in this issue - ppta
TRANSCRIPT
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
IN THIS ISSUE
Co-Sponsor Memos Bill Actions Committee Stories PA Bulletin Upcoming Events
Session Schedule In the News
Co-Sponsor Memos
HCO2238 Mahoney, Tim Requires local government approval before a state road can be abandoned within its borders by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
HCO2240 Sankey, Thomas Designates the bridges on Interstate 80 (known as the Viaduct Bridges) over the Moshannon Creek, Cooper Township, Clearfield County as the Richard B. Whitehead Memorial Bridges.
SCO 741 Browne, Patrick Ensures that students who are experiencing an education disruption can continue enrollment in their same school when feasible if it is in their best interest.
SCO1096 Folmer, Mike Calls for a moratorium on the ability of state and local government agencies to fly drones over any Commonwealth municipality before July 1, 2017.
SCO1138 Bartolotta, Camera Directs LBFC to conduct a comprehensive study examining the costs placed on PA taxpayers as result of road projects failing to meet deadlines due to delays associated with relocation of public utilities.
Bill Actions SB 967 Aument, Ryan (PN 1198) Act designating a portion of US Route 222 in
Lancaster County as the Senator Noah W. Wenger Highway. Effective in 60 days.
Bill History: 08-07-15 S Filed 08-07-15 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Transportation
SB 971 Folmer, Mike (PN 1200) The Fourth Amendment Protection Act regulates unmanned aircraft in Pennsylvania. The bill states a state or local agency, including a law enforcement agency, may not utilize an unmanned aircraft system before July 1, 2017; however, an unmanned aircraft system may be deployed before July 1, 2017, in an emergency or major disaster, when the Amber Alert System is activated or during a search and rescue operation if the deployment is necessary to protect life, health or property. Except as provided, a weaponized unmanned aircraft system may not be deployed or its use facilitated by a State or local agency or a member of the public. Effective immediately.
Bill History: 08-07-15 S Filed 08-07-15 S Introduced and referred to Senate State Government
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
Committee Stories
Independent Regulatory Review Commission 8/13/15, 10:00 a.m., 333 Market Street, 14th Floor By Trevor J. Monk The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) met to consider proposed revisions to IRRC's regulations. Chairman John Mizner, Commissioner George Bedwick, and Commissioner Russell Faber were in attendance. Commissioner Murray Ufberg and Commissioner Dennis Watson participated via telephone. Chairman Mizner noted 3081 Philadelphia Parking Authority #126-10: Image Retention and Use, which had been scheduled for consideration at the meeting, was withdrawn. He expects the regulation to be resubmitted.
###
PA Bulletin
GENERAL ASSEMBLY: RECENT ACTIONS DURING 2015 REGULAR SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY The General Assembly published a summary of their recent actions during the 2015 Regular Session. The summary in full may be found in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
Upcoming Events
Allstate Ride for Awareness Tour **(unconfirmed)** August 17, 2015 - 11:00 a.m., Main Capitol Steps, Harrisburg Press Conference Contact Taylor Fitts [email protected]; Possible participation by PennDOT PA Turnpike Commission August 18, 2015 - 10:00 a.m., Turnpike Admin. Bldg, Large Board Rm, 700 S. Eisenhower Blvd., 3rd Fl., Middletown Commission Meeting. For additional information: (717) 939-9551 Delaware River Port Authority/PATCO **Note updated location** August 19, 2015 - 9:00 a.m., PA Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia Board Meeting. For additional information: (856) 968-2253 PA Public Utility Commission August 20, 2015 - 10:00 a.m., Commonwealth Keystone Bldg., Hearing Room 1, 400 North St., Harrisburg Public Meeting. For additional information: (717) 783-1740 State Budget Press Conference **(unconfirmed)** August 26, 2015 - 11:00a.m., Main Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg Press Conference Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) Board August 27, 2015 - 3:00 p.m. SEPTA Headquarters, 1234 Market Street, Mezzanine Level, Philadelphia Board Meeting. For additional information: (215) 580-7800
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
Session Schedule Senate September 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 October 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 November 16, 17, 18 December 7, 8, 9 House August 25 September 21, 22, 28 (NV), 29, 30 October 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 November 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 (NV) December 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16
In the News
08-13-2015 Mon Wharf connector: Another missing trail link will soon be completed The final links in a chain that will connect the Great Allegheny Passage trail to Point State Park are back on track for construction to begin next year. This welcome news is made possible by private and philanthropic contributions to the advocacy agency Riverlife, the state of Pennsylvania... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-13-2015 Wagner says Hertz owes Allegheny County $1.8M Hertz owes Allegheny County $1.8 million in unpaid taxes, interests and penalties from rental cars at the Pittsburgh International Airport, according to figures that Controller Chelsa Wagner's office released Wednesday. Wagner has pursued Hertz for unpaid rental car taxes since early in the... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-13-2015 Passengers lament loss of Spirit Airlines flights from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport to Chicago, Las Vegas Tamara Troup twice has driven from Perryopolis to Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity to drop off her son so he can fly home to Chicago. She was waiting for his Spirit Airlines flight Wednesday afternoon, but last week, the Florida-based company announced Chicago and Las Vegas... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-13-2015 A charging conundrum: Electric car fallacies That “eco-friendly” car you plug in every night might not be the environmental bargain you think it is, based on a recent study. And depending on where you live, it could be worse than a gas guzzler. The study by the National Bureau of Economic Research focused on five major... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-13-2015 Toll hikes approved for two Burlco bridges Tolls on the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges will double for many motorists in mid-September after action Wednesday evening by the Burlington County Bridge Commission, which said it needs the additional revenue to pay for $110 million in capital improvements.... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-13-2015 New mobile app MyCanary checks drivers' marijuana impairment No blood test. No breathalyzer. No getting busted by the cops for DUI. That’s what a new app called MyCanary can help cannabis consumers avoid by letting them check their own impairment levels. This could encourage individuals to wait a few hours before getting behind the wheel if... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-13-2015 Public can comment through Monday on proposed LANTA fare hike for disabled riders The public has until Monday to file comments about LANTA's planned fare hike for its paratransit
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
service that will cost most users 15 to 45 cents more per trip. Beginning Oct. 1, about 50 percent of riders would see the one-way fare go from $3.35 to $3.50 for travel up to 4 miles, a 4.5 percent jump. For... -Allentown Morning Call
08-13-2015 Accountabilitygap needswide bridge Great bridges aren’t simply feats of engineering that connect two points; they speak to bigger things. The Brooklyn Bridge did nothing less than create the world’s greatest city. The Golden Gate Bridge announced the arrival of the American West as a major economic player.... - Scranton Times
08-13-2015 Luzerne County request for road/bridge takeover discussed Butler Township officials said they are willing to take over Luzerne County roads in their jurisdiction after they are repaired to acceptable standards. Representatives from several other municipalities said they would consider plowing, fixing potholes or some maintenance of county-owned roads and... - Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
08-13-2015 Take time toset rules for drone usage Drone aircraft no longer are exotic technology. They’re inexpensive, highly useful but also dangerous and potentially intrusive. And soon, they will be just about everywhere. One of the thorniest issues for the rapidly approaching age of drones is their use by police and other government agencies.... - Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice
08-13-2015 PennDOT unveils new Wyoming County bridge Representatives from PennDOT and Procter & Gamble were joined by local elected officials Tuesday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open a new bridge in Mehoopany. The bridge replacement project cost $2.8 million and, according to PennDOT District Executive George Roberts, was made possible by the Act 89... - Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice
08-13-2015 County discusses ways to cut road costs WILKES-BARRE — It’s tough to be a road in Luzerne County. Sometimes, you can’t help but feel unwanted. Tanis Manseau, head of the county’s Division of Operational Services, acknowledged that during a meeting Wednesday about county-owned roads. The county owns about 126 miles of roadway, spread out in a somewhat... - Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice
08-13-2015 Longer trucks pose unecessary dangers | Letter While the vast majority of people operating trucks on our roadways are excellent drivers, the simple truth about trucks is that there are just too many of them. Our highways are crowded! To have the trucking industry asking for larger vehicles is, in my opinion,... - Easton Express-Times
08-13-2015 Allegiant Air to open base of operations at Pittsburgh International Airport; up to 40 jobs expected FINDLAY TWP. -- Allegiant Air announced earlier this week it will open a base of operations at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Company officials said beginning on Dec. 24, the company will base a 156-seat Airbus at the airport, which will create jobs for pilots, flight... - Beaver County Times
08-13-2015 Trails lead to one region Pennsylvania is the land of fragmented local government, where services sometimes are non-existent or needlessly expensive because local governments won't cooperate to provide them. Against that backdrop, it's great to see some government agencies and civic groups tying the area together, literally, on the ground.... - Towanda Daily Review
08-13-2015 Legislature should thoughtfully weigh in on drones Drone aircraft no longer are exotic technology. They're inexpensive, highly useful but also
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
dangerous and potentially intrusive. And soon, they will be just about everywhere. One of the thorniest issues for the rapidly approaching age of drones is their use by police and other government agencies. State Sen. Mike Folmer,... - Shamokin News-Item
08-13-2015 County continues to explore transportation options Katherine Freund, founder of the national nonprofit ITNAmerica, said she will attempt to talk to federal transportation officials about a pilot transportation program for Somerset County. “I will ask about testing a pilot program in Somerset County, but there... - Somerset Daily
08-13-2015 Two charged with DUI in same incident Two people were arrested for drunken driving during the same incident on the same night in Meyersdale Borough. Brandy Nicole Fries, 40, of Mason Dixon Highway, Meyersdale, and James H. Strope, 37, of Glade City Road, Meyersdale, were charged by borough police.... - Somerset Daily
08-13-2015 Ending spending caps could create jobs; McConnell sells long-term highway bill at home; how to reform the tax code LIFTING THE SEQUESTER COULD CREATE JOBS. A new Congressional Budget Office report found that eliminating the spending caps that were put in place as a part of the 2011 Budget Control Act would increase spending by about $90 billion and could increase job growth by 200,000 to 80,000 positions in... -Washington Post
08-13-2015 For a safer America, curtail traffic stops In one video after another this year, we've seen police stops of African American drivers go violently, terribly wrong. Think of Walter Scott, killed by a police officer in North Charleston, S.C., after a traffic stop for a broken tail light. Or Sandra Bland, pulled over for failure to signal... - Los Angeles Times
08-13-2015 Lancaster County's covered bridges get a $5,000 boost from bicyclists Recreational bicyclists are big fans of Lancaster County's covered bridges, so much so they gave the county commissioners more than $5,000 Wednesday toward bridge maintenance. "They're very important to our sport, and we love them," said John Mullineaux, president of the Lancaster Bicycle Club, in presenting a $5,275... - Lancaster Intelligencer Journal
08-13-2015 Bridge Commission Votes To Increase Two Delaware River Bridge Tolls The Burlington County Bridge Commission voted Wednesday night to increase tolls on the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges. Currently, the toll stands at $2.00 per car. EZ Pass users will see their toll rise to $3.00. Cash users will pay $4.00. This will be the first toll... - KYW News Radio 1060
08-13-2015 Papal visit impact ripples out from Franklin Bridge in NJ NEWARK - The main roadways to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge will be closed and RiverLine trains will not make all stops when Pope Francis in Philadelphia, according to plans on display at news conference being held by New Jersey officials. Officials have previously announced that the Ben Franklin Bridge will be... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-13-2015 Live: Nutter speaks to editorial boards about papal visit Mayor Michael Nutter is speaking to the Inquirer and Daily News editorial boards Thursday afternoon about Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Philadelphia. The mayor has faced some recent criticism for how the city has handled releasing information about the Sept. 26 and 27 papal visit at the end of... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-13-2015 PennDOT to open bids for nearly mile-long Susquehanna River bridge After nearly a half century of waiting, relief is on the horizon for motorists on a congested part of
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
Routes 11/15 in Snyder County. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on Aug. 27 is scheduled to open bids for the construction of a nearly mile-long bridge across the West... - Harrisburg Patriot-News
08-12-2015 IRRC submits Comments to the Philadelphia Parking Authority and the State... (Press Release)
08-12-2015 PA Truck Drivers Compete for National Title (Press Release)
08-12-2015 Sierra Magazine Announces 2015 Rankings of America's Greenest Colleges and... (Press Release)
08-12-2015 Allegiant Air is making Pittsburgh a base of operations There’s little doubt that Allegiant Air has had a quick ascent at Pittsburgh International Airport. Now it’s poised to take its operations to an even higher level. Starting Christmas Eve, the low-fare carrier will make the airport a base of operations, a distinction that will bring with it up to 40 jobs and a... -Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-12-2015 Pennsylvania PUC continues pursuit of $19 million fine against Uber The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement continues to pursue a $19 million penalty against San Francisco-based ride-sharing company Uber for operating illegally in Pennsylvania for six months last year. “Uber’s complete and utter lack of cooperation is simply... -Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-12-2015 Allegiant expansion a Pittsburgh success story Pittsburgh-area families visiting Disney World soon will have another — and possibly cheaper — option to get there. Discount carrier Allegiant will offer nonstop service between Pittsburgh International Airport and Orlando Sanford International Airport starting... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-12-2015 Sides OK collapsed barn's removal on Rostraver Airport property A collapsed barn on Rostraver Airport property will be removed under the terms of an agreement approved Tuesday between the Westmoreland County Airport Authority and Andrew S. Harr. Authority board members approved the agreement at no cost in exchange for the salvageable materials.... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-12-2015 Lottery for papal high speed line, trolley passes today The lottery to buy passes for travel during the papal visit on SEPTA's Norristown High Speed Line and two trolley routes is open. The lottery opened at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday and runs through 11:59 p.m. The special three-day transit passes will be valid Sept. 26 through 28.... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-12-2015 Schumer: New agency should plan, finance Hudson rail tunnels NEW YORK (AP) - In a bid to create momentum for a massive overhaul of the crumbling passenger rail corridor between New Jersey and New York City, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer on Tuesday proposed the creation of a new nonprofit development corporation to plan and finance the project... - AP
08-12-2015 Experts: City's hike in hit-runs hard to explain THE WHITE TOUR bus struck Joseph Heard just before 10 a.m. yesterday in the crosswalk on Franklin Street near Race. It knocked him to the ground and dragged him about 50 feet. Heard came to a rest, his headphones lying in a tangled heap near his body. The bus, however, never stopped - it rolled onto Interstate 95 and... - Philadelphia Daily News
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
08-12-2015 S&P cuts debt rating of Philadelphia airport Standard & Poor's downgraded its "A+" rating to "A" on Philadelphia International Airport's revenue bonds. The ratings agency said the outlook was "stable" for the airport's debt. "The downgrade reflects our assessments of PHL's additional borrowing plans," S&P credit analyst Joseph Pezzimenti said. He cited "high carrier... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-12-2015 John Caperilla: Congress leaves for summer vacation without a plan to fix our roads With the highest number of structurally deficient bridges in the country, Pennsylvania won't be getting much help from the federal government, based on the latest congressional inaction. It's absolutely frustrating that our elected leaders continue to kick the... - Allentown Morning Call
08-12-2015 Kane Trucking mothballs natural gas trucks after fire, sues maker A truck explosion prompted Kane Freight Lines Inc. to mothball seven natural-gas-powered vehicles and sue Volvo Group North America and others a year after its touted pilot program with the clean-burning tractors. On Jan. 2, one of the trucks began to burn under the passenger side door.... - Scranton Times
08-12-2015 Trails lead to one region Pennsylvania is the land of fragmented local government, where services sometimes are non-existent or needlessly expensive because local governments won’t cooperate to provide them. Against that backdrop, it’s great to see some government agencies and civic groups tying the area together, literally, on the ground.... - Scranton Times
08-12-2015 W-B/Scranton International Airport announces new nonstop flight to Tampa PITTSTON TWP. — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport will offer regular nonstop flights to the Tampa Bay, Florida, area starting Nov. 6. Allegiant, which already offered direct flights to Orlando-Sanford from Northeast Pennsylvania since June 2012, will run the two-hour-and-40-minute... - Scranton Times
08-12-2015 Regional briefs, Aug. 12, 2015 Zoning officer may face charges HONESDALE — Honesdale police arrested the borough’s zoning officer Monday on suspicion of driving under the influence, police said. Daniel Hnatko submitted to a blood test and charges are pending that test’s results, according to a news release.... - Scranton Times
08-12-2015 DEP inspects bridge; not sure who owns it The state Department of Environmental Protection on Tuesday inspected a bridge that had been built in one day by a private firm over a waterway feeding reservoirs, but doesn’t know who owns it or where to send a report. That’s because both the township and the Louis DeNaples-owned firm that... - Scranton Times
08-12-2015 W-B/Scranton International Airport announces new nonstop flight to Tampa PITTSTON TWP. — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport will offer regular nonstop flights to the Tampa Bay, Florida, area starting Nov. 6. Allegiant, which already offered direct flights to Orlando-Sanford from Northeastern Pennsylvania since June 2012, will run the... - Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice
08-12-2015 Utility companies not repairing roads correctly Editor: It is understandable that utility companies must dig up roads to fix underground utilities, but what is not understandable is why they do no repair the roads correctly. Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre, Hanover Township and Ashley was just paved this past summer. In the past six months at least... - Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice
08-12-2015 No race to judgment on Pennsylvania Turnpike's higher speed limit State police Lt. Edward C. Murphy travels the Pennsylvania Turnpike between Harrisburg to
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
Philadelphia each day. He's the staff services >>>>Continue Reading Eagle: Bill Uhrich | A new speed limit of 70 mph went into effect in July 2014 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and so far, the effects haven't... - Reading Eagle
08-12-2015 Few riders on BARTA shuttle for Buttonwood Street Bridge For the first three weeks after the Buttonwood Street Bridge closed for reconstruction, what's been the ridership of the BARTA park-and-ride >>>> Continue - Reading Eagle
08-12-2015 Letter: Don't raise speed limit Drivers already are doing 75 mph to 80 mph, and not only on interstate highways. - Reading Eagle
08-12-2015 Schumer Says Corporation Should Oversee Hudson Tunnels Project Senator Chuck Schumer, seeking an end to the standoff over financing new Hudson River rail tunnels, proposed on Tuesday creating a nonprofit corporation to oversee the project and to assemble the billions of dollars needed to build new tunnels. In a speech at New York University, Mr. Schumer said that such a... - New York Times
08-12-2015 No major traffic pattern changes planned at Murtland Avenue interchange on I-70 Drivers who travel Interstate 70 or Route 19 near the highway’s Murtland Avenue interchange in South Strabane Township should not expect to see any major changes in traffic patterns through the rest of this construction season. Work is continuing on the $54 million project to construct a diverging... - Washington Observer-Reporter
08-12-2015 No major traffic pattern changes planned at Murtland Avenue interchange on I-70 Drivers who travel Interstate 70 or Route 19 near the highway’s Murtland Avenue interchange in South Strabane Township should not expect to see any major changes in traffic patterns through the rest of this construction season. Work is continuing on the $54 million project to construct a diverging... - Washington Observer-Reporter
08-12-2015 $1.48 million award for fatal Route 33 crash challenged An attorney will seek to overturn a $1.48 million award and get a new a new trial after his client was found liable in the death of an East Stroudsburg woman in a Hamilton Township motor vehicle crash in 2009 Defense attorney Wieslaw Niemoczynski cited errors by the court made... - Pocono Record
08-12-2015 Seat belts needed for school buses (letter) With the start of public schools right around the corner I am sending this open letter to the parents, school board members, state senators, state representatives and school administration officials. Why is it that the laws of Pennsylvania state that the drivers and passengers in private and... - York Daily
