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SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority                           June 27, 2013
SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority Supports Increased Funding for Pennsylvania's Transportation Infrastructure

With only days to go before the Pennsylvania Legislature is scheduled to recess, there are significant differences between competing proposals to raise new transportation revenue.  An amendment drawn up in the House generates far less money for roads, bridges and transit than the bill passed by the Senate earlier this month.
  
The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) supports increased funding for transportation infrastructure in the state, and has a particular interest in a proposed multi-modal fund.  The JRA has forwarded the following letter to members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, over the signature of JRA Executive Director Jeff Stover:
  

The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority urges you to support increased funding for Pennsylvania's transportation infrastructure.  Our interest, of course, is primarily rail freight, but transportation legislation now being debated in Harrisburg would greatly address pressing - and well documented - needs in all modes. 
 
If approved, the proposed multi-modal fund will be a real paradigm shift.   The $10 million base to be allocated for rail freight would mean, for the first time, the Commonwealth's rail investments were not drawn from the General Fund.  Rail freight projects funded with state dollars have returned dividends in both jobs and transportation efficiencies.  Statewide, thousands of jobs have been created as a direct result of past investments in rail infrastructure.

As a member of the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission, I am very familiar with the extraordinary challenges Pennsylvania faces with its highway, bridge, rail, transit, air and pedestrian facilities.  I cannot recall ever seeing such a groundswell of support for increased transportation investments as I have seen in the past month.  Broad-based interest organizations, newspapers and Chambers of Commerce have strongly advocated  comprehensive legislation to rebuild our transportation network.  Even some very large projects that had been on indefinite hold, such as the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway, will now be able to move forward. 

Perhaps even more important than network expansion, though, will be the opportunity to rebuild additional bridges.  Our state continues to lead the nation in structurally deficient bridges (18% of the 25,000 state-owned bridges).  Without aggressive action now, more bridges will be posted with weigh limits or even be closed to traffic.

Most observers around the state agree the end of June marks the closing of a window of opportunity for a historic decision on Pennsylvania's transportation and economic future.  Your regional Rail Authority urges you to support the significant transportation legislation now being considered in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 

Please contact me if you would like more details on the Rail Authority's perspective.

SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority 

201 Furnace Road - Lewisburg, PA 17831
Tel:  570-524-4491 - Fax:  570-524-9190
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Juniata Valley Railroad - Lycoming Valley Railroad - Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad
North Shore Railroad - Shamokin Valley Railroad - West Shore & Reading Railroad
 
Central Pennsylvania Rail Alert is a publication of the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority and includes news for shippers, public officials, and others with an interest in Central Pennsylvania's shortline railroad system. It is published on an irregular basis; essentially whenever there is news to report. If you have questions regarding the Rail Alert, please e-mail Steve Kusheloff, Manager, Public Information. Feel free to forward the Rail Alert to others, and invite them to join our distribution list.
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