McKean County will receive just more than $2 million in liquid fuels payments for its municipalities to maintain their roads and bridges.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced the annual distributions — totaling $467.2 million statewide in 2024 — on Monday. The funds assist municipalities with highway- and bridge-related expenses like repaving and winter maintenance.
McKean County comprises approximately 422 miles of locally owned roads, and each township, borough or city’s allocation is based on population and approved miles of road in the liquid fuels inventory.
To be eligible, roadways must be formally adopted as a public street, meet certain dimension requirements and be able to safely accommodate vehicles driving at least 15 mph.
Bradford City, based on a population of 7,849 and 30.68 miles, is due to receive $232,218.69. Bradford Township, at 4,793 residents and 26.04 miles, will see $190,001.55. Foster Township, at 4,038 residents and 32.18 miles, is due for $168,579.07. Lewis Run Borough, home to 583 with 3.12 miles of roadway, will receive $19,421.25.
For the complete list of municipal liquid fuels payments, visit PennDOT’s Municipal Liquid Fuels Program page. McKean County’s distributions are found on page 76 of the 121-page MLF report for 2024.
PennDOT officials explained that some municipalities enter into agreements with PennDOT to have the department conduct required bridge inspections for them. Each municipality’s share of those agreements is deducted from the gross allocation to arrive at the net allocation, which are the numbers included here.
Further, municipalities may use 20% of their net annual distribution to purchase major equipment. That percentage is a portion of the allocation, not an additional payment.
“Our roads and bridges are vital to connecting Pennsylvanians with services and opportunity,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll in a press release. “Investments in municipal roads and bridges are a critical component in maintaining safe and connected communities.”
“With two-thirds of Pennsylvania’s road miles under township and local government care, we recognize the critical role of liquid fuels funding in maintaining our roadways. We appreciate PennDOT’s recognition of local government as a vital partner in the Commonwealth’s transportation network,” said PSATS Executive Director David Sanko. “However, as energy-efficient vehicles and electric cars gain prominence, these funds are being reduced. We eagerly anticipate a continuing partnership with PennDOT and the General Assembly to find innovative solutions, ensuring our roads remain smooth, safe and ready for the journeys ahead.”
The Municipal Liquid Fuels Program funds a range of projects to support the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of public roads or streets. Funds are only available to municipalities that submit annual reports in compliance with the act. In addition, the Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) Survey of Financial Condition form must be submitted by March 15.
The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) and the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs (PSAB) joined PennDOT in announcing the funding.
Local officials can act on several other options to help improve locally owned infrastructure, such as low-interest loans from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank and the implementation of a $5 fee for each vehicle registered to a county address. To date, 27 counties have implemented the fee and, from December 2015 through December 2023, collected $256.3 million.
There are 120,596 miles of public roads in Pennsylvania. Some 2,559 municipalities manage an estimated 78,000 linear miles of roadway and more than 6,600 bridges longer than 20 feet.