08-12-2015 Bids for Thruway river bridge to be opened in 15 days NORTHUMBERLAND — Four decades of doubt and frustration will end this fall when construction of a nearly mile-long bridge over the Susquehanna River marks the first phase of the $670 million Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway. Bids on the construction contract will be opened Aug. 27, Dave Thompson, a... - Sunbury Daily Item
08-12-2015 Truck crash closes PA turnpike An 86-mile section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in both directions will be closed indefinitely between the New Stanton Interchange Exit (#75) and the Breezewood Interchange Exit (#161) as a result of a truck accident at milepost 138 eastbound. An overturned truck is blocking both eastbound... -Waynesboro Record Herald
08-12-2015 From the Capitol
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
Pennsylvania House of Representatives — “Many consumers are returning home from their out-of-state summer vacations, only to be reminded that Pennsylvania’s system for selling wine and spirits is still in the dark ages of Prohibition,” according to state Rep. Paul Schemel, a Republican who represents Franklin... - Waynesboro Record Herald
08-12-2015 Semi crash leads to Turnpike detour through Maryland Pennsylvania State Police were diverting traffic along an 86-mile stretch of the toll road between New Stanton and Breezewood after a tractor-trailer accident near the border of Somerset and Bedford counties this morning. State police at Highspire said emergency crews were still responding to the... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-12-2015 Looking for a used vehicle? State government is selling 300 next week near Harrisburg A 1931 Model A Ford and a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro are among more than 300 state-owned vehicles being auctioned to the public at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18. Most are former police cars and other fleet vehicles, including Ford interceptors and Crown Victorias, and Chevrolet Impalas and Malibus.... - Lancaster Intelligencer Journal
08-12-2015 Chronic fatigue in the control tower irtually everyone who works for a living knows the feeling that results from a combination of long or irregular hours on the job and too little sleep: The eyes won’t stay open, the head nods, the mind wanders, routine tasks become laborious and mistakes happen.... - Levittown Bucks County Courier Times
08-12-2015 Pa. Turnpike closed in both directions, causing 86-mile detour NEW STANTON, Pa. — Pennsylvania Turnpike officials say a crash has closed the toll road in western Pennsylvania... - AP
08-12-2015 Semi crash leads to Turnpike detour through Md., jams traffic for miles Pennsylvania State Police are diverting traffic along an 86-mile stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike between New Stanton and Breezewood after a tractor-trailer accident near the border of Somerset and Bedford counties Wednesday morning. State police at Highspire said emergency crews were still working at the... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-11-2015 AK Steel and Other U.S. Producers File Hot-Rolled Steel Trade Cases (Press Release)
08-11-2015 PECO Reminds You to Call 811 Before You Dig (Press Release)
08-11-2015 Allegiant Air expected to announce service from Pittsburgh to Orlando Local travelers soon may have another option in getting to Orlando, Fla., a popular vacation destination. Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air on Tuesday is expected to announce service to Orlando's Sanford International Airport from Pittsburgh International Airport. It is expected to be part of a broader announcement involving... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-11-2015 Widows often see rise in auto insurance rates Women whose husbands die should not expect to receive much sympathy from many of the nation’s major auto insurers; it’s more likely that widows can expect to have their car insurance rates raised. The Washington, D.C.-based Consumer Federation of America found most major... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-11-2015 Pa. emissions inspections are a waste I echo the sentiments expressed by Charlotte Baldizar in the Aug. 4 letter “Keep Vehicle Stickers.” The crux of the letter was that if we are concerned about saving money for Pennsylvania drivers we should have the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
Institute at Penn State... -Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-11-2015 Use of utility task vehicles expands in dangerous ways Utility task vehicles, off-road vehicles that are like a cross between an ATV and a golf cart, were developed in the early 1980s for outdoor workers. But more uses were discovered for them over the years, including recreation on private property and racing. The number of reported injuries and deaths in UTV accidents has also... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-11-2015 Wabtec, a key player in rail industry, has a lot going for it Raymond Betler typically doesn't find new college graduates clamoring to work in the rail industry. They don't consider it sexy enough, said Betler, the CEO of Wabtec Corp., a Wilmerding-based provider of rail industry products and services. “People want to work for Apple and Google, and at those places that... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-11-2015 Air traffic controller study reveals chronic fatigue WASHINGTON — Air traffic controllers' work schedules often lead to chronic fatigue, making them less alert and endangering the safety of the national air traffic system, according to a study the government kept secret for years... -AP
08-11-2015 DRPA quietly gives raises to workers The Delaware River Port Authority quietly gave 2.5 percent raises to nonunion workers in April, retroactive to the beginning of the year. The 223 workers had not had raises in six years, and the new DRPA board chairman, Philadelphia labor leader Ryan Boyer, said when he was appointed... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-11-2015 Papal rail tickets on sale; where else, but eBay Even if you missed your chance to secure special rail passes for the papal visit in September, you can still procure rail passes – where else – on eBay. The online market place has a growing inventory of SEPTA rail passes for sale, ranging from $75 upwards of $225 for small bundles.... - Harrisburg Patriot-News
08-11-2015 Carroll Township residents say bridge project contractor responsible for flood damage CARROLL TOWNSHIP—The landowner next to the Spring Lane Road bridge project that is currently underway has urged township supervisors to hold the contractor more accountable after concrete barriers and loose stone following heavy rains a few months ago caused damage to his property.... - Harrisburg Patriot-News
08-11-2015 11/15 detour will be a challenge next summer, but it doesn't have to be a road disaster: Editorial Pennsylvania drivers, like most motorists across the country, are a greedy bunch. We want it both ways: Perfect roads without potholes or bumps, but never any construction delays that allow our streets and highways to be in that condition. Of course, we can't have one without the other.... - Harrisburg Patriot-News
08-11-2015 Construction causes CATA to alter bus routes along North Atherton Street Regular CATA bus riders along North Atherton Street will have to change their riding habits a bit this week as continuing construction is causing detours and skipped stops. N Route stops between the Sheetz on Woodycrest Street and Colonnade Boulevard closed Monday and will not reopen until Saturday, according to... - State College Centre Daily Times
08-11-2015 Initial inspections show Bethlehem ramp safe for Musikfest goers Bethlehem's Hill-to-Hill Bridge staged a bit of a side show Sunday when a small piece of concrete from the Main Street ramp fell on a Musikfest tent. But city officials don't expect an encore performance. Bethlehem inspectors tested a section of the ramp Monday morning, before... - Allentown Morning Call
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
08-11-2015 Airline fees causing turbulence I warned last week to watch out for hotel fees, and now airline fees are on my radar. The Senate Commerce Committee recently released a report alleging that fees such as those for cancellations, reservation changes and preferred seating "are increasingly keeping consumers in the dark about the true cost of air... - Allentown Morning Call
08-11-2015 Delaware River Port Authority gave employees raises in April PHILADELPHIA — Delaware River Port Authority employees were quietly given a raise for the first time in six years... - AP
08-11-2015 Ownership of bridge leading to DeNaples truck site disputed Ownership of a bridge is being disputed by officials in Roaring Brook Twp. and the company owned by Louis DeNaples, which built the span. WBD Inc. trucks damaged an old stone-arch bridge in Roaring Brook Twp. spanning a creek that feeds reservoirs supplying drinking water for 160,000... - Scranton Times
08-11-2015 Our Opinion: Know any dirt on misuse of state tax dollars? Alert an auditor Can you pinpoint places where Pennsylvania’s tax money gets squandered because of either sloppy practices or outright thievery? If so, the state’s auditor general wants to hear from you. Tipsters – such as state government workers, ex-employees of the commonwealth,... - Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
08-11-2015 Industries struggle to meet their increasing needs for licensed drivers A career change can be risky business for some, because it often involves lengthy and expensive educational requirements with no real job >>>> Continue Reading Eagle: Susan L. Angstadt | Wascar Nunez, left, driver/ trainer, and Scott Gullo, fleet manager, with a Deltaura truck at Deltaura... - Reading Eagle
08-11-2015 Is passenger rail doable for Lehigh Valley? | Your comments Restoring regional passenger rail service to the Lehigh Valley and western Warren County is difficult but not impossible, and it needs someone to keep pushing the agenda. That's the message the mayors of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and Phillipsburg delivered this week, saying high-speed rail could... - Easton Express-Times
08-11-2015 No link to reality? Passenger rail connection still hard to justify | Editorial Five years ago, Lehigh and Northampton counties ordered an in-depth study on re-establishing passenger rail service from the Lehigh Valley and Phillipsburg to Newark and New York. The conclusion? Save your money. Take the bus. The financial disconnect was sobering: More than $1 billion to link the... - Easton Express-Times
08-11-2015 Lancaster area bypass to benefit Route 30 drivers from York County In the past few months, drivers on Route 30 have seen a new bridge being built over the highway in western Lancaster County. It is part of a "bypass" that is being built to take truck traffic out of downtown Columbia borough. But officials say it will have a larger impact... - York Daily
08-11-2015 Lancaster area bypass to benefit Route 30 drivers from York County In the past few months, drivers on Route 30 have seen a new bridge being built over the highway in western Lancaster County. It is part of a "bypass" that is being built to take truck traffic out of downtown Columbia borough. But officials say it will have a larger impact... - York Daily
08-11-2015 Wannabe pilots could get a free lesson from Tobyhanna flight school Like many in the aviation industry, Vern Moyer expects the number of airline pilots to continue to
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
decrease and the demand for those in the profession to rise. On Friday, Moyer, the president of Moyer Aviation of Tobyhanna, could hardly contain his joy when he announced that his Moyer Aviation Flight... - Pocono Record
08-11-2015 Dreary weather doesn't faze Lebanon Rail-Trail riders Dreary weather didn't keep hikers and bikers from the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail. A man rides his bike over the historic iron bridge on the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail in Cornwall on Monday. Despite a dreary day, hikers and bikers were still out and about on the trail. (Jeremy Long — Lebanon... - Lebanon Daily News
