ARCHBALD - It did not take long for the conversation to turn to the dilapidated Interstate 81 at Wednesday's public hearing on transportation.
The interstate was not originally designed to handle the approximately 75,000 vehicles that travel it each day in parts of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, state Rep. Mike Carroll, D-118, Avoca, said at the state House Democratic Policy Committee hearing.
"Despite the fact that we rely on the interstate a great deal, it is really stretched beyond its capacity," Mr. Carroll said on Republican Gov. Tom Corbett's transportation plan at the meeting in Valley View High School's auditorium.
Austin Burke, president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, testified that the state Department of Transportation's District 4 "does a yeoman's job with the resources that are available to it," but hard winters and heavy traffic take their toll on area roads.
When he has tried to recruit industry from outside the area, Mr. Burke testified some businesses have been turned off by road conditions, particularly "some of the conditions by the airport" on I-81 and parts of Interstate 80 heading toward New York.
The chamber president said companies notice crashes or minor pothole repairs backing up traffic for miles, and congestion also costs businesses that are already here.
"Thousands of jobs are dependent on highways being open and functional," Mr. Burke said.
Mr. Burke said local needs outpace the available funding, and he welcomed efforts to raise money to address regional transportation infrastructure issues.
The governor's plan calls for raising $1.8 million over five years by gradually lifting the cap on the Oil Company Franchise Tax while reducing the flat gas tax by 2 cents, ending contributions from the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 10 years, and moving to two-year registrations and six-year driver's licenses.
Contact the writer: kwind@timesshamrock.comMembers of the House Democratic Policy Committee are on center stage during a public hearing on Pennsylvania's transportation funding situation also the regional economic impacts of critical investments in transportation and infrastucture held on Wednesday at Valley View High School in Archbald.