Weekly Transportation Recap

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January 5, 2018

WEEKLY TRANSPORTATION RECAP

IN THIS ISSUE

Co-Sponsor Memos Bill Actions Press Conferences PA Bulletin Upcoming Events Session Schedule In the News

Co-Sponsor Memos

HCO2766 Murt, Thomas(R) Provides for freedom from discrimination in public transportation for people who use therapy dogs.

SCO1182 Hughes, Vincent(D) Changes the Crime Victims Act relating to the crime of death or personal injury by vehicle while not licensed, exemption of enforcement officers eligible for benefit, and Office of Victim Advocate.

Bill Actions

HB 74 Snyder, Pam(D) (PN 2808) Amends the Automobile Lemon Law further providing for definitions, for manufacturer's duty for refund or replacement and for presumption of a reasonable number of attempts by including motorcycles in the definition of "new motor vehicle" and establishing if the manufacturer fails to repair or correct a nonconformity after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer shall, at the option of the purchaser, replace the motor vehicle with a comparable motor vehicle of equal value or accept return of the vehicle from the purchaser and refund to the purchaser the full purchase price or lease price, including all collateral charges, less a reasonable allowance for the purchaser's use of the vehicle. Also establishes a "modification or alteration by the purchaser" shall include, in relation to a motorcycle, a modification or alteration made after the date of actual delivery of the motorcycle to the purchaser. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number: 69) Bill History: 12-12-17 H Reported as committed from House Appropriations 12-12-17 Laid out for discussion 7:55pm 12-12-17 Third consideration 7:55pm 12-12-17 H Final Passage (Vote: Y:187/N: 4) 01-02-18 S Received in the Senate and referred to Senate Consumer Protection & Prof. Licensure

HB 290 Metzgar, Carl(R) (PN 2217) Amends the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act further providing for Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Board removing the Middle Atlantic Truck Stop Operators from the board and adding a statewide organization representing fuel retailers and food merchants. Also provides for the appointments to the board by the Senate President Pro Tempore, the Speaker

of the House, the Senate Minority Leader and the House Minority Leader. The Underground Storage Tank Environmental Cleanup Program and the Underground Storage Tank Pollution Prevention Program shall cease to exist on June 30, 2022, unless reestablished. Changes the allocation for the Underground Storage Tank Environmental Cleanup Program to $750,000 (increased from $500,000) and provides for investigation and closure costs by allowing the Department of Environmental Protection to request additional funding for regulation in enforcement. The provisions relating to the sunset of the Underground Storage Tank Environmental Cleanup Program and the Underground Storage Tank Pollution Prevention Program shall take effect immediately and the remainder shall take effect in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number: 284, 339, 1478, 2068, 2087) Bill History: 12-06-17 H Signed in the House 12-11-17 S Signed in the Senate 12-11-17 G In the hands of the Governor 12-21-17 G Approved by the Governor (Act: 61) 12-21-17 G Earliest effective date

HB 1288 Marshall, Jim(R) (PN 1578) Amends Title 75 (Vehicles), in registration of vehicles, further providing for person with disability plate and placard. The bill adds optometrist to persons who can certify a statement that the person is disabled. Effective in 60 days. Bill History: 10-18-17 H Signed in the House 10-18-17 S Signed in the Senate 10-18-17 G In the hands of the Governor 10-25-17 G Approved by the Governor (Act: 37) 12-24-17 G Earliest effective date

HB 1431 Masser, Kurt(R) (PN 2411) Act designating that portion of State Routes 54, 901 and 2023 in Northumberland County and Schuylkill County as the Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway; designating Exit 18 of State Route 43, known as the Searights Road interchange, in Fayette County as the Staff Sgt. John P. Wanto Vietnam Veteran Exit; designating Exit 15 of State Route 43, known as the Old Pittsburgh Road interchange, in Fayette County as the Lance Corporal Russell W. Naugle Vietnam Veteran Exit; designating a bridge on that portion of State Route 2003 over the Yellow Breeches Creek, South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, as the Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller Memorial Bridge; designating a portion of State Route 18 in West Fallowfield Township, Crawford County, as the Staff Sergeant James Douglas Mowris Memorial Highway; designating a portion of State Route 100 from the intersection of Main Street and Tilghman Street in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County, to the intersection of Claussville Road and Kernsville Road in Lowhill Township, Lehigh County, as the Captain Mark T. Resh Memorial Highway; designating a bridge on that portion of State Route 18 (College Avenue) over the Little Shenango River, Greenville Borough, Mercer County, as the Greenville Veterans Memorial Bridge; designating that portion of State Route 3078 and State Route 3090 in York County from the intersection with State Route 116 to the intersection with State Route 3042 as the Private First Class Donald R. Gise Memorial Road; designating a bridge on that portion of State Route 1005, known as Church View Road, Segment 0180, Offset 0000, over Beaver Creek, South Woodbury Township, Bedford County, as the PFC/POW William G. Koontz

Memorial Bridge; and designating a bridge on that portion of State Route 588 over Interstate 376, Chippewa Township, Beaver County, as the TFC Blake T. Coble Memorial Bridge. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number: 1817, 1842, 2091, 2156) Bill History: 12-12-17 H Signed in the House 12-12-17 S Signed in the Senate 12-12-17 G In the hands of the Governor 12-22-17 G Approved by the Governor (Act: 73) 02-20-18 G Earliest effective date

HB 1778 Dawkins, Jason(D) (PN 2405) Act designating a bridge on that portion of State Route 1005, also known as Castor Avenue, over the Frankford Creek in the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, as the Officer Gary Frank Skerski Memorial Bridge. Effective in 60 days. Bill History: 12-13-17 S Signed in the Senate 12-13-17 H Signed in the House 12-13-17 G In the hands of the Governor 12-22-17 G Approved by the Governor (Act: 74) 02-20-18 G Earliest effective date

HB 1866 Dush, Cris(R) (PN 2571) Designates a bridge on that portion of State Route 954 over the North Branch of Plum Creek, South Mahoning Township, Indiana County, as the PFC William T. Bresnock Memorial Bridge. Effective in 60 days. Bill History: 12-12-17 H Reported as committed from House Appropriations 12-12-17 Laid out for discussion 8:03pm 12-12-17 Third consideration 8:03pm 12-12-17 H Final Passage (Vote: Y:192/N: 0) 01-02-18 S Received in the Senate and referred to Senate Transportation

HB 1936 Wentling, Parke(R) (PN 2753) Amends Title 75 (Vehicles), in snowmobiles and all- terrain vehicles, further providing for operation by persons under age sixteen and for mufflers and sound controls. The bill establishes no person shall operate an ATV bearing a certification label conforming to ANSI/SVIA 1 - 2010, or its successor standard, in violation of the age recommendation warning label affixed by the manufacturer. It also makes a technical change by replacing "noise" with "sound". Effective immediately. Bill History: 12-12-17 H Reported as committed from House Appropriations 12-12-17 Laid out for discussion 8:02pm 12-12-17 Third consideration 8:02pm 12-12-17 H Final Passage (Vote: Y:192/N: 0) 01-02-18 S Received in the Senate and referred to Senate Transportation

HB 1973 English, Hal(R) (PN 2829) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses), in minors, further providing for purchase, consumption, possession or transportation of liquor or malt or brewed beverages. A first or second offense is a summary offense and subsequence offenses are a misdemeanor of the third degree. The bill also provides for predisposition evaluation by stipulating that if a person is charged with a first violation, the magisterial district judge or the judicial authority with jurisdiction over the violation shall give first consideration to referring a person to a diversionary program under 42 Pa.C.S. 1520 (relating to adjudication alternative program) and the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure. If the person successfully completes the diversionary program, the

person's records of the charge shall be expunged. If a person is charged with a second or subsequent violation, the magisterial district judge or the judicial authority with jurisdiction over the violation shall require the person to undergo an assessment for alcohol or other drug dependency. Based on the results of the evaluation and any additional information, the court shall require that the person successfully complete a prescribed program of education, intervention or treatment. If the person successfully completes the prescribed program, the person's records of the charge shall be expunged. Effective in 60 days. Bill History: 12-13-17 H Filed 12-19-17 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Judiciary

HB 1977 Miccarelli, Nick(R) (PN 2833) Amends Title 53 (Municipalities Generally), in taxicabs and limousines in first class cities, further providing for budget and assessments relating to limousines by adding that annual assessments issued by the authority to limousine owners shall not exceed 1% of the annual gross revenue of a limousine owner generated within the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia International Airport for the provisioning of limousine service. Assessments may only be made upon the rates collected for the provisioning of limousine service in the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia International Airport and may not include tips or tolls. Assessments may be payable to the authority in a lump sum or on a quarterly basis. The authority shall promulgate regulations. Effective immediately. Bill History: 12-13-17 H Filed 12-19-17 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Consumer Affairs

HB 1986 Santora, James(R) (PN 2843) Act designating a portion of Garrett Road in Delaware County as the Deputy Chief Michael Morgan Memorial Highway. Effective in 60 days. Bill History: 12-21-17 H Filed 12-21-17 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Transportation

HB 1995 Murt, Thomas(R) (PN 2858) Amends Title 3 (Agriculture), in domestic animals, providing for therapy dogs by establishing that a public transportation authority may not: deny, limit, discourage or attempt to impose burdens or penalties on an individual with a disability who is accompanied by a therapy dog that is properly harnessed, an owner or handler of a therapy dog or an individual licensed to train therapy dogs for the purposes of aiding and guiding the individual and riding on a vehicle operated for public transportation; or charge a fee for the transportation of a therapy dog. Effective in 60 days. Bill History: 01-03-18 H Filed 01-03-18 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Agriculture and Rural Affairs

SB 252 Vulakovich, Randy(R) (PN 232) Amends Title 53 (Municipalities Generally), in parking authorities, providing for granting of interests and mixed-use projects for authorities in cities of the second class. The bill grants an authority in a city of the second class (Pittsburgh) the power to do the following: (1) Grant an interest in and to all or a portion of land, buildings and structures for dedicated parking to support

commercial or residential uses, if the grant of the interest will not negatively impact the financial standing of the authority and the consideration for the grant of the interest is appropriate considering the overall transaction; and if the term of the interest does not extend beyond the term of existence of the authority and the grant of the interest is not permissible where the average occupancy rate of parking spaces for the prior six calendar months has exceeded 90 percent for that particular facility; (2) Develop, operate or participate in the development or operation of one or more mixed-use projects; and (3) Finance mixed-use projects by incurring indebtedness. Effective in 60 days. Bill History: 12-13-17 S Signed in the Senate 12-13-17 H Signed in the House 12-13-17 G In the hands of the Governor 12-22-17 G Approved by the Governor (Act: 76) 02-20-18 G Earliest effective date

SB 736 Martin, Scott (F)(R) (PN 899) Amends Title 75 (Vehicles) further providing for specific powers of department and local authorities by adding that beginning January 1, 2018, the parking authority of a city of the second class A or third class may enforce and administer ordinances and resolutions enacted or adopted by the city of the third class under the powers specified and certain stopping, standing and parking. Beginning March 1, 2018, the parking authority of a city of the second class A or third class may enter into an agreement with the city of the second class A or third class for the transfer of a portion of the fines, penalties and costs collected under this subsection, which the parking authority board deems reasonable, to the city of the second class As or third class. Effective in 60 days. Bill History: 12-13-17 S Signed in the Senate 12-13-17 H Signed in the House 12-13-17 G In the hands of the Governor 12-22-17 G Approved by the Governor (Act: 80) 02-20-18 G Earliest effective date

SB 1004 Killion, Thomas(R) (PN 1401) Amends Title 53 (Municipalities Generally), in taxicabs and limousines in first class cities (Philadelphia), further providing for budget and assessments by establishing for fiscal year 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter the limousine assessment shall not exceed 1 percent of the annual gross revenue generated by a limousine owner providing limousine service in a city of the first class and an airport in the city of the first class, the assessment shall be collected from the rates for providing limousine service and shall not include tips or tolls, and the assessment may be payable to the authority in a lump sum or on a quarterly basis. Also provides for temporary regulations by requiring the authority to promulgate temporary regulations to facilitate the changes within 30 days, expiring upon the promulgation of final-form regulations or two years after the effective date of this section, whichever is later. Effective immediately. Bill History: 01-02-18 S Filed 01-02-18 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Consumer Protection & Prof. Licensure

Press Conferences

AUDITOR GENERAL ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR PA TURNPIKE COMMISSION AUDIT By Jeff Cox, Pennsylvania Legislative Services | January 3, 2018

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale announced today that his department will be conducting a performance audit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. A previous audit was released in September, 2016, which found toll violations were increasing and the Commission was failing to meet its “unrealistic traffic and revenue projections.”

DePasquale told reporters, “As we know tolls continue to go up and it is something I stressed in my first year in office when I did a special report outlining the critical needs of fixing the long-term financial challenges this turnpike faces.” He said, “Through this audit I hope to provide an accurate picture of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s status, and, if necessary, make recommendations for improvement.”

DePasquale explained that this new audit will have two major objectives:

· Determining if the Commission’s revenue collections are meeting projected toll revenue expectations in order to meet its payment obligations, for maintenance and for planned capital improvement projects.

· Reviewing and evaluating the process of selecting and awarding construction contracts.

DePasquale further explained his department will review any previous findings from the last audit as well. He commended the Turnpike Commission and the legislature for strengthening the laws relating to toll violations.

DePasquale responded to questions from reporters.

Is there anything in particular that has changed to improve their situation since they raised rates again for this year and expect to for forthcoming years?

Obviously they raised the rates and that is no secret. It is what it is and we predicted this was coming. What we want to analyze is: is there belief from their consultants that despite the increase in tolls they would have increased traffic? We will be analyzing if that was an accurate assessment or not. The concern is if we increase tolls to the point we lose revenue.

Is that the main reason you think the Turnpike Commission may not be self-sustainable?

I am very concerned that their projection they laid out in our last audit on how this was going to work was they were going to keep raising tolls and traffic was going to keep going up. I am not convinced that is going to happen. We will look at the numbers again and see. I don’t want to see the tolls go up but what would be more lethal if the tolls go up and the traffic goes down which means it is in worse shape.

What do you think you can discover or uncover in your audit that would mitigate the situation they face?

The last time we found the scofflaw situation. That is something and it is a tool in the toolbox to try to help. We are going to look at their contracting procedures and how they award contracts. For example, we have seen this in other entities. We are going to see if this is a way they can save additional money.

Your audit will cover the period of June, 2015 through May, 2017. Is there any particular reason you chose that time period?

When we left off with our field work the last time, we always try to get to the time that is most reasonable moving forward. We always retain the right of expanding the time frame if it warrants.

Are you concerned there is any untoward action being taken in the awarding of construction contracts?

The best thing for me to say at this point is that it is just something we are going to review. We certainly get feedback from a lot of entities via Twitter and Facebook on contracting across the board and the Turnpike is no exception. That does not mean every tweet is 100 percent accurate.

Is there any progress in sight on the funding of public transportation from some other source?

That is something I don’t have a good answer right off the top of my head other than there does seem to be some bipartisanship at the federal level on infrastructure. This may bring a call of action from Pennsylvania’s delegation to really weigh in on this but that is beyond the scope of the audit. There does seem to be a consensus in DC that there should be a federal transportation bill.

What is the Turnpike’s current debt and do you believe there is a death spiral that cannot be halted because of the level of debt?

I am concerned that is already there. One of the things this audit will determine will be what the actual debt number is.

Is there any sense of what the actual debt number is at this point?

Part of the goal of the audit is to get that number.

Are you concerned that it may be too late and nothing can be done to erase this cycle of raising tolls and declining traffic?

It is a concern. I don’t want to say I am 100 percent convinced but I am concerned.

Is this quicker than you usually do an audit of the same agency and why is that?

Because I am that concerned.

What can be done about it and what can be done to get them out of this mess?

I don’t want to prejudge the audit but certainly you look at the payment they make to PennDOT and maybe that needs to be scaled back. Certainly there could be a call to action from the federal delegation for a comprehensive infrastructure plan. Also we need to see if they are hurting themselves by raising the tolls causing them to lose traffic thus making the financial situation worse. Like the scofflaw problem, we may find that the contract practices can be improved.

During legislative hearings this past year both PennDOT and the Commission testified they saw a decrease in traffic while the surrounding states saw an increase. It seems the officials already know there is a problem.

Yet they raised the tolls.

Do you expect to meet the PennDOT secretary on this matter?

We will have appropriate conversations during the audit and certainly when the audit is done we will have an appropriate exit interview to talk about it.

Should there be any reason for concern about PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards also serving as chair of the Turnpike Commission?

I think the secretary is always on the Commission so whether she is chair or not is up to the Commission. I don’t see any reason why that is a problem. I understand the point but she is already on the Commission so if they want to fix that it would have to be change legislatively I believe.

Congressman Shuster is the chairman of the House Transportation Committee. Have you had any communications with him about a federal plan to address this?

I saw he announced he is not running for reelection and one of the main reasons he gave was he wants to spend his last year in Congress focusing on infrastructure. We are going to be reaching out to him. I think his expertise on this overall issue will be critical for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania so that is definitely on our to do list. It won’t be part of the audit but it may be part of the recommendations.

Any time frame on how long this audit will take?

I am hopeful it will be done this calendar year.

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PA Bulletin

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: CONTEMPLATED SALE OF LAND NO LONGER NEEDED FOR TRANSPORTATION PURPOSES The Department of Transportation announced it has the following property for sale: • A four-parcel assemblage known as Parcels 266, 267, 268 and 269 in Chester, Delaware County. The parcels contain a total of approximately 2,929 square feet. The estimated fair market value of the parcels is $9,000. Located and described on Department plans as SR 0291 A10 Parcels No. 266, 267, 268 and 269. • Portions of the properties formerly known as 304 West Second Street Folio No. 49060002200, 306 West Second Street Folio No. 490600023000, 308 West Second Street Folio No. 49060002400 and 310 West Second Street Folio No. 49060002500. Contact the Department for bid forms.

Interested public entities can express their interest in purchasing within 30 days to Kenneth M. McClain, PE, District Executive, Engineering District 6-0, Attn: Roger Joseph, Right-of-Way Administrator, 7000 Geerdes Boulevard, King of Prussia, PA 19406. Questions can be directed to Barbara J. Braun, Real Estate Specialist, Department of Transportation, Engineering District 6-0, 7000 Geerdes Boulevard, King of Prussia, PA 19406, (610) 205-6784, fax (610) 205-6599, [email protected].

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: APPROVED SPEED-TIMING DEVICES AND APPOINTMENT OF MAINTENANCE AND CALIBRATION STATIONS The Department of Transportation, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3368, relating to speed timing devices, has approved for use the following: electronic speed-timing devices (radar); electronic speed-timing devices (nonradar), which measure elapsed time between measured road surface points by using two sensors; and electronic speed-timing devices (nonradar), which calculate average speed between any two points. The department has also approved the use of electronic and mechanical stopwatches as speed-timing devices for use by any police officer; appointed the stations for calibrating and testing speed-timing devices; and appointed the official Electronic Device Testing Stations for nonradar devices, which measure elapsed time between measured road surface points by using two sensors. All of these lists can be found at www.pabulletin.com. Comments or questions can be directed to Michael Smith, Manager, Administrative and Technical Support Section, Vehicle Inspection Division, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Riverfront Office Center, 1101 South Front Street, Harrisburg, (717) 783-7016.

EXECUTIVE BOARD: REORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION The Executive Board approved a reorganization of the Department of Transportation effective December 19, 2017. The organization chart can be found at www.pabulletin.com.

PENNSYLVANIA PUC: IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT 40 OF 2017 The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission's administrative responsibilities for implementing the provisions of Act 40 are contained within Section 11.1 of Act 40. The Tentative Implementation Order provides the Commission's proposed interpretation as well as implementation of Section 11.1 of Act 40 and seeks comment from the public and industry with respect to this interpretation and implementation. The Implementation Order can be found at www.pabulletin.com. The contact persons for the Tentative Implementation Order are Kriss Brown, Assistant Counsel, Law Bureau, [email protected], (717) 787-4518 and Darren Gill, Bureau of Technical Utility Services, [email protected], (717) 783-5244.

