With gas tax revenues projected to fall this fiscal year due to the pandemic, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation argues it needs additional revenue to bridge its growing funding gap and repair crucial infrastructure.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is starting a campaign to garner support for new bridge tolls, which the department deems crucial for raising enough revenue to rebuild or upgrade nine of the state's most important bridges. "Under its Pennsylvania Pathways program to find other revenue sources for transportation projects, PennDOT announced Thursday it will prepare federal paperwork to begin charging tolls of $1 to $2." The department hopes the virtual public meetings it plans to hold will be "an opportunity to convince the public about PennDOT’s funding crisis, the importance of using tolls to fund the work, and the potential reduction in state-funded local road work if the agency doesn’t find other revenue sources," reports Ed Blazina in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
With the state relying on federal and state gas taxes for 74% of its revenue, the recent drop in travel and growth of electric and fuel-efficient vehicles have led to a growing gap in funding for infrastructure projects. Tolling is an effective and increasingly popular way to replace lost revenue. "Across the country, 195 roads, 137 bridges and 15 tunnels generate about $22 billion annually through tolls." Ken McClain, director of PennDOT’s Alternative Funding Program, says the department has an "enormous responsibility" to the people who drive on the state's bridges and roads every day. "We cannot afford to let these major bridges fail," he said. "If tolling is approved at all nine sites, the funds will pay for $1.6 billion to $2.2 billion worth of work and allow the agency to use gas tax money for other projects."
FULL STORY: PennDOT begins the task of selling the importance of bridge tolls

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont