In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation to provide desperately needed funding for crucial transportation infrastructure in Pennsylvania.

Recently, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 1364, which increases funding for mass transit, and permits the Commonwealth Financing Agency (CFA) to bond up to $500 million, allocated to PennDOT, for the purpose of funding projects related to the construction, rehabilitation, maintenance and repair of roads and bridges. While I understand the importance of increased funding for roads and bridges, the use of $500 million of bonded taxpayer dollars to fund these improvements is an egregious overstep when there is a much simpler, cost-effective solution. It is not responsible to bond $500 million of taxpayer dollars, which would require repayment with significant interest over the next 20 to 30 years.

To that end, my legislation authorizes $2.5 billion from the Rainy Day Fund to be provided to PennDOT, at $500 million for the next five fiscal years, to be dedicated specifically to fund the repair of weight restricted bridges and bridges in poor condition. Additionally, my legislation would allow PennDOT, at their discretion, to use a portion of this revenue for highway projects. PennDOT oversees approximately 25,643 bridges throughout Pennsylvania. According to PennDOT, there are approximately 32 bridges that are closed, 426 bridges that are weight restricted, and 2,163 bridges that are in poor condition. Unfortunately, the number of derelict bridges is increasing due to our rapidly aging infrastructure, and the sheer number of bridges that PennDOT is required to repair and maintain only further complicates the matter. What I am offering is a commonsense solution to the growing problem that we are approaching. Why should we waste bonded taxpayer dollars irresponsibly, given we have $7.04 billion sitting in the Rainy Day Fund just waiting to be used?

I can see no better use for a portion of the Rainy Day Fund than to repair the critical bridge infrastructure that our communities rely on to commute in their daily lives. We have seen the catastrophic results that bridges in poor condition can subject our communities to, as an example, look no farther than the Fern Hollow Bridge Collapse in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvanians deserve to know that their commutes are safe, and they can rely on the bridge infrastructure in the Commonwealth to be safe and effective.

As the stewards of taxpayer dollars, we cannot allow $500 million to be bonded for road and bridge projects, upon which we would pay significant interest. It is simply irresponsible, and unfair to the hard-working taxpayers of this Commonwealth.

I hope you will consider co-sponsoring this important legislation to use funding that we have available to repair crucial transportation infrastructure, to keep our constituents safe.