Upcoming Events

House Transportation (PUBLIC HEARING) TUESDAY - 1/16/18, 1:00 p.m., Bloomsburg University of PA, Assembly Room at Monty's (Upper Campus), 400 E. Second Street, Bloomsburg Public hearing on the gaps that exist in a rural area regarding transportation

PA Turnpike Commission January 17, 2018 - 10:00 a.m., Turnpike Admin. Bldg, Large Board Room, 700 S. Eisenhower Blvd., 3rd Fl., Middletown Commission Meeting. For additional information: (717) 831-7333

PA Public Utility Commission January 18, 2018 - 10:00 a.m., Commonwealth Keystone Building, Hearing Room 1, 400 North St., Harrisburg Public Meeting. For additional information: (717) 783-1740

Session Schedule Senate January 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 February 5, 6, 7 March19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 April16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30 May 1, 2, 21, 22, 23 June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

House January 22, 23, 24 February 5, 6, 7 March12, 13, 14 April 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 30 May1, 2, 22, 23 June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

In the News

01-04-2018 Ahead of Dangerously Cold Temperatures, Wolf Administration Urges Safety... (Press Release)

01-04-2018 Stateline Daily: Billions From VW Settlement Boost Push to Clean Vehicles (Press Release)

01-04-2018 SEPTA Battles Cold Weather (Press Release)

01-04-2018 Wolf Administration Urges Drivers to Use Caution in Coming Winter Storm... (Press Release)

01-04-2018 Wolf Administration Offers Winter Driving Resources, Safety Reminders (Press Release)

01-04-2018 With high-profile retirements, Pa. to lose experience, clout in Congress WASHINGTON — By the end of the year, Pennsylvania will have lost more than 50 years of experience in the U.S. House, along with the clout that kind of seniority brings. Three Republican representatives from the state are not seeking reelection, and one veteran GOP House member resigned last fall amid a scandal. The... - Philadelphia Inquirer

01-04-2018 Federally compliant driver's license in Pa. to cost twice as much as regular card

Berks County is not yet on PennDOT's list for additional resources to help with the expected surge. Brace yourself, Pennsylvania. A federally compliant driver's license is going to cost twice as much as a regular license. And expect longer-than-usual lines in Berks County because PennDOT is not... - Reading Eagle

01-04-2018 Reading Parking Authority's financial director resigns The top money man for the Reading Parking Authority has resigned. William Wisser, a certified public accountant, was hired in August as the parking authority's financial director. The authority accepted his resignation at its meeting Wednesday. After the meeting, Murray said the resignation was for personal reasons.... - Reading Eagle

01-04-2018 Reading Parking Authority hears complaint The Reading Parking Authority has heard a complaint from Chris Giles, owner of Chris Giles Garage, 1104 N. 10th St., about vehicles that park in front of a fire hydrant at 1102 N. 10th St. Giles said he had been calling the authority about the matter and never... - Reading Eagle

01-04-2018 Flooding concerns dampen developer's hopes in Palmer Township Flooding concerns may ultimately impede a New Jersey developer’s plan for warehouses along a rapidly growing commercial corridor. Property owners near the 36-acre tract where F Greek Development wants to build a warehouse distribution center urged Palmer Township’s Zoning... - Allentown Morning Call

01-04-2018 Auditor general to probe Turnpike Commission for second time in two years As Pennsylvania Turnpike drivers prepare for a toll increase yet again, the state auditor general said Wednesday that he is launching an audit of the Turnpike Commission just 16 months after he last audited it. “Through this audit, I hope to provide an accurate picture of the... - Beaver County Times

01-04-2018 Who will replace Shuster? Our economy hinges on answer Sometimes you don’t know what you have until you lose it. And sometimes losing it results in a rude awakening. That’s where we find ourselves in the 9th Congressional District with the announced retirement of Congressman Bill Shuster. Yes, I am sure that there are those who are jumping with joy at the... - Chambersburg Public Opinion

01-04-2018 Snow hitting York County now, dangerous wind chills expected later Eric Horst, director of the Weather Information Center at Millersville University, said via Twitter Thursday morning that York and Lancaster counties looked to be on track for 1-3 inches of snow. Some spots could see 3-plus inches if they get under a heavy localized band... - York Daily

01-04-2018 PennDOT: Timing of storm could pose challenge for road crews EAST NORRITON >> With a colossal nor’easter headed our way, PennDOT took advantage of the proverbial calm before the storm to announce its plan of attack Wednesday. “The timing of the storm is a concern for us, with the storm expected to start as early as midnight or the early hours of tomorrow morning and... - Norristown Times Herald

01-04-2018 Bridge replacements not as rapid as promised HARRISBURG — The Department of Transportation has asked its private sector partners to put the pedal to metal in replacing more than 500 structurally deficient bridges. The original contract with Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners called for completion by August 2018. The company subsequently agreed to accelerate... - Meadville Tribune

01-04-2018 Bridge replacements not as rapid as promised HARRISBURG – The Department of Transportation has asked its private sector partners to put the pedal to metal in replacing more than 500 structurally deficient bridges. The original contract with Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners called for completion by August 2018. The company subsequently agreed to accelerate... - New Castle News

01-04-2018 Costs vs. safety weighed for sidewalk repairs at city town hall Get ready to spend a part of your budget on sidewalk repair, according to discussion Wednesday at a town hall meeting in City Hall. Some in the city will have to do just that since the city codes administration has announced inspections of sidewalks to begin in February... - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

01-04-2018 Sidewalk upheaval: Need understood, timing questionable

We understand why the leaders of city government want to institute a sidewalk inspection program along with a plan to upgrade sidewalks throughout Williamsport. Williamsport is an older city, with deteriorating sidewalks in many neighborhoods that can lead to falls and other accidents, along with... - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

01-04-2018 Stefano urges residents to get documents needed for Real ID As PennDOT prepares to bring its driver-licensing systems in line with the federal REAL ID standards, state Sen. Pat Stefano (R-32nd District) reminds area residents that they should begin now to prepare by gathering necessary documents to comply . - Connellsville Daily Courier

01-04-2018 State police release update on one-vehicle crash in LeRoy Pennsylvania State Police have released more information detailing a one-vehicle car accident that occurred on Dec. 26 in LeRoy Township. According to police, Helen M. Parker, 53, of Canton was driving a 2005 Nissan Maxima westbound on Southside Road at 6:29 p.m. when the vehicle... - Towanda Daily Review

01-04-2018 Car Sales End a 7-Year Upswing, With More Challenges Ahead The auto industry’s long-running sales party has come to an end. After seven straight years of growth in domestic new-vehicle sales, manufacturers on Wednesday reported a decline of about 1.8 percent in 2017, to 17.2 million cars and light trucks. Further dampening the mood is the consensus that 2018 will bring an even... - New York Times

01-04-2018 Trump’s travel ban is still indefensible IN LATE January 2017, President Trump’s first travel ban made for a brash start to the young administration: an aggressive assertion of executive power in service of one of Mr. Trump’s most incendiary campaign promises. Almost a year later, the president’s promised ban on... - Washington Post

01-04-2018 SEPTA and PATCO schedule updates, driving conditions and traffic in snowy Philadelphia The snow is easing in Philadelphia as the evening commute is about to begin. Many commuters apparently heeded advice to stay home. Others were sent home early, likely reducing the number of passengers during rush hour. Here’s the latest of what you need to know... - Philadelphia Inquirer

01-04-2018 PennDOT, PSP urge motorists to plan ahead for farm show traffic Over the next week an estimated half-million people will descend upon the Pennsylvania Farm Show off of Cameron Street for the 102nd annual farm exposition. Along with all of those visitors will be more than 5,000 animals, a bevy of vendors, suppliers, and everything that goes into... - Penn Live, Patriot-News

01-04-2018 Riverfront 47 earns $2.5 million state grant for site prep Riverfront 47 may be coming to Sharpsburg sooner than expected. The project, a proposed commercial development on a 1.5-mile stretch of land from Sharpsburg to Aspinwall, was awarded a $2.5 million state grant for site acquisition and preparation. The money came through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program,... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

01-04-2018 Report: U.S. gasoline prices increased in 2017 Pennsylvanians don't need the federal government to tell them that gas prices rose in 2017 — but that's the conclusion of the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The agency collects weekly data on retail gasoline and diesel fuel prices for 10 cities and the United States as a whole. Pennsylvania is part of the... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

01-04-2018 Airlines cancel, delay flights at Pittsburgh International as Nor'easter intensifies While Pittsburgh is out of the path of a giant snowstorm swirling its way north along the East Coast, the blizzard has prompted airlines to cancel and delay flights to and from Pittsburgh International Airport. At 1 p.m. Thursday, the airport had about 14 upcoming canceled departing... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

01-03-2018 PennDOT: Motorists Urged to be Alert for Snow Squalls (Press Release)

01-03-2018 PennDOT: Wolf Administration Highlights Year's Road, Bridge Progress (Press Release)

01-03-2018 AG DePasquale Launches Audit of Pennsylvania Turnpike (Press Release)

01-03-2018 SEPTA To Begin Phase Out of Token Sales in Early 2018 (Press Release)

01-03-2018 Auditor General Announces Plans for PA Turnpike Commission Audit (Around the Capital)

01-03-2018 PennDOT: Wolf Administration Urges Drivers to Use Caution in Coming Winter Storm (Press Release)

01-03-2018 PennDOT: Wolf Administration Highlights Year's Road, Bridge Progress in... (Press Release)

01-03-2018 PennDOT: Wolf Administration Reminds High School Students to Enter... (Press Release)

01-03-2018 Wolf Administration Reviews PennDOT's Northwestern Region's Busy, Successful... (Press Release)

01-03-2018 PennDOT: Wolf Administration Highlights 2017 Transportation Progress in... (Press Release)

01-03-2018 Getting Real: To get a Real ID driver’s license, prepare soon Getting Real: To get a Real ID driver’s license, prepare soon Procrastinators, be warned. Pennsylvanians who are going to want driver’s licenses complying with the post-9/?11 Real ID law are being urged to begin assembling their documentation now, even though the licenses... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

01-03-2018 Pittsburgh hosts mobility showcase in Oakland To get around the Pittsburgh region, many residents don’t think beyond their car, public transportation, a bicycle or maybe the occasional Uber or Lyft. In an effort to broaden those options, the city will hold the Western PA Mobility Showcase on Thursday at the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland.... - Pittsburgh Post- Gazette

01-03-2018 Infrastructure bill to be focal point U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-9th District, announced his intention Tuesday to step down at the end of his term, ending a 17-year House career and a more than four decades of a Shuster in the seat. Shuster’s announcement, first reported by the Washington Examiner, ends... - Altoona Mirror

01-03-2018 4th seat opens in Pennsylvania's congressional delegation Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, who has represented parts of southwestern Pennsylvania since 2001, will be not be seeking a ninth term in Washington, the lawmaker announced Tuesday. Shuster’s departure creates the fourth open congressional seat on the ballot this year among Pennsylvania’s 18-member U.S. House delegation.... - Allentown Morning Call

01-03-2018 DOJ seeks silent judge In a remarkable request, the Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to censor himself because, well, the DOJ disagreed with what he had to say. Late last year, U.S. District Judge Barclay Surrick of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled that drugs obtained during a state police traffic... - Scranton Times

01-03-2018 Shuster won't seek re-election in 2018 U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Hollidaysburg, announced Monday he will not seek re-election in 2018. Thank you for Reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. A nine-term incumbent, Shuster has served the 9th Congressional District in... - Uniontown Herald-Standard

01-03-2018 Crowd-sourced bus routes expand to Montgomery, Chester counties UPPER MERION >> OurBus. The name sounds homespun and folksy, like something the Partridge

