Judge halts PennDOT's bridge tolling plan

HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - A judge has halted PennDOT's plan to toll nine bridges across the state, including one on I-79 near Bridgeville.

A commonwealth judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering PennDOT to stop work on its plan until the full court can make a decision after Cumberland County and several municipalities filed a lawsuit over the tolling of a bridge on I-83. The court ruled PennDOT violated public process when its P3 committee approved the plan. 

State Rep. Jason Ortitay, who represents communities around the I-79 bridge, hopes to make the injunction permanent, thereby killing the funding plan entirely. 

" If we get a permanent injunction, it forces PennDOT to come back to us and this administration to have a real conversation about transportation funding. I believe it was Judge Ceisler who said today that by going about this, and the process that the P3 board and PennDOT did, it basically created an open check for them for $5-8 billion without any oversight or any authority granted to them by the General Assembly," said Ortitay.

Under the plan, drivers would be expected to pay up to $2 every time they cross the bridge. PennDOT said it needs the money to fund repairs on the bridges. 

A lawsuit was also filed back in November on behalf of South Fayette, Collier and Bridgeville to block the department's plan, which if approved, would stay in place for 30 years.

Lawmakers and drivers believe the toll would harm businesses in the area, drive up traffic on local roads and drain the wallets of the nearly 90,000 people who travel I-79 every day.

PennDOT said it's reviewing the decision.

A decision from the court on a permanent injunction is expected in the next few weeks.