on an amendment added in the House.
“The governor a couple of weeks ago called for a suspension of the federal gas tax to give relief to the people of Pennsylvania," said Rothman. "This would be one way to give relief as well."
Governor Tom Wolf's office said in a statement,
"The Major Bridge Public-Private Partnership initiative was vetted and approved by the P3 Board, which is comprised of representatives appointed by members of the general assembly in all four legislative caucuses. The board tasked PennDOT with implementing this initiative as a solution to address some critical bridges across the state and create significant savings over the life of the program while ensuring the vitality of a state’s transportation system and economy.
The administration would love to a conversation with the commissioners if requested, especially if they have alternatives to the current proposal that was approved by the board."