Family might have driven from gig to gig. While the startup OurBus probably won’t ever transport musical families in its daily operations, it does have a grassroots purpose that is ruled by... - Norristown Times Herald

01-03-2018 Shuster won't seek re-election to 9th district House seat U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, one of the most powerful figures in local and statewide politics, announced on Tuesday he does not plan to seek re-election to Pennsylvania's 9th Congressional District seat this year. As chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Shuster said he wants to... - Johnstown Tribune-Democrat

01-03-2018 Sidewalk inspections to be subject of town hall Mayor Gabriel J. Campana is holding a town hall meeting tonight at 7 on the issues of sidewalks and diversity. The meeting is scheduled to be in the City Hall in the Sechler room on the second floor, according to Dee Reed, his executive secretary. Campana said he organized the first town hall meeting of the year after... - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

01-03-2018 Deep freeze grips region Area temperatures dipped below freezing on the day after Christmas, and are not likely to crawl back out for another week. And the weather has claimed at least one resident, 91-year-old Richard Stark of Dalton who was attempting to thaw pipes when a fire broke out... - Tunkhannock The New Age Examiner

01-03-2018 Trump’s Aviation Boast Fails to Get in the Air President Trump claimed undue credit on Tuesday for keeping the skies safe. “Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!” Mr. Trump posted on Twitter.... - New York Times

01-03-2018 Did Trump Kill the Plan for a Hudson Rail Tunnel? Its Backers Hope Not Building a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River between New York City and New Jersey has been one of the nation’s top infrastructure priorities for several years. But transportation officials in the region entered the new year wondering if President Trump had decided to block the plan just as... - New York Times

01-03-2018 Pa. Atty General Josh Shapiro invites more residents to check site to see if their identities were stolen in FCC debate The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office says that 303,000 people have searched agency’s web site for fake comments submitted in their names to the Federal Communications Commission during the nation’s “net neutrality” debate last year. Of those, 3,120 individuals — or about one percent — said that... - Philadelphia Inquirer

01-03-2018 Auto interest rates on the rise for those with poor credit DETROIT — Car salesmen call it “the payment walk,” when a customer wants a new vehicle but is walked instead to the used lot because they can't qualify for a new-car loan... - AP

01-03-2018 Auditor General Eugene DePasquale to review Pennsylvania Turnpike finances again With the Pennsylvania Turnpike ready to raise tolls for the 10th year in a row Sunday, state Auditor General Eugene DePasqaule announced Wednesday he’s beginning another audit of the agency to look at its debt and contracting practices. In a telephone call with reporters, Mr. DePasquale said he is following up... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

01-02-2018 PennDOT, Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners Wrap-Up 2017 Construction Season (Press Release)

01-02-2018 State Deploying Additional Resources to Supplement Erie Winter Storm Response (Press Release)

01-02-2018 PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed For New Year's Holiday (Press Release)

01-02-2018 John Haven turns from supervisor to school director, but sticks with hiking trail issues After 11 years as a supervisor and now a Freeport Area School Board member, John Haven can't stay away from the Butler-Freeport Community Trail. It's not that Haven, 71, is just an avid trail user. He walks

and rides it when he can. More so, he's an avid volunteer who was just appointed vice chairman of the... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

01-02-2018 Fare policy change hasn't cost Port Authority as much as expected Port Authority isn’t sure why, but it’s happy with the trend: The agency is losing less money than it expected since it changed its fare policy at the beginning of 2017. In January, the transit agency changed from a two-tiered fare system that charged $2.50 for shorter rides and $3.75 for longer rides to a flat $2.50... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

01-02-2018 Two-plus hours on a school bus: How a Chester charter taps Philly kids to grow Imagine waking your 5-year-old kindergarten student before 5 a.m., walking him to a street corner in the city’s Far Northeast, then watching him board a bus for a 2½-hour ride to a school more than 30 miles away. Then, imagine he endures the same trip in reverse each afternoon. Five days... - Philadelphia Inquirer

01-02-2018 Five things you need to know about Real IDs By October, a standard Pennsylvania driver’s license won’t be enough to enter a federal building or board a domestic flight. PennDOT expects to start issuing new licenses and identification cards that meet enhanced federal standards, called Real IDs, in March 2019.... - Allentown Morning Call

01-02-2018 Doylestown's plans for Broad Street Park delay until 2019 Construction of a planned park at the current PennDOT equipment yard on Broad Street in Doylestown Borough will be delayed until Summer 2019, when work on a new PennDOT facility in Plumstead is expected to finish. Doylestown Borough still plans to develop a new park, borough hall and... - Levittown Intelligencer

01-02-2018 Redevelopment of two Quakertown properties promising for downtown economy Redevelopment of an old trolley barn and SETPA freight station in 2018 has borough economic revitalization group optimistic for future. The redevelopment of two properties in Quakertown have a local economic revitalization group optimistic for next year and beyond.... - Levittown Intelligencer

01-02-2018 System that could have prevented recent derailment needs to be installed ASAP It became clear almost immediately after an Amtrak train crashed in Washington this past month that excessive speed was to blame. The train was traveling at 80 mph on tracks rated for 30 mph when it derailed, killing three people and injuring many others. National Transportation Safety Board investigators continue looking into... - Lewistown Sentinel

01-02-2018 Local PennDOT district sees millions in improvements in 2017 CLEARFIELD –– A nine-county area in North Central Pennsylvania saw road and bridge improvements in 2017 worth more than $158 million, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Improvements included roadway paving and resurfacing, safety enhancements,... - Bradford Era

01-02-2018 Tractor-trailer causes damage to Schenk's Mill covered bridge in Rapho Township Crews worked for several hours Sunday after a tractor-trailer became wedged in a covered bridge in Rapho Township. The accident occurred around 3:10 p.m. at Schenk's Mill covered bridge on South Erisman Road, between Auction Road and Schenck Road. Officials at the scene reported significant structural damage.... - Lancaster Intelligencer Journal

01-02-2018 As tech business grows, United to expand service to San Francisco Pittsburgh is getting a coveted second flight to San Francisco, at least for the summer. United Airlines will operate a second daily flight to the city by the bay starting June 6 and continuing through Aug. 20. The flight will supplement United’s current daily flight to San... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

01-02-2018 PA Turnpike tolls to increase 6 percent on Jan. 7 Holidays are filled with traditions, but the Pennsylvania Turnpike has one that motorists would be happy to do without: the annual toll hike that takes place at the beginning of the year. For the 10th consecutive year, turnpike tolls will increase on Jan. 7. This... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

01-02-2018 High costs for refusing breathalyzer test among new Pennsylvania laws for 2018

Pennsylvania police will have a new financial incentive to make suspected drunk or impaired drivers consent to a breath or blood test, even without a warrant, under one of several new state laws that take effect this month. SB553 made several changes to the state's DUI laws and will take... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

01-02-2018 United to add second daily flight from Pittsburgh to San Francisco this summer United Airlines is adding a second seasonal daily flight from Pittsburgh International to San Francisco. The new flight will run from June 7 through Aug. 20 with a morning departure from Pittsburgh, according to an airport news release. The return flight will be overnight.... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

01-02-2018 New Pennsylvania laws for 2018 expand gambling, allow golf carts on roads Driving a golf cart on Pennsylvania roads, gambling online and keeping your tax collector from skimming off your tax payments will all get a little easier under new legislation that takes effect this month. HB271 greatly expands gambling in the state, especially by... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

01-01-2018 County officials discuss parking strategies at urban centers COATESVILLE >> Parking options are an integral component for attracting people to shop, dine, or live in a borough or city. That was one of the key messages that local experts, consultants, and municipal officials discussed during a recent Urban Centers Forum titled “Parking Lessons... - West Chester Daily Local News

01-01-2018 Hyndman faces 2nd derailment HYNDMAN — In August, 32 train cars derailed in the middle of town here, destroying a home, knocking another home off of its foundation, burning down a garage and forcing the evacuation of 900 residents. Among the residual effects was a diagnosis of post traumatic stress... - Altoona Mirror

01-01-2018 PennDOT planning $11M in projects in ’18 After about $75 million in construction this year in Blair County, PennDOT has about $11 million in projects on tap for 2018, officials said. The Route 22 Frankstown Intersection Safety Improvement Project, the 17th Street Safety Improvement Project in Altoona and the Route 36 Brush Run... - Altoona Mirror

01-01-2018 Time to build: Infrastructure should top U.S. agenda in 2018 Time to build: Infrastructure should top U.S. agenda in 2018 The recent power outage at Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport emphatically highlighted the need for improvements in America’s infrastructure. President Donald Trump and Republicans have passed tax reform. It was a... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

01-01-2018 Historic win by Delco Dems among tops stories of 2017 It was a year of loose ends in Delaware County in 2017. Some were tied up, some left unresolved, and some created as the year came to a close. Stories a few years in the making like the battle over the Mariner East 2 pipeline continued to play out, some a few decades in the making like the widening... - Primos Delaware County Daily and Sunday Times

01-01-2018 How a small bird managed to take over a Delta flight On late Saturday morning, a bird flew out of the cold Detroit sky, across an airfield and into the cockpit of a jetliner bound south for Atlanta. Some believe it was a sparrow. Some, a hummingbird. A Delta Air Lines spokesman referred to it only as a “stowaway” — and, in any... - Washington Post

01-01-2018 Drivers on Table Rock Road will see closures, detours in mid-January Planned construction on a Route 394 bridge in Butler Township will mean road closures and detours in mid-January. PennDot expects to begin construction on the Table Rock Road bridge, which spans the Conewago Creek, the week of Jan. 15, according to a news release.... - Hanover Evening Sun

01-01-2018 County: Costs doomed span County commissioners voted last week to permanently close a bridge here because it was costing them $1,250 a month to inspect. But it caught... - Bloomsburg Press Enterprise

01-01-2018 Several with Pa. ties reported among 12 killed in Costa Rica plane crash Costa Rican investigators are looking into what caused a charter aircraft to crash in woods in the country's northwest soon after takeoff, killing the 10 U.S. citizens and two local crew members on board... - AP

12-31-2017 Parking projects: City authority gets OK to try something new A new state law gives the Pittsburgh Parking Authority the discretion to participate in public-private partnerships and lease parking spaces to private developments. While it’s fine to contribute expertise and resources to further the city’s economic transformation —... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

12-31-2017 State urges residents to gather documents now for REAL ID process Federally mandated REAL ID cards won’t be available in Pennsylvania for another 15 months, but the state Department of Transportation is encouraging residents to begin preparing for the process as soon as possible. That’s because it could take six months or longer for some people to... - Pittsburgh Post- Gazette

12-31-2017 Feds cast doubt on New York-New Jersey tunnel funding plan A plan to pay for an estimated $13 billion rail tunnel under the Hudson River raises serious concerns, including that it relies on a "non-existent" agreement that would have the federal government foot half the bill, an official at the nation's federal transportation agency wrote Friday... - AP

12-31-2017 An observation: Breaking incentive habit? Is the Allegheny County Airport Authority breaking its highly questionable habit of using public money to incentivize airlines to add service? Asked about Regional Sky's recent announcement of twice-daily weekday service from Pittsburgh International Airport to Wilkes Barre/Scranton... - Pittsburgh Tribune- Review

12-31-2017 Cheers and Jeers CHEERS to all our faithful readers on this New Year’s Eve. We wish you all a happy, safe and productive 2018. JEERS to the confusion surrounding whether taxpayers could pay their 2018 property taxes before the New Year to take advantage of a federal deduction... - Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice

12-31-2017 Year-end report: PennDOT says it’s delivering transportation value PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards this week issued a year-end report on the department’s performance in 2017. Richards said the Wolf Administration is taking seriously its responsibility to care for the transportation assets used by Pennsylvanians every day.... - Wilkes-Barre Times Leader

12-31-2017 Beyond the Byline: Thoughts on 2018 It’s that time to say goodbye to 2017 and welcome 2018. Each year, we anticipate a new beginning by promising to be better people, to lose those extra pounds, to take care of ourselves, to work harder, to be nicer to one another. Then we get in our car and blow the horn when the person in front of us is... - Wilkes- Barre Times Leader

12-31-2017 Erie should stop bragging about its epic snowfall: Letters to the editor We’ve heard forever that Erie needs stable, higher paying jobs. We’ve heard that Erie needs to reinvent itself and market itself a lot better than it has. We keep hearing that Erie must present a better, more inviting image of itself to attract the kinds of business and commerce so... - Erie Times-News

12-31-2017 Looking Ahead: Design work may include I-81 median safety features Next year will see design work underway on a proposed road resurfacing project on Interstate 81 in the Carlisle area that may include some kind of median barrier to prevent crossover collisions. Mike Crochunis, press officer for PennDOT’s Engineering District 8,... - Carlisle Sentinel

12-31-2017 PennDOT lifts speed limit restrictions on major central Pa. roadways PennDOT has limited the temporary restriction of speed limits on several roadways across central Pennsylvania. The restrictions were initially put in place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday thanks to snow that blanketed the region. All speed limits have since been restored to their usual posted limits,... - Penn Live, Patriot-News

12-31-2017 You'll need a lot of proof to get new Real ID cards If you live in Pennsylvania, you might want to start preparing to make sure you won’t be blocked from flying across the country or entering federal buildings. The state will start issuing federally required Real ID cards — enhanced driver’s licenses and identification cards marked with a gold... - Allentown Morning Call

12-29-2017 Pittsburgh Parking Authority can work more with developers under new law The Pittsburgh Parking Authority will start 2018 with more flexibility to work with private developers. Under a law signed last week by Gov. Tom Wolf, the authority can join in public-private partnerships and lease portions of new parking for private building projects — both options prohibited under prior rules.... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

12-29-2017 Off the rails: Speed-control system for trains is way overdue The Amtrak train derailment that killed three people south of Seattle earlier this month was an easily avoidable tragedy, according to many transportation safety advocates. The passenger train was making its inaugural trip on a new line between Seattle and Oregon when it derailed while crossing an overpass atop I-5,... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

12-29-2017 Pittsburgh Department of Public Works issues Level 1 Snow Alert for tonight Pittsburgh's Public Works Department has issued a Level 1 Snow Alert for Thursday effective at 10 p.m., but it doesn't expect more than a half-inch of accumulation overnight. Freezing temperatures may cause ice to form but officials are only predicting a 30 percent chance of snow between 9 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m.... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-29-2017 Pennsylvania State Police make 243 DUI arrests over Christmas holiday Pennsylvania State Police made 243 DUI arrests over the three-day Christmas holiday from Dec. 23 through Dec. 25. That's down from the 314 DUI arrests made in 2016 over a four-day holiday enforcement campaign, according to a statement from state police Thursday.... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-29-2017 An observation: Breaking incentive habit? Is the Allegheny County Airport Authority breaking its highly questionable habit of using public money to incentivize airlines to add service? Asked about Regional Sky's recent announcement of twice-daily weekday service from Pittsburgh International Airport to Wilkes Barre/Scranton... - Pittsburgh Tribune- Review

12-29-2017 Get more change ready: Turnpike tolls to rise soon Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls will rise for the 10th straight year starting Jan. 7 — with no end in sight for the annual tradition. The toll hike will raise the most common toll, a trip between two interchanges, from $1.95 to $2.10 for cash customers, about 7.7 percent,... - Scranton Times

12-29-2017 PennDOT drivers license, photo centers closed for New Year's holiday PennDOT drivers license, photo centers closed for New Year's holiday - Scranton Times

12-29-2017 Erie, Millcreek have enough funds for overtime for storm City will use surpluses to cover for streets, municipal garage. The city of Erie has been running all of its 28 snowplows around the clock to keep up with the record snowfall. The city will not run out of money as a result. It has enough funds in reserve cover overtime for employees in the streets... - Erie Times-News

12-29-2017 Dahlkemper lifts declaration of disaster emergency County officials determine that ‘the intended mission had been completed.’ Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper on Wednesday lifted the disaster emergency declaration she signed a day earlier, a move that signaled the waning force of the area’s record-setting snowstorm.... - Erie Times-News

12-29-2017 Thursday’s updates: What comes after Erie’s record snowfall? The Erie driver license center, 7200 Peach St., reopened Thursday. It had been closed since Tuesday because of what the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation called “a facility issue.” It had not been open since Dec. 22 because of holiday closure through Christmas Day.... - Erie Times-News

12-29-2017 Wolf touts bevy of transportation projects in Erie region More than 90 projects worth over $200 under construction or bid in northwestern Pennsylvania in 2017. Significant improvements to Interchange Road in Millcreek Township and the construction of bridges to carry Millfair Road over two sets of railroad tracks in Millcreek and Fairview townships were among more than $200... - Erie Times-News

12-29-2017 Eleven bridges replaced in Beaver County in 2017 A public-private partnership between the state Department of Transportation and a company called Plenary

Walsh Keystone Partners is responsible for completely replacing 11 structurally-deficient bridges in Beaver County in 2017. It’s been a busy year for bridge replacements in Beaver County.... - Beaver County Times

12-29-2017 Driving with a hangover also dangerous Driving with a hangover also dangerous - Uniontown Herald-Standard

12-29-2017 Office of Open Records sides with Berks lawmaker for release of Real ID study The Office of Open Records has sided with the Berks County lawmaker who argued he was wrongfully denied under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law a 2008 PennDOT study that examined the cost of implementing federal ID requirements. State Rep. Mark M. Gillen requested the study on Oct. 5 after trying... - Reading Eagle

12-29-2017 Pennsylvania Turnpike toll increase to go into effect Jan. 7 A new toll increase on the Pennsylvania Turnpike will go into effect Jan. 7, continuing a 10-year streak of price hikes that likely will continue for decades... - AP

12-29-2017 Levittown SEPTA Station project on track for 2018 finish A handful of SEPTA Regional Rail riders huddled together during a biting cold morning recently and considered what their commute will be like from the Levittown Station once a $36 million reconstruction project is finished in fall 2018 at the site off Route 13 and Levittown Parkway in Tullytown.... - Levittown Bucks County Courier Times

12-29-2017 Authorities ask New Year's Eve partygoers to plan ahead for rides home With 117 alcohol-related crashes on New Year’s Day this year in Pennsylvania, one area business is offering a creative way to inspire customers to find a safe way home. One Bucks County bar is rewarding New Year’s Eve revelers who book a safe ride home with their smartphones.... - Levittown Bucks County Courier Times

12-29-2017 You'll need a lot of proof to get new Real ID cards If you live in Pennsylvania, you might want to start thinking about what you’ll need to do to make sure you won’t be blocked from flying across the country or entering federal buildings. The state will start issuing federally required Real ID cards — enhanced driver’s licenses and identification cards marked with a gold... - Allentown Morning Call

12-29-2017 SEPTA begins phasing out use of transit system token coins The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is starting to remove token vending machines in its effort to phase out the coins for transit system payment... - AP

12-29-2017 California drivers are paying more. Here's why that might get overturned in 2018 A political dispute over how to pay for the repair of California's pothole-plagued roads and crumbling bridges is spilling over into 2018, with new vehicle fees taking effect, followed by court dates and ballot measures. The increase in gas taxes and vehicle fees to raise more than $5.2 billion... - LA TIMES

12-29-2017 The Most Expensive Mile of Subway Track on Earth An accountant discovered the discrepancy while reviewing the budget for new train platforms under Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. The budget showed that 900 workers were being paid to dig caverns for the platforms as part of a 3.5-mile tunnel connecting the historic station to... - New York Times

12-29-2017 Turnpike Extension bridge expected to re-open around 9 p.m., officials say BAYONNE -- The eastbound lanes of the Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension bridge will re-open later this evening, according to the Bayonne Office of Emergency Management. During a conference call, New Jersey Turnpike officials told the Bayonne OEM that the eastbound lanes of the Extension will re-open later tonight.... - Trenton Times

12-29-2017 More than $200M under construction or bid in region by PennDOT this year More than 90 projects worth more than $200 million were under construction or bid in 2017 in the state Department of Transportation's northwestern region, the Wolf administration announced on Thursday. Bids for 73 contracts were let in 2017, at a value of about $81 million,... - Meadville Tribune

12-29-2017 PennDOT replaces 558 structurally deficient bridges

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) and its development partner, Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners, expect to finish the 2017 construction season with the opening of its 390th bridge this week. When this multi-year project is completed, PennDOT will have replaced 558... - Lock Haven Express

12-29-2017 Eleven bridges replaced in Beaver County in 2017 A public-private partnership between the state Department of Transportation and a company called Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners is responsible for completely replacing 11 structurally-deficient bridges in Beaver County in 2017. It’s been a busy year for bridge replacements in Beaver County.... - Ellwood City Ledger

12-29-2017 Onus on NTSB for answers It became clear almost immediately after an Amtrak train crashed near Olympia, Washington, earlier this month that excessive speed was to blame. The train was traveling at 80 mph on tracks rated for 30 mph when it derailed, killing three people and injuring many others.... - Altoona Mirror

12-29-2017 You can turn left on red in Pa. (in some cases) You can turn left on red in Pa. (in some cases) - York Daily

12-29-2017 Boeing unveils a drone capable of landing on an aircraft carrier, as Navy competition heats up Boeing recently offered a first glimpse of its newest military aircraft, a large, stingray-shaped drone it hopes will win an intense Navy competition to build an uncrewed aircraft capable of landing on an aircraft carrier. Drones have been a vital part of the Pentagon’s arsenal for years, but... - Washington Post

12-29-2017 Dozens of trucks have slammed into the same overpass over the years It was around 9 a.m. last Friday when the truck got stuck underneath the overpass, closing a section of King of Prussia Road in Radnor for hours as crews worked to extricate the vehicle. For drivers heading to work or last-minute Christmas shopping, it was a... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-29-2017 Editorial | Stay safe during winter weather conditions Although a white Christmas is ideal for many celebrating the holiday, snow and cold weather can be dangerous for those outside. The weekend snowfall and frigid temperatures forecast throughout the week should serve as warning signs. AccuWeather calls for highs in the region to reach just the teens through... - Johnstown Tribune-Democrat

12-28-2017 Ahead of Holiday Travels, Governor Wolf Announces More Tools Available to... (Press Release)

12-28-2017 Stateline Daily: Technology Is Turning Wrong-Way Drivers Around (Press Release)

12-28-2017 AG Shapiro to U.S. Transportation Secretary: Don't Withdraw Rule Requiring... (Press Release)

12-28-2017 PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed For Christmas Holiday (Press Release)

12-28-2017 DCED Secretary Davin Hails Turnpike 66 Improvement Project's Role in... (Press Release)

12-27-2017 Erie buried under record-setting snow storm with more on the way This city, which prides itself on plowing through the worst that winter can bring with little more than a shrug, has never seen anything like it. Nor, for that matter, has anywhere in Pennsylvania since the advent of weather record-keeping. By Tuesday evening, nearly 63 inches of lake-effect snow had piled up at... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

12-27-2017 'Ghost bike' memorializes Philadelphia cyclist struck by trash truck A “ghost bike” was chained to a traffic light at 11th and Spruce Streets Saturday to mark the site of the tragedy that took the life of a vivacious young cyclist. Emily Fredricks, 24, a Center City executive pastry chef, was critically injured while commuting to work on Nov. 29. She was riding in the bike lane... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-27-2017 United apologizes to passenger who says US Rep took her seat United Airlines has apologized and given a $500 travel voucher to a passenger who accused the airline of giving her first-class seat to U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat... - AP

12-27-2017 SEPTA consultant and Elon Musk trade punches over future of mass transit Among people who think deeply about the best way for people to get from Point A to Point B, billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk is a visionary. From his electric Tesla cars to his reusable SpaceX supply rockets and his proposal for an underground Hyperloop commuter tunnel, Musk is credited... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-27-2017 For 2017, a coal-worthy list of bad behavior Christmas Eve is the last gasp for youngsters to review one more time whether their behavorial scales tip more heavily toward naughty or nice. “Naughty” is a fine word to use for children and, for that matter, the rest of the world, but it’s a word far too mild to apply to Greater... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-27-2017 Trib editorial: Untangle Monessen's missing-money mess The phrase “newspaper of record” has a whole new meaning for Monessen officials regarding the Tribune- Review, which is complying with their subpoena for copies of documents, obtained in 2013, relating to millions of missing loan and state-grant dollars. They're seeking the Trib's copies because, says outgoing Mayor Lou... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-27-2017 Western PA Model Railroad Museum celebrates 30th Annual Holiday Display The Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum in Gibsonia is always a popular holiday spot. This is the 30th anniversary of the holiday train display, which will be open to the public until Jan. 14. For directions and times, go to wpmrm.org. - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-27-2017 State law allows Pittsburgh Parking Authority to work with private developers The Pittsburgh Parking Authority can build and finance parking structures for private developers and lease space in existing garages under legislation enacted by state lawmakers. Municipal parking authorities in second-class cities were previously authorized to provide only public parking. Pittsburgh is the state's only... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-27-2017 Pennsylvania AG Shapiro wants airlines to be clear on baggage fees Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro this week led a coalition of 16 Attorneys General asking the Trump administration to implement a rule requiring airlines and third-party booking companies to disclose baggage fees and other charges upfront, making it easier for passengers to know the... - Wilkes-Barre Times Leader

12-27-2017 State Police plan rigorous DUI enforcement over New Year’s weekend State Police will be conducting DUI sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols over the New Year’s holiday weekend. The stepped-up enforcement effort will begin Friday and run through Monday. The checkpoints and patrols will be conducted under a zero-tolerance policy. Luzerne County is experiencing a high rate of DUI-related traffic... - Wilkes-Barre Times Leader

12-27-2017 Your Uber Car Creates Congestion. Should You Pay a Fee to Ride? The sputtering traffic in Manhattan has long been blamed on cars and delivery trucks pouring onto the streets from the rest of the city and beyond. Since at least the 1970s, New York City officials have proposed various toll systems to deter drivers from coming over bridges or piling into the... - New York Times

12-27-2017 Our view: Erie expertly navigates epic storm There are experiences that ground and unite a community. One of the strongest ties that binds Erie is soft and white. The snow that pours in off Lake Erie can be fluffy or dense, heavy and wet or sandy and dry. But pour in it does, as cold air picks up the moisture off Lake Erie... - Erie Times-News

12-27-2017 Erie area gets $6 million in state funding Money to go toward International Paper site redevelopment and downtown Erie revitalization, streetscaping. Roughly $6 million in state funding is on its way to the Erie region to redevelop the former International Paper site and help improve the city’s downtown.... - Erie Times-News

12-27-2017 PennDOT offers safety tips for icy driving conditions With temperatures dipping below freezing and the threat of icy roads now a daily possibility for the season, PennDOT has offered some tips for dealing with hazardous winter driving conditions. During winter months, the weather changes quickly and dangerous conditions... - Beaver County Times

12-27-2017 Christmas storm brings record 53 inches of snow to Erie .... and more on the way Forecasters say a Christmas storm dumped a record amount of snow on the Pennsylvania city of Erie and surrounding areas... - AP

12-27-2017 5 takeaways from a conversation with a state police trooper about the rules for horse-drawn vehicles on Lancaster County roads Road apples were the featured topic in a recent LancasterOnline story. The story was written to answer a reader’s question about why horse owners aren’t responsible for cleaning up after their animals on public roads. The question was submitted through LancasterOnline’s We the People, a... - Lancaster Intelligencer Journal

12-27-2017 Some snow still possible for Baltimore morning commute, forecasters say The National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Baltimore and Washington areas for overnight, noting that a coating to 1 inch of snow is likely, creating a disturbance for Wednesday morning commuters. Some areas in Western Maryland got snow overnight, and areas north of... - Baltimore Sun

12-27-2017 Trail development good for economy, environment, health Northeast Pennsylvania’s extensive railroad system once connected the region’s industrial might to the rest of the country. Now it’s connecting the region’s residents to the great outdoors, providing access to natural resources and beauty that isn’t available from... - Pottsville Republican and Evening Herald

12-27-2017 COTA hopes rapid bus route helps revive Cleveland Avenue For years, Robert Barksdale has watched his Milo-Grogan neighborhood struggle. Barksdale lives in the distressed Columbus neighborhood just north of Downtown and east of Italian Village. He also is a member of the Milo-Grogan area commission and believes that help is on the way with a new... - Columbus Dispatch

12-27-2017 Route 13 business reps, local officials look back on years-long reconstruction project Members of three affected municipalities say PennDOT’s four-year Route 13 project, to refurbish a four- mile portion of road between Route 413 and Levittown Parkway, seems to have helped area traffic but at a cost to local business activity. Months after its completion, the reconstruction of Route 13 between Route... - Levittown Bucks County Courier Times

12-27-2017 State deploying additional resources to supplement Erie winter storm response Multiple state agencies are working with county and local authorities to supplement the winter storm response in northwestern Pennsylvania as state and local agencies tackle a record amount of snow fall across the area over the last several days. “Our primary concern is for the safety and well-being of people in the... - Towanda Daily Review

12-27-2017 Our Opinion: Speed it up It became clear almost immediately after an Amtrak train crashed in Washington earlier this month that excessive speed was to blame. The train was traveling at 80 mph on tracks rated for 30 mph when it derailed, killing three people and injuring many others.... - Warren Times Observer

12-27-2017 ‘Committed to community service’: Local office of state agency focuses on giving back Some lucky children throughout the county will find new bikes under the tree on Monday in part through the generosity of the employees at the state Department of Transportation’s District 3 office in Montoursville, who have worked throughout the year raising money to give back to the community... - Williamsport Sun- Gazette

12-27-2017 Fatal Multi-Vehicle Wreck Shuts Down I-295 Northbound In Mercer County Crews were called out to the I-295 northbound area of Exit 67 – US RT-1 just before 7 a.m. Currently, there is about a 5-mile backup of traffic, officials say. They also report serious injuries were suffered by those involved in the wreck. Commuters are being detoured and they should expect a 10-15 minute delay,... - KYW News Radio 1060

12-27-2017 Snafu over disbursement of DUI fine revenue must be fixed Over the last 13 years, $1.5 million in DUI fine revenue has been mistakenly disbursed. The mistake was revealed by York County Clerk of Courts Don O'Shell. Some municipalities have missed out on hundreds of thousands of dollars that is owed to them.... - York Dispatch

12-27-2017 Gas prices in Meadville area fall below state average The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the Meadville area has fallen below the state average. The price dropped to $2.65 per gallon Monday, 4 cents below the state average, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 5,269 gas outlets in Pennsylvania. This compares with the national average that has increased 1... - Meadville Tribune

12-27-2017 Road Warrior: Route 22 bridges over the Lehigh River repainted Drivers on Route 22 should feel a little more comfortable driving over the Lehigh River now that lane markers have been repainted for eastbound traffic. On Friday, this blog posted a warning that the white dotted lines along the bridges had started to fade. Between the hard-to-see lines and the already... - Allentown Morning Call

12-27-2017 Philly's port prepares for further growth: Bigger ships, expanded cargoes, new cranes, more jobs At the Port of Philadelphia, two harbor cranes, as large as any in the world, will arrive in early March. The first ship taking used-car exports will leave Philadelphia for Africa next month, and the largest ship ever to sail up the Delaware River will dock here in January with cargo from South... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-27-2017 Eulogy for the SEPTA token A typewriter clacking. A droning busy signal on a land line. The crackling of a record player needle on vinyl before the music starts. Sounds omnipresent through a century of American life, silenced by the digital age. Add to that list the clink of tokens in a fare box.... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-27-2017 Reminder: Pa. Turnpike tolls to increase in new year For the ninth straight year -- and each year for the foreseeable future -- tolls for using the Pennsylvania Turnpike are set to increase in the new year. The 6 percent increase will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 8.Here are some examples of what tolls on the turnpike will cost (E-ZPass/... - Penn Live, Patriot- News

12-22-2017 WBS Airport announces non-stop service to Pittsburgh starting this spring PITTSTON TWP. — Travelers headed for Pittsburgh will be able to get there in one hour by air instead of driving for five when the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton International Airport begins offering round-trip service to the Steel City next spring. Following the airport board’s December meeting Thursday where Executive... - Wilkes-Barre Times Leader

12-22-2017 Nuangola says ‘no’ to mini-casinos NUANGOLA — Council unanimously passed a resolution this week prohibiting the establishment of mini- casinos in the borough. Through the office of its solicitor, Jack Dean, the governing body was told it had to act before Dec. 31 to retain a status of self-determination in... - Wilkes-Barre Times Leader

12-22-2017 Carrier offering non-stop flights from W-B/S airport to Pittsburgh PITTSTON TWP. — A new carrier will offer non-stop flights from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to the Pittsburgh International Airport starting in the spring. Officials from the airport and Regional Sky, which is headquartered in Avoca, announced the new service on Thursday.... - Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice

12-22-2017 DEP can’t catch up to drillers The state Department of Environmental Protection recently announced its use of a technological breakthrough — iPads, which have been on the market since 2010 — to boost the efficiency of oil and gas well inspections. According to the agency, equipping its field inspectors with iPads and an... - Scranton Times

12-22-2017 Wolf administration highlights year’s road, bridge progress in southwest PA The Wolf Administration has announced that in in the southwest region of the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has paved 262 miles of roadway, and has also completed or put out contracts to preserve, repair, and replace more than 200 bridges.... - Waynesburg Greene County

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12-22-2017 House approves Snyder bill to add motorcycles to state Lemon Law State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, said the state House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved her measure that would cover motorcycles under Pennsylvania’s Automobile Lemon Law. “My HB74 would ensure that if you buy or lease a new motorcycle with defects affecting its safety, value or use, then the... - Waynesburg Greene County Messenger

12-22-2017 Why does Pa. have so many temporary warehouse jobs? Pennsylvania's transportation and warehousing industry is one of the largest in the nation. And so is the number of seasonal jobs it offers. Last year, the industry employed more than 15,000 people in December than it did in January — a seasonal workforce larger than any state except... - York Daily

12-22-2017 Year-end report spells out services to Sugarcreek Sugarcreek Borough Council's representative on the General Authority board, Tim Dunkle, on Wednesday gave a year-end report to council regarding services the authority provided to the borough. Current projects in the report included work on the Eighth Street sinkhole.... - Oil City Derrick

12-22-2017 A look at the 800 acres of Lehigh Valley airport land tagged for development The Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority Board of Governors voted to negotiate with Majestic Realty Co. to develop 297 acres in Hanover Township, Northampton County seen highlighted in this map. (Courtesy of Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority) With the selection of a developer for nearly 300 acres in Hanover Township... - Allentown Morning Call

12-22-2017 Law Requires Life-Saving Braking Device. Most Trains Don’t Have It. On a summer afternoon in Southern California nine years ago, a commuter train blew through a stop signal and ran head-on into an oncoming freight train, killing 25 people. After investigators determined that the crash could have been prevented by automatic-braking technology, Congress ordered all passenger railroads to... - New York Times

12-22-2017 Facial Scans at U.S. Airports Violate Americans’ Privacy, Report Says A new report concludes that a Department of Homeland Security pilot program improperly gathers data on Americans when it requires passengers embarking on foreign flights to undergo facial recognition scans to ensure they haven’t overstayed visas. The report, released on Thursday by researchers at the Center on Privacy... - New York Times

12-22-2017 'They don’t teach you the car business in college' Christmas comes in February and lasts for months at the used car dealerships crowding Saw Mill Run Boulevard, which is a sort of Silicon Valley for Pittsburghers with bad credit. That’s when the first of the advance income tax refund money gets loaded onto debit cards issued by H&R Block and other tax preparers. That... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

12-22-2017 Service to Puerto Rico suspended, Dominican Republic added at Pittsburgh International Allegiant Air is suspending its seasonal service to San Juan, Puerto Rico, while Apple Vacations is adding service to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. The Apple flights will operate from March 2 through Aug. 24, according to an airline news release, departing Pittsburgh once every Friday.... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-22-2017 Latest Amtrak crash victims in for a rude awakening My friends started calling as soon as the news broke about the Amtrak derailment in Washington state. They worried I would suffer flashbacks to the horrible night in May 2015 when Amtrak 188 derailed near Philadelphia. I was one of the “lucky ones”; unlike the woman right behind me, the midshipman two rows ahead... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-20-2017 Trib Tuesday take editorial: Up & away? News that OneJet plans to start service from Pittsburgh International Airport to Memphis, Kansas City, Mo., and Palm Beach, Fla., follows May's revelation that the Allegheny County Airport Authority awarded $3 million in grants and loans to the startup to persuade it to base operations in... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-20-2017 Trib editorial: PennDOT's Highland Park Bridge interchange illogic

Route 28's Highland Park Bridge interchange, one of Greater Pittsburgh's biggest rush-hour bottlenecks and most hazardous highway stretches, is also one of PennDOT's most misplaced priorities. That interchange reduces traffic to one lane in each direction — via... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-20-2017 Embassy Suites hotel near airport closing; about 100 jobs affected Embassy Suites hotel near airport closing; about 100 jobs affected The Embassy Suites Pittsburgh Airport hotel, which has operated for 27 years at its location on Cherrington Parkway in Coraopolis, will shut down early next year to make way for the property to be converted to an assisted... - Pittsburgh Post- Gazette

12-20-2017 Appeals court sides with advertising firm Billboards are often the subject of controversy, but according to a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruling this week, they are a legal form of communication and cannot totally be banned from a community, a ruling that will allow an Altoona advertising company to move ahead with plans to erect... - Altoona Mirror

12-20-2017 Bumps in road upset business owners At a meeting of the Greater Altoona Economic Development Corp. on Monday, Downtown Altoona Business Community President Suzanne Border complained about the condition of downtown streets. Eleventh Avenue is especially bad, with a dozen dips from street-cut patches between 13th and 15th streets, she said. The rough pavement... - Altoona Mirror

12-20-2017 PennDOT accepting Innovations Challenge entries Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Pennsylvania Department of Education officials remind high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors to submit their entries for the first PennDOT Innovations Challenge. The competition asks students to look at technologies and innovative... - Erie Times-News

12-20-2017 Getting to some south Bethlehem neighborhoods just got quicker Bethlehem officials on Tuesday celebrated the reopening of the Lynn Avenue Bridge, a critical span that connects traffic from Route 412 to neighborhoods in southeast Bethlehem. The bridge had been closed since July 2015 as state officials realigned Route 412 as part of the widening project and then replaced the nearly... - Allentown Morning Call

12-20-2017 EDITORIAL Atlanta airport fiasco underscores the need for infrastructure upgrade Like candy canes, mistletoe and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” news stories about passengers being stranded somewhere trying to get home for the holidays have become tried-and-true seasonal staples. Every year, it seems, we see images of tired and frustrated families huddled in airports... - Washington Observer- Reporter

12-20-2017 Scott Petri leaving Harrisburg to head Philadelphia Parking Authority Rep. Scott Petri will resign at the end of the year to become executive director of the Philadelphia Parking Authority. A special election will be held to fill his seat representing the 178th District. A Bucks County state representative is leaving office after 15 years... - Levittown Intelligencer

12-20-2017 Prosecutors seek to reinstate charges in 2015 Amtrak wreck PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Prosecutors are set to argue that criminal charges should be reinstated against the engineer in a deadly 2015 Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia... - AP

12-20-2017 PennDOT driver’s license centers to close for Christmas holiday In observation of the Christmas holiday, PennDOT driver’s license and photo centers will be closed over the weekend. All driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, Dec. 23, through Monday, Dec. 25, for... - Pottstown Mercury

12-20-2017 Gov. Larry Hogan proposes $461 million to ease congestion on Baltimore Beltway Gov. Larry Hogan announced Tuesday that the state will spend $461 million to ease congestion on the northern rim of the Baltimore Beltway. The plan would convert 19 miles of the interior shoulders in both directions on Interstate 695 into new travel lanes between I-70 and... - Baltimore Sun

12-20-2017 New blow for Uber as top EU court says it's a taxi company BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ” Ride-hailing service Uber suffered a new blow Wednesday as the European Union’s top court ruled that it should be regulated like a taxi company and not a technology service, a

decision that crimps its activities around Europe and could weigh on other app-based... - AP

12-20-2017 Commissioners trying to bring in mini-casino "The welcome mat is out" for a mini-casino in Lawrence County, Commissioner Dan Vogler said Tuesday. He explained that he and fellow commissioners Robert Del Signore and Steve Craig are sending a letter to Pennsylvania casino owners, asking each of them to consider Lawrence County as a site for one of the small casinos... - New Castle News

12-20-2017 Transportation, river walk projects receive stamp of approval Two community access projects received recommendation by the Williamsport Area Transportation Study Coordinating Committee during its December meeting Monday. The city of Williamsport has applied for $909,678 in Transportation Alternatives Program funding for the Willow Street Improvements project.... - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

12-20-2017 Hotel project on track REEDSVILLE — Work on the proposed truck company orientation center is temporarily on hold. The building, which is sharing the property with the proposed Holiday Inn Express, will be a center for truck drivers new to the LandStar Trucking Company to become familiar with the company.... - Lewistown Sentinel

12-20-2017 If you receive a drone as a gift, be sure to use it safely No doubt many local residents will find remotely controlled miniature aircraft — drones, in popular parlance — under their Christmas trees next Monday. Recipients will tear open packages they view as tons of fun. Aircraft pilots have a different view. The proliferation of drones flown by... - Lewistown Sentinel

12-20-2017 What Needs to Happen Before Electric Cars Take Over the World On the slope of a thickly forested Czech mountain, three men in hard hats and mud-spattered fluorescent vests dig for the metal that could power a new industrial revolution. They watch carefully as a mobile rig, mounted on tank treads, hammers and spins a drill bit hundreds of yards into the bedrock. Water gushes from the... - New York Times

12-20-2017 Multiple Deaths in Amtrak Train Derailment in Washington [Update: Here is the latest article on the Amtrak derailment.] A passenger train on a newly opened Amtrak route jumped the tracks on an overpass south of Tacoma on Monday, slamming rail cars into a busy highway, killing at least three people and injuring about 100 others, officials... - New York Times

12-20-2017 Amtrak Inquiry Will Focus on Driver Distraction and Excessive Speed The investigation into the fatal Amtrak crash near Tacoma, Wash., is focusing on the possibility that the engineer was distracted by a cellphone, another person in his cab or something else when the train barreled into a curve 50 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.... - New York Times

12-20-2017 County approves retail garden center/deli in Canton The Bradford County Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a commercial development in Canton Borough. The Bradford County Planning Commission on Tuesday granted both conditional preliminary approval and conditional final approval for a combination retail garden center and deli on Sullivan Street in Canton.... - Towanda Daily Review

12-20-2017 City eyes number of changes to streets Titusville City Council is considering a number of parking and zoning ordinance changes, as proposed separately by Titusville Police Chief Harold Minch and the Titusville Planning Commission. Minch’s proposals related the parking of large, non-passenger and commercial vehicles on city streets, and the changing of several streets to... - Titusville Herald

12-20-2017 Prosecutors seek to reinstate charges in 2015 fatal Amtrak crash in Philadelphia Prosecutors will renew their request that criminal charges be reinstated against the engineer in a deadly 2015 Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia.../ - AP

12-20-2017 Philly rebuffs calls to speed street safety efforts after cycling accidents Philadelphia won’t move faster on a number of upgrades to make biking safer in the city, according to a letter from the mayor’s office to the city’s lead cycling advocacy group. Mayor Kenney’s letter was a

response to a request from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia to speed up infrastructure improvements... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-20-2017 No decision on charges against Amtrak engineer in 2015 Philly derailment It will be 2018 before a judge decides whether the Amtrak engineer whose actions derailed a train in Philadelphia more than two years ago will face criminal charges. Eight people died and more than 150 were injured in the May 12, 2015 crash. Common Pleas Court Judge Kathryn Lewis said Wednesday that she wanted more... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-20-2017 New DOT head must fix 'national disgrace' NJ Transit Governor-elect Phil Murphy says a primary goal of his newly appointed head of transportation is to fix embattled New Jersey Transit, which he called "a national disgrace."... - AP

12-20-2017 SEPTA to phase out sales of tokens at subway stations Transit officials in Philadelphia say they will begin phasing out sales of tokens at subway stations next month... - AP

12-18-2017 Airport looking to retain subsidy MARTINSBURG — The Altoona-Blair County Airport is again asking the federal government for a waiver to remain in the Essential Air Service program, which provides subsidy to provide daily passenger flights. But unlike the airport’s prior wavier request with a promise to build... - Altoona Mirror

12-18-2017 State Senate OKs measure to rename portion of Interstate 176 to honor veterans The state Senate has approved a measure to rename a portion of Interstate 176 to honor veterans. State Sen. Judy Schwank, a Ruscombmanor Township Democrat, sponsored the legislation. The Senate passed it last week. The bill would rename separate sections of the Morgantown Expressway... - Reading Eagle

12-18-2017 $2M grant will help fund bridge repairs EBENSBURG – Municipalities facing costly bridge repairs will get some help thanks to a $2 million state grant to Cambria County. The grant was an incentive for counties to add $5 fee to vehicle registrations to fund bride repairs. County commissioners expect to restore... - Johnstown Tribune-Democrat

12-18-2017 Pennsylvania rushing to meet REAL ID deadline HARRISBURG – Under the federal REAL ID law, passed in 2005, a Pennsylvania driver’s license is not sufficient identification for travel on domestic passenger aircraft. Fortunately for state residents looking to escape Mercer County winter weather by hopping a jet to Florida, the U.S. Department of Homeland... - Sharon Herald

12-18-2017 Kunkle Bridge in South Middleton gets boost from state funds Cumberland County received state grant funds Friday to help a project to rehabilitate one of its county- owned bridges. PennDOT officials said in a news release that the state's Road Maintenance and Preservation (Road MaP) program will provide $2 million toward the... - Carlisle Sentinel

12-18-2017 Groups Seeking $43 Million in Grants for Interchange Improvements MARION TOWNSHIP — The interchange between interstates 99 and 80 could be described as chaotic, troublesome and dangerous. Each day, some 24,000 vehicles pass along I-80 alone, with 48 percent of traffic being trucks. The I-99 innovation corridor sees an average of... - State College News

12-18-2017 Behind the curve LEWISTOWN — Talk to officers at the Mifflin County Regional Police Department or the firefighters at the Highland Park Hose Company and they will tell you the same thing — something needs to be done with the curve in the Lewistown Narrows near Steele’s Storage on U.S. 322.... - Lewistown Sentinel

12-17-2017 Pittsburgh International spent up to $7.8M on improvements used by Qatar Airways In the weeks before the Qatar Airways committed to launch cargo service at Pittsburgh International, the airport authority's board of directors approved two large capital projects that benefit the carrier. The authority spent nearly $6 million to upgrade a cargo ramp that is used... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-17-2017 New DUI bill well-targeted Some efforts to rein in drunken driving have been poorly focused, such as random highway checkpoints.

But a new bill approved unanimously last week by the Senate Transportation Committee is sharply focused on a well-defined fundamental cause of the problem — repeat offenders.... - Scranton Times

12-17-2017 D&H Rail Trail begins capital campaign The Rail-Trail Council of Northeast Pennsylvania launched a capital campaign seeking to raise $350,000 to upgrade the Susquehanna County trail system that will soon connect to the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail in Carbondale. Donations will fund portions of seven projects along the D&H Rail-Trail,... - Scranton Times

12-17-2017 Our view: State delivers on key project for Erie's future Last July, officials of the Wolf administration came to Erie to deliver $2.6 million to begin refining concepts and doing preliminary engineering on a crucial piece of reinventing Erie: fully connecting the bayfront across the Bayfront Parkway to downtown Erie.... - Erie Times-News

12-17-2017 Erie awarded $32 million in new investments Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards announces the investment of $30 million into the design and construction of improvements along the Bayfront Parkway during a news conference at Erie Insurance on Friday to reveal a series of investments in the city through... - Erie Times- News

12-17-2017 Charleroi awarded $6 million grant to replace traffic signals Charleroi awarded $6 million grant to replace traffic signals - Uniontown Herald-Standard

12-17-2017 Trump Administration Adds Restrictions for Visa-Waiver Countries Dozens of countries, mostly in Europe, must meet additional security requirements for their citizens to continue to be allowed into the United States without a visa, the Department of Homeland Security said on Friday. The countries must begin sharing additional background information and... - New York Times

12-17-2017 Court Temporarily Blocks Trump Order Against Contraceptive Coverage A federal court on Friday blocked Trump administration rules that made it easier for employers to deny insurance coverage of contraceptives for women. Judge Wendy Beetlestone of the Federal District Court in Philadelphia issued a preliminary injunction, saying the rules contradicted the text of... - New York Times

12-15-2017 PennDOT: Wolf Administration Local Bridge Program to Benefit Cumberland County (Press Release)

12-15-2017 PennDOT: Wolf Administration Highlights Significant Transportation Milestones... (Press Release)

12-15-2017 SEPTA Reminds Riders of Medicare Card Phase Out Effective Jan. 16 (Press Release)

12-15-2017 On the 'Watch List': PennDOT's I-70/Route 51 interchange redo That's the centerpiece of $100-million-plus plans for improving a 2-mile stretch of Interstate 70 in Rostraver and South Huntingdon townships, beginning in 2022. Exit 46's existing cloverleaf interchange will be replaced by a “Diverging Diamond” design similar to one used at... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-15-2017 To help add flights, Pittsburgh International Airport gave OneJet one of its board members Ten of the 35 new routes announced at Pittsburgh International Airport since January 2015 are from OneJet, a small startup airline that has quickly expanded under a unique relationship with the Allegheny County Airport Authority and one of its board members.... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-15-2017 LCTA fares will increase next year The cost of public transportation in Luzerne County will rise next year. The Luzerne County Transportation Authority board of directors this week approved rate adjustments for 2018 that will take effect on Jan. 5. The new rates include the first increase in the regular fare to ride an... - Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice

12-15-2017 LCTA fares to rise next year; first increase in basic fare in 12 years Public transportation will cost more The cost of public transportation in Luzerne County will rise next

year. The Luzerne County Transportation Authority board of directors this week approved rate adjustments for 2018 that will take effect on Jan. 5. The new rates include the first increase in the regular fare to ride an... - Scranton Times

12-15-2017 Erie McBride Viaduct backers will delay court action Supporters of the bridge will not seek an injunction to force a public meeting on demolition plans. A coalition of local residents who hope to prevent the demolition of the McBride Viaduct is holding off on taking court action to force a public hearing on the plans for the bridge.... - Erie Times-News

12-15-2017 Road widening to affect church on Atlas Road in Allen Township Road widening associated with industrial development in Allen Township will necessitate temporary traffic signalization at a treacherous intersection where township and state roads meet. Township officials met last month with representatives from St. John’s United Church of Christ to discuss the granting of an easement to... - Allentown Morning Call

12-15-2017 Senate panel OKs tough new DUI standards, targets repeat offenders West Chester >> The Senate Transportation Committee, chaired by Sen. John C. Rafferty Jr., R-44, unanimously passed SB961 to address egregious Driving Under the Influence (DUI) offenses - including persistent DUI offenders. The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.... - Primos Delaware County Daily and Sunday Times

12-15-2017 Ford Chooses a Detroit Base to Take On Silicon Valley DETROIT — In a bid to link its historic past with its future products, Ford Motor said on Thursday that it had chosen a site near downtown Detroit as the base for a high-level team working on self-driving and electric cars. By relocating the group from its corporate campus in nearby Dearborn, Ford... - New York Times

12-15-2017 Philadelphia Parking Authority names new executive director The Philadelphia Parking Authority named a new executive director Friday, a Bucks County Republican who pledged to use a pair of recently released, highly critical state audits on the agency as a blueprint for reform. “My role will be to question everything we do, why we do it, and are we... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-15-2017 Council passes bill forgiving for old parking tickets Drowning in old parking tickets? A gift from City Council just arrived. A bill passed Thursday forgives parking tickets issued before 2013, provided the car owner pays everything owed in penalties from 2013 to present. For those who haven’t received a ticket since 2013, a $50 fine... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-15-2017 Paving incomplete as winter curtails work on Unity sewer project Unity Township likely will have to wait until spring for complete restoration of several roads that were excavated for a major storm sewer installation project. Township engineer Dan Schmitt said Thursday that a contractor working on the project laid a leveling course of asphalt on all roads that were torn... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

12-15-2017 Council passes bill forgiving old Philly parking tickets Drowning in old parking tickets? A gift from City Council just arrived. A bill passed Thursday forgives parking tickets issued before 2013, provided the car owner pays everything owed in penalties from 2013 to present. For those who haven’t received a ticket since 2013, a $50 fine... - Philadelphia Inquirer

12-15-2017 Tractor-trailer crash shuts down portion of I-70 in Washington County A section of Interstate 70 in Washington County has been closed for hours Friday morning as crews remove a tractor-trailer that crashed into a guide rail. The closure is continuing to affect motorists who are heading eastbound from Donegal to Somerset. A detour will reroute motorists off the... - Pittsburgh Post- Gazette