08-11-2015 Route 219 work planned in Cambria and Somerset counties Swank Construction, of New Kensington, will be placing two nighttime ramp detours Wednesday and Thursday on Route 219 in Richland, Cambria and Conemaugh townships in Cambria and Somerset counties, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. On Wednesday a ramp closure will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. for... - Somerset Daily
08-11-2015 Delays for N.J. Transit Train Riders May Become ‘Norm,’ Amtrak Official Warns TRENTON — Train problems like those that stranded commuters several days last month may become “the norm,” an Amtrak executive told state legislators here on Monday, as aging tunnels increasingly require repairs, passenger demand grows and lawmakers cannot agree on how to pay... - New York Times
08-11-2015 Rogue drones a growing nuisance across the U.S. Rogue drone operators are rapidly becoming a national nuisance, invading sensitive airspace and private property — with the regulators of the nation’s skies largely powerless to stop them. In recent days, drones have smuggled drugs into an Ohio prison, smashed... - Washington Post
08-11-2015 Tech: How Google could influence elections and Uber could help national security COULD GOOGLE INFLUENCE ELECTIONS?: Link placement in search engines could go a long way in swaying voters about which candidates to support, according to a new study. As the Washington Post reports, “Almost none of the voters caught onto how the results were being skewed. In fact, those... - Washington Post
08-11-2015 State says it will improve Baltimore bus system; city reps say that's not enough After killing the $2.9 billion Red Line project, Hogan administration officials gathered city elected officials Monday for a closed-door meeting and pledged to make Baltimore's much-maligned bus system run better. City Democrats, who had hoped the Red Line would create hundreds of jobs in... - Baltimore Sun
08-11-2015 3-month Route 11/15 closure in 2016: Officials want public meeting PennDOT should hold a public meeting on next summer's planned three-month closure of Route 11/15 south of Marysville, state Sen. Rob Teplitz and some local officials and business owners believe. The closure is needed for the work on the rock slope along a narrow section... - Harrisburg Patriot-News
08-11-2015 A crackdown on DUI in Pa. would be entirely appropriate THE ISSUE State Sen. Lloyd Smucker, R-West Lampeter Township, is pursuing tougher penalties for those who repeatedly drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs or both. Other bills targeting DUI would require expanded use of ignition interlocks, allow license suspensions for those accused of DUI and... -Lancaster Intelligencer Journal
08-11-2015 Toll Hike Under Consideration For Area Bridges PALMYRA, NJ (CBS) – Toll increases could soon cost drivers more to cross the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges. The Burlington Bristol Bridge Commission held the first
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
of two public hearings on a proposed toll increase Monday night. There is another forum today, and the vote is expected tomorrow.... - KYW News Radio 1060
08-11-2015 Study: Brutal Schedules Make Air Traffic Controllers Fatigued, More Likely To Make Mistakes PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Air Traffic Controllers often face brutal schedules that leave them fatigued and more likely to make mistakes, according to a study commissioned by the FAA. Traveling is stressful enough, and the report of chronically tired people in the tower doesn’t help, at least according to some of the travelers... - KYW News Radio 1060
08-11-2015 Crowd-Powered Bus Offers New Way To Get To Philly For Papal Visit PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – As we now know, getting to Philadelphia during Pope Francis’ visit may be a daunting task. But there is one company giving the visitors the power to get to the city. Rally Bus is a way for the crowd to determine where a bus will pick them up... - KYW News Radio 1060
08-11-2015 Editorial: Coach can use DUI arrest to educate The Evening Sun took a social media beating last weekend. Why? Because we reported on a popular football coach in Littlestown who was arrested earlier this summer for driving under the influence. We reported the facts from Littlestown Police in the public record. We... - Hanover Evening Sun
08-11-2015 Toll-hike supporters dominate first public hearing on proposed increases PALMYRA — If opposition exists to a proposed toll hike on the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol bridges, then it's largely silent so far. The Burlington County Bridge Commission held the first of two planned public hearings on the proposed toll increase Monday night, but only one of... - Levittown Intelligencer
08-11-2015 Bus riders: Be prepared for a hike to see the Pope The Rev. Angelo Citino, pastor of Nativity of Our Lord Church in Warminster, said he’ll have his walking shoes ready for the papal visit. So will his parishioners. When the church was trying to decide if buses or the train was the best way into Philadelphia to see Pope Francis in late September, it took a survey.... - Levittown Intelligencer
08-11-2015 Details emerge on local rail trail project Details emerge on local rail trail project - Lock Haven Express
08-11-2015 PennDOT defends tree trimming By Tom DiStefano CLARION NEWS Writer MILLCREEK TWP. Gravel Lick Road along the Clarion River in Millcreek Township is lined with mature rhododendron bushes and some area residents became concerned when a PennDOT crew began cutting the bushes back from the roadway.... - Clarion News
08-11-2015 EDITORIAL: Stick with no stickers, lawmakers Pennsylvania's 2013 Transportation Act was a long-overdue fix to our neglected roads, bridges and mass transit systems. It was necessary and expensive — more expensive than it would have been had the Legislature stayed on top of it and not deferred maintenance year... - York Dispatch
08-11-2015 Low-cost airline Allegiant Air will add flights, base one plane at Pittsburgh airport Allegiant Air will establish a base of operations at Pittsburgh International Airport and add up to 40 jobs as part of its latest expansion in the region. Starting Christmas Eve, the Las Vegas-headquartered airline will base a 156-seat Airbus A319 aircraft in Pittsburgh. The decision will bring with... -Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
08-10-2015 Fans get jammed by Parkway West detour Baseball fans from the region’s western locations endured up to 90 minutes in bumper-to-bumper traffic Sunday on a detour around the inbound Parkway West. Maybe the traffic was lighter, or maybe they planned ahead, but either way they seem to have fared better than the others who drove in for the earlier... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-10-2015 PennDOT schedules roadwork in Westmoreland, Fayette counties PennDOT has released its maintenance schedule for Westmoreland and Fayette counties for the week starting Monday. In Westmoreland, the work will include, weather permitting: • Pothole patching, Route 3051 (Robbins Station Road, North Huntingdon) and Route 3053 (Park Hill, North Huntingdon).... -Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-10-2015 SEPTA extends deadline for buying Regional Rail passes for Pope Francis' visit SEPTA on Sunday extended the deadline for people to pay for Regional Rail passes reserved last week for Pope Francis' visit in September. The former deadline had been midnight Sunday. The new deadline is 3 p.m. Monday. In an online lottery last Monday, SEPTA received requests for 328,045... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-10-2015 Drones give law enforcement a new edge, but raise concerns As the camera attached to its underbelly snapped pictures, the drone glided a few hundred feet above the quiet, tree-lined suburban streets of North Coventry Township. It was tracing the path of a killer, investigators say. Chester County prosecutors are hoping the images captured by the unmanned... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-10-2015 SEPTA extends papal pass purchase deadline SEPTA HAS extended the deadline for the purchase of its Regional Rail papal passes from 11:59 p.m. yesterday until 3 p.m. today. The transit agency used a lottery system to sell the passes for each of its 18 Regional Rail stations that will be open during Pope Francis' visit to... - Philadelphia Daily News
08-10-2015 5 arrested for running from DUI checkpoint Pennsylvania police routinely set up DUI checkpoints to make sure motorists aren't driving under the influence. But in western Pennsylvania this weekend, a DUI checkpoint led to a rare foot pursuit after at least three people bolted on foot from the checkpoint site in Monroeville, Allegheny... - Harrisburg Patriot-News
08-10-2015 New Jersey lawmakers to hear from Amtrak exec on tunnel woes TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey lawmakers are to hear from an Amtrak executive Monday about a recent series of delays caused by electrical problems in its 105-year-old Hudson River tunnel and what's being done to push along a project to build a new tunnel... - AP
08-10-2015 Bulletin Board: Chestnut Knoll at Home hosts AARP refresher course for drivers Chestnut Knoll at Home will host an AARP refresher course for drivers Aug. 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Chestnut Knoll facility, 1041 >>>> Continue - Reading Eagle
08-10-2015 Lehigh Valley mayors restarting push to get regional train service The mayors of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and Phillipsburg have joined forces to re-launch efforts to bring passenger rail service to the region. While the mayors said re-establishing rail service would take years if not decades, they said they believe a new push could make a difference.... -Easton Express-Times
08-10-2015 York County expected to reap benefits from the Columbia bypass being built In the past few months, drivers on Route 30 have seen a new bridge being built over the highway in western Lancaster County. It is part of a "bypass" that is being built to take truck traffic out of downtown Columbia borough. But officials say it will have a larger impact... - York
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
Daily
08-10-2015 York, Pa.'s 'Welcome/Do Not Enter' eastern gateway: 'Talk about mixed messages' The question has come up before. How can a welcoming city tell westbound motorists on the old Lincoln Highway to 'Do Not Enter?' And it's a good question. And it was raised by someone, York Sunday News columnist Gordon Freireich, who is a leader in an organization, York... - York Daily
08-10-2015 York motorcycle club rides to stop the violence For the members of York's TwoFive3 Ryderz motorcycle club, riding is about family and giving back to community. More than 30 members put those values into action Sunday, taking to York's streets for the 4th annual Stop the Violence charity ride, and then stopped... - York Daily
08-10-2015 Gas fees needed to pay for remaining cost of city traffic study August 8, 2015 Natural gas impact fees are going to be needed if the city is able to pay for the cost of a traffic study in the east end of the Central Business District that looks at changing one-way streets to... more »» - Williamsport Sun-Gazette
08-10-2015 Trails at Jakes Rocks moving forward with ANF stamp of approval August 8, 2015 After six years in the planning phase, the Trails at Jakes Rocks has moved into the implementation plan. more »» - Warren Times Observer
08-10-2015 Road project to cause delays on Merrill Parkway TOWANDA - Motorists should expect delays when traveling on the Merrill Parkway in Towanda on Tuesday, Aug. 11 and Wednesday, Aug. 12, due to a microsurfacing project, according to the contractor doing the project. The two-day project involves laying a new driving surface, which is about... -Towanda Daily Review
08-10-2015 Centerville expressway exit named for slain Marine U.S. Marine Cpl. Thomas Matty, 22, was killed in the Quang Nam Province on Dec. 21, 1967, just six weeks after arriving in Vietnam. For years, his alma mater