PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 472
PRINTER'S NO. 637
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
53
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY BAKER, ARGALL, J. WARD, MENSCH, MARTIN, YAW,
YUDICHAK, PITTMAN, MASTRIANO, STEFANO, SCHWANK AND AUMENT,
MARCH 19, 2021
SENATOR LANGERHOLC, TRANSPORTATION, AS AMENDED, APRIL 20, 2021
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
conduct a study and issue a report, by 12 months from the
date of the adoption of this resolution, on the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation's highway maintenance funding.
WHEREAS, Reliable and sustainable transportation funding
remains a critical issue in this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Investments in State road and bridge construction
contracts, public transportation capital projects, local road
and bridge assistance, certain turnpike expansion projects,
multi-modal capital projects and the condition of dirt, gravel
or low-volume roads are critical to highway safety, mobility and
economic development; and
WHEREAS, Under 75 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91, the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation (PennDOT) provides maintenance to highways
using a funding formula that has not been updated since 1997;
and
WHEREAS, In 2002, the Legislative Budget and Finance
Committee (LBFC) conducted a performance audit of PennDOT, a
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portion of which assessed the 1997 changes; and
WHEREAS, At the time, LBFC found the new formula resulted in
a fairer allocation of maintenance money; and
WHEREAS, A contemporary review comparing the conditions from
1997 to present and projections for the foreseeable future is
both appropriate and vital as a valuable tool to assess our
State highway maintenance funding program; and
WHEREAS, The study should consist of the following:
(1) A review of the funding formula for each of
PennDOT's county maintenance offices (CMOs), including
maintenance needs versus maintenance allocation.
(2) An analysis of the data under paragraph (1) to
determine whether CMOs may have been overfunded or
underfunded.
(3) A comparison by CMOs of the condition of highways,
bridges and other major assets to ascertain efficacy of
management, funding provided and results achieved.
(4) PennDOT's lane miles and bridges in each CMO,
including the number and percentage that are three-digit and
four-digit highways.
(5) Vehicle miles traveled in each CMO. This includes
larger truck vehicle miles, the percentage of vehicle miles
that is from residents versus out-of-State vehicles and
vehicle miles on bonded roads.
(6) State emergency funding totals by CMOs for acts of
nature, such as flooding and landslides.
(7) A comparison among the 12 PennDOT districts on the
effects of winter maintenance, such as freeze/thaw cycles,
snowfall averages and number, type and duration of winter
events.
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(8) The percentage of State highway maintenance funding
that goes toward major, fixed expenditures, including
personnel salary and benefit costs in each CMO.
(9) A review of PennDOT's Road Maintenance and
Preservation (Road MaP) program created in 2016, including
projects completed and selection criteria for these projects
and future fiscal stability of the program.
(10) County populations from 1997 to the present and
projections for the foreseeable future;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Legislative Budget and
Finance Committee to conduct a study and issue a report, by 12
months from the date of the adoption of this resolution, on the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's highway maintenance
funding.
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