Pa. Officials Showcase Highway Projects Benefitting From Funding Bill
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation says improvements to two major suburban roadways and replacement of bridges over a center city highway are some of the major projects that will advance this year due to the new transportation funding plan enacted last fall.
In some cases, motorists may not see actual construction, but contracts will be bid this year because of the funding influx.
Such is the case with a plan to widen seven miles of Route 322, east of Route 1, in Delaware County.
"Actually, what we're going to with that one is shave off two to three years from the timeframe we would have done it without Act 89," said Penndot secretary Barry Schoch (at lectern in photo). "So it's not only the fact that it's going to move up, but the overall period of time it's going to take us will be shortened."
Penndot will also be replacing seven bridges over the Vine Street Expressway, which runs under center city Philadelphia.
Motorists will see resurfacing work this summer on Route 252, from the Delaware County line to Route 30.
There are also millions of dollars in improvements for SEPTA, including an upgrade to power stations that Schoch says will allow trains to run faster.