PennDOT’s Highway Transfer Turnback Program allows municipalities to obtain ownership of state-owned roads that serve local traffic. This voluntary program allows municipalities to be more responsive to the needs of their residents and businesses and have greater control over traffic flow, parking, and winter maintenance.
 
Once a municipality enters into a turnback agreement with PennDOT, the department provides an annual maintenance payment of $4,000 per mile to the municipality. However, many of us in the Legislature have recently heard from municipalities engaged in the program that $4,000 per mile no longer goes as far due to the significant rise in construction and material costs over the past few years. As the dollar amount associated with the Turnback Program has not been updated in nearly 20 years, I will soon introduce legislation to increase the amount of the annual maintenance payment from $4,000 to $6,000 per mile and require PennDOT to automatically adjust this payment for inflation every 24 months. This legislation will benefit municipalities that are already in the program and it will encourage more municipalities to take advantage of this program.
 
Please join me in supporting our local municipalities and improving our roadways for all who travel on them.