PennDOT says inflation is impacting projects
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - President Joe Biden is coming to Pittsburgh Thursday and he's expected to talk all things infrastructure.
The bipartisan infrastructure law will funnel billions into fixing our area's top bridge, road and waterway projects.
"Our projects at that time were coming in 15 to 20 percent more than we had estimated them to be so that takes a really huge hit in our program," said PennDOT District 11 Executive Cheryl Moon-Sirianni.
Moon-Sirianni knows everyone wants an update on the Fern Hollow Bridge, even President Biden.
"I will say it is, I'm sure, costing more," she said. "Labor costs have gone up and gas costs have gone up, definitely steel and many of the other materials have."
PennDOT said inflation is impacting not just the cost of materials but also trucking prices and compensation for workers to complete overnight road construction.
"We were looking to add some paving projects and those paving projects might not happen now because we have to pay for some of the other projects that are costing more," she said.
But PennDOT will still tackle paving projects on Route 8, McKnight Road and Business 22 in Monroeville. The McKees Rocks Bridge will finally see a facelift.
"Frazier Street Bridge is another one that is getting to start design and we probably would not have been able to do that if we didn't have an infrastructure bill looking forward that we were gonna have money in a few years to construct."
And inflation doesn't mean projects will get the ax, just delays.
"When you have inflation like this, these projects have to get done. I can't say, 'I'm not going to pave this road.' The problem is, I'm just not going to pave it now and it's probably going to be paved in two or three years," she said.
She couldn't say how much the Fern Hollow Bridge project is over budget because of inflation, saying that's because it's an emergency project. She said they've paid as they went along.
Another update on that project is expected Thursday, along with President Biden's visit.