PA House Transportation Committee met at the State Capitol to discuss transportation’s impact on PA
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus September 5, 2024 | 3:10 PM
The Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee today met at State Capitol to hear from experts on Pennsylvania's transportation funding needs, according to committee Majority Chairman Ed Neilson, D-Phila.
The committee heard from Mark Markosky, president of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania, who explained how funding transportation is vital to Pennsylvania’s long-term economic well-being.
“Funding for infrastructure projects provides high quality stable and good paying jobs for thousands of highly educated Pennsylvania residents – not just in the urban areas,” Markosky said.
He said that even in rural areas, a small bridge replacement requires experts from all different sectors to determine the impact the bridge will have on the community, from engineers and environmental scientists to construction inspectors.
“Funding for infrastructure projects provides high quality, stable and good paying jobs for thousands of educated Pennsylvanians,” Markosky said.
David Heath, a consultant for the Aviation Council of PA, spoke of the importance of Aviation on Pennsylvania’s economy and the critical need to increase state funding for aviation infrastructure in the state.
“With an annual economic impact that exceeds $34 billion, the aviation industry in Pennsylvania contributes more than 4% to our state’s Gross Domestic Products,” Heath said. “It secures well-paying jobs for more than 226,000 people while connecting our state to the nation and the world.”
“To keep our aviation system in a state of good repair and to implement necessary modernization projects, Pennsylvania requires at least $217 million annually,” Heath continued. “Yet, the commonwealth is only investing about $164 million per year-most of which comes from federal sources.”
Heath noted that state sources of funding has remained unchanged for nearly 40 years and that Pennsylvania’s aviation infrastructure is underfunded by an estimated $53 million per year.
“Today’s meeting gave great insight into all of the ways that transportation funding intersects with other job sectors, giving us a more complete look at the whole picture,” Neilson said. “Transportation funding has reached a critical point in the commonwealth and it’s much more complex than just fixing our roads and bridges.
“Transportation touches on all aspects of our lives every day. We need to realize the long-term impact of neglecting transportation infrastructure in Pennsylvania to ensure we reach our goal to keep Pennsylvania moving forward,” Neilson said.
The committee’s hearings titled “Moving PA Forward by Investing in Roads, Bridges and Transit,” will continue into September throughout Pennsylvania to learn about the unique transportation needs of rural, suburban and urban communities.