Recent News

CSVT PROJECT TO GO INTO HOLDING STATUS

Resources Currently Unavailable to Continue

    MONTOURSVILLE (July 18, 2008) -- Due to financial constraints, runaway inflation and a need to maintain the existing transportation system, PennDOT District 3-0 is placing the Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation (CSVT) project (currently under design) into a holding status.

    PennDOT held an informational briefing last evening for property owners impacted by the CSVT project. Public officials were briefed earlier in the day.

    PennDOT District Executive Sandra Tosca reviewed the current design, right-of-way and utility status of the project. She indicated that final design on the northern section, from Route 15 near County Line Road to Route 147 just south of Montandon, is 33% complete and has not been initiated on the southern section, from the Selinsgrove Bypass to Route 15 near County Line Road. To-date, 47 properties have been acquired by PennDOT for the project and acquisition offers made on 20 others. PennDOT has made no offers on the remaining 50 parcels anticipated to be necessary for the project.

    Three factors affecting project funding were then outlined; first, the unprecedented inflation costs for basic highway construction materials such as asphalt and steel. Second is Pennsylvania’s transportation funding crisis. There are currently 6,000 state-owned bridges that are structurally-deficient, with an average age of 50 years and estimate of $11 billion needed to repair them; and 9,000 miles of state highways in poor condition. Third, the funding needs for CSVT total $390 million in 2008 dollars. This includes $40 million to complete all design, right-of-way acquisitions and utility relocations, and $350 million for the construction of the CSVT project.

    The project is located in the SEDA-COG planning region, which receives a $24.6 million bridge and highway allocation annually. Should all of SEDA-COG’s allocation go toward CSVT to the exclusion of any other bridge or highway needs in the region, it would take 16 years to finance, which would have a devastating impact on the transportation system. There is no funding for CSVT in the Draft 2009-2012 Transportation Improvement Program. Further, there are no other dedicated funds identified for the project.

    Other funding options were discussed, including the addition of the US 11/15 corridor from Harrisburg to I-80 (inclusive of the CSVT project area) to the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), and Public-Private Partnership options. The ADHS option is currently not viable as the route must be added to the system via legislative action, which is being pursued by local legislators. Public-Private Partnerships would also require legislative action at the state level.

    Considering the funding facts, three options were considered for the future of CSVT:

Option #1: Stop the project. This would require paying back of all federal funds expended, selling the acquired right-of-way, and terminating all agreements. Reactivation of the project in the future could not be done quickly.

Option #2: Redirect SEDA-COG transportation funding to CSVT. Funding would have to come out of the SEDA-COG’s annual allocation to the exclusion and long-term deterioration of the region’s transportation infrastructure.

Option #3: Place CSVT in a holding status. The project would be placed in a hold status, acquired right–of-way would be retained, and design would be brought to logical completion to allow for reactivation.

    PennDOT is pursuing the holding status option for several reasons. The holding status will allow additional time to pursue other funding options without losing the current investment in CSVT. In the future, the project could be reactivated relatively easily.

    In terms of the effect of a holding status on right-of-way, the district executive stressed PennDOT’s understanding of public frustration, and a commitment to assist property owners. Where offers have been made, they will stand with the owner’s option to continue the acquisition process. No further offers will be made; however, those property owners can request acquisition.