Rep. Patty Kim (D-103) speaks at Wednesday’s Dauphin County commissioners meeting, along with other local representatives.
Local officials did not mince their words when it came to discussing how a proposed I-83 South Bridge tolling plan would negatively impact the Harrisburg area.
At a Dauphin County commissioners meeting on Wednesday, city, county and other local representatives supported a resolution opposing PennDOT’s proposal to toll the bridge.
“To still continue to push for a bridge tolling of residents and those who transport for a living might be the most tone-deaf move of all time,” Commission Chair Mike Pries said. “Either they simply don’t have their finger on the pulse of the people or they simply don’t care.”
The proposal to toll the John Harris Memorial (South) Bridge is part of PennDOT’s plan to improve and widen the 62-year-old bridge spanning the Susquehanna River to meet traffic flow and safety needs. The upwards of $500 million project is slated to begin construction in 2024. To assist in paying for the construction and maintenance of the project, PennDOT has proposed tolling the bridge.
While officials present at the meeting agreed with the need for bridge improvements, they disagreed that tolling residents and commuters is the best way to fund the project.
“They need to reconsider another bridge, not a commuter bridge like ours,” said Rep. Patty Kim (D-103). “A toll would bring an economic and quality of life disaster to our communities in Dauphin and Cumberland counties.”
Several other local representatives echoed Kim’s statements, noting the economic hardship that the tolls would bring to residents who frequently use the roadway, some, multiple times a day.
Harrisburg City Council member Dave Madsen also saw it as a threat to Harrisburg businesses and the city’s economy at large, as workers may opt to avoid driving into the city and paying the fee by teleworking, he said.
“Communities like Harrisburg rely on commuters,” Madsen said. “This additional cost will have less of them coming through and will have an economic impact.”
Additionally, officials expressed concern with the potential traffic that could significantly increase in Harrisburg if drivers decide to avert the tolls by taking an alternate route.
“It will cause this community around us, in Dauphin and Cumberland county, a huge problem in traffic flow,” said Tom Mehaffie (R-106).
Others brought up ideas for alternate funding sources, also noting that the state is receiving billions of dollars under the federal government’s infrastructure bill. Rep. Greg Rothman (R-87) proposed using that money to help fund the project, rather than tolling.
The Dauphin County commissioners, with the support of all of the local officials present at the meeting, approved the resolution strongly opposing the tolling of the bridge. The commissioners also noted that they are requesting a meeting with Gov. Tom Wolf to discuss the plan.
“I think we are all on one accord as it relates to standing against this particular proposal, if that means anything, there are no weak links in this chain,” Commissioner George Hartwick said.
For more information on the I-83 South Bridge Project, visit PennDOT’s website.
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