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Around 2003-2005, Penn Dot began expressing interest on picking up a former project that had been put off for years: Interstate 80 as a toll road. Not only did toll prices just begin rising (as discussed in my previous article: Here we go Again), but now serious action is underway on tolling I-80. This project is to help provide the state with enough funding to no longer rely on federal funding. So, instead of them getting their money from the government like they should, they'll be taking it out of our pockets.

            Here's a little background to give you the picture of how long of a project this has become...

1938, The Keystone Shortway was proposed as a toll road along the future I-80 corridor however planning was interrupted by the start of World War II.

1952, The North Pennsylvania Turnpike Committee was formed. The objective of the Committee was the construction of a self-sustaining toll road through northern Pennsylvania.

1954, The PA Legislature authorized the Shortway Turnpike from Stroudsburg to Sharon.

1955, The federal program for construction of the Interstate Highway System began to provide federal funds to Pennsylvania to construct Interstate highways.

1956, Governor Leader recommended the Shortway as an Interstate highway.

1957, The Federal Highway Administration designated the Shortway as Interstate 80.

1960, Construction commenced on portions of Interstate 80 and in 1970, construction of I-80 was completed, as a federal aid highway, some 311 miles in length from New Jersey to Ohio.

1982 and 1983, The Governor's Toll Roads Task Force was formed by Governor Dick Thornburgh. Imposition of tolls and reconstruction on I-80 and I-70 west was recommended in the report.

1985, Turnpike Organization and Toll Road Conversion Act directed the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to undertake construction of new highway projects and operate them as toll roads.

1994-1996, Additional studies of the potential for reconstructing Interstate 80 to tolled status. In March 1996, Governor Tom Ridge specifically called for placing tolls on I-80 as part of a proposed financial plan to assist Pennsylvania in meeting its highway construction, reconstruction, and maintenance obligations.

1998, The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) was passed as Public Law 105-178. Section 1216(b) of the Act amended Section 1012 of ISTEA to include a pilot program titled as the Interstate System Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Pilot Program (ISRRP). The program authorized the Secretary of Transportation to permit a state to collect tolls on a highway, bridge, or tunnel on the Interstate system for the purpose of reconstructing and rehabilitating Interstate highway corridors that could not otherwise be adequately maintained or functionally improved without the collection of tolls. In addition TEA-21 increased the number of permissible Congestion Pricing pilot projects to 15, and renamed the program as the Value Pricing Pilot Program. Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania was specifically referred to in the TEA-21 Conference Report as typifying the type of Interstate highway that meets the basic requirements of the ISRRP Program.

2003-2005, discussion and action began on transforming 80 into a toll road.

Today, work is being done to complete I-80 as a fully functioning toll road.

Now, even though this has always been a toll project, it's not until now that they are worried about tolling it. I asked myself why? Why now? So far, roads have been improving all across PA and I-80 is not in dire need of reconditioning and rebuilding. Well, I did some research and found the largest reason for beginning tolling is the need for Pennsylvania to stop having to rely on Federal funding to fix our bridges, roads, and tunnels. With Government money being focused on more important, pressing issues these days, things like road improvement don't rank high on the list.

With our hard earned tax money being used to fund other projects, we must pay the extra cost of supplying Pennsylvania with better roads by tolling existing ones. I guess we can only hope that many people travel it and bring in a lot of money for the funding so that no more toll roads are formed. Even though this has always meant to be a toll road, it only now begins to affect our wallet.