If Washington allows I-80 to be turned into a toll road, most short-distance drivers on the heavily traveled interstate wouldn’t pay any fees at all under a plan presented yesterday by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

By stretching out collection stations and giving local drivers incentives to use E-ZPass, seven out of 10 cars, pickup trucks, SUVs and school buses would be spared tolls.  read more »

A Philadelphia Democrat and a Republican from rural Pennsylvania whose district includes Interstate 80 have teamed up to sponsor the legislation authorizing the possible lease of the Turnpike.

Rep. Dwight Evans, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Rep. Steven W. Cappelli, R-Lycoming, say the rare bipartisan pairing is a natural one — they’re both interested in finding a way to come up with the billions of dollars it will take to repair the state’s crumbling network of roads and bridges.

And for both lawmakers, the issue is also a personal one. The plan to convert I-80 into a toll road is wildly unpopular in Cappelli’s Williamsport-based district.  read more »

Gov. Ed Rendell said today that the state will have final lease offers for the Pennsylvania Turnpike in hand by Friday and expects to announce a winning bid by next Monday.

At a mid-morning press conference, Rendell said the “multiple” bid offers the state had received were close enough together to trigger a “best and final bid” process that would last until Friday.

Rendell’s transportation adviser, Roy Kienitz, later told reporters that potential bidders will be given a final chance to up their antes before the state selects a company to manage the mainline turnpike that runs between New Jersey and Ohio, as well as the Northeast Extension.  read more »