Federal and state officials are taking a wait-and-see approach on President Donald Trump’s plan to earmark $200 billion to rebuild infrastructure.
Earlier this week, Trump announced a plan that he says would spur growth and investment in infrastructure by dramatically cutting permitting time for projects from 10 years to 2 years and slashing regulations to expedite the decision-making process.
The plan also calls for infrastructure projects to be funded through a mixture of loans and grants. Specifically, rural America would receive grants to rebuild crippled bridges, roads and waterways, and states and cities would be the recipient of grants.
But not everyone finds the proposal beneficial.
“The president’s proposal is not an infrastructure plan but a massive tax cut for wealthy developers financed on the backs of middle class families,” said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. “President Trump’s plan will not help repair the 11,000-plus bridges in Pennsylvania that are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete or repair our roads, which the American Society of Engineers say 32 percent of are in poor condition and cost the taxpayers an average of $606 a year.”
He questions why an employee in McKean County should pay for a new toll along U.S. Route 219 so a billionaire developer can receive a new tax cut.
“In Pennsylvania’s Fifth District, which includes McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter counties, 19 percent of the 3,800 bridges are deemed functionally deficient. The state has identified over 1,900 additional bridges in the district that need to be repaired,” Casey said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said he appreciates Trump’s focus on infrastructure and his commitment to repairing the nation’s bridges, roads and waterways.
“Any worthwhile proposal must include a balance of federal investment, private sector participation and regulatory reform,” he said. “We are on the cusp of a new chapter in America where we need to have an honest conversation about how best meet the country’s infrastructure needs and innovate for the future.”
The first priority must go toward safety, Thompson said. However, for the economy to grow, existing infrastructure needs to be improved to make sure that economic growth can be facilitated, particularly in rural America, he said.
“PennDOT’s mission is to maintain, preserve and improve Pennsylvania’s transportation assets in all of the state’s communities,” said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 2 Press Officer Marla Fannin. “While there aren’t yet specific details available on the president’s proposal, PennDOT would evaluate any potential funding opportunities and pursue those for which we’re eligible.”
PennDOT plans to –– and is continuing to –– update its 4- and 12-year plans, and there is a possibility that funding could be fast-tracked or earmarked to unfunded projects pending the availability for more resources, Fannin said.
“PennDOT also continually works with its federal partners to comply with regulations affecting our operations, which ensure projects are completed safely and with public and community interests in mind,” he said.
J.J. Abbott, spokesman for Gov. Tom Wolf, said Wolf is hoping that the federal government will, going forward, provide the needed funding for infrastructure.
“(Wolf) has worked to steer more money for infrastructure to rebuild bridges, roads and other systems across Pennsylvania,” Abbott said. “We are hopeful that the president can deliver additional resources for rural communities, along with other regions of the commonwealth. We await more specific details on exactly how that will come together from Washington.”
Pennsylvania already has infrastructure on its mind: Earlier this year Wolf announced an additional $2.1 billion maintenance and highway and bridge capital projects over a 10-year period as part of the Road Maintenance and Preservation initiative.
“We estimate that McKean County will see an additional $7.5 million, Potter County will see $9.2 million, and Elk County will see $5.7 million total through the 2028-29 fiscal year because of Road MaP,” Fannin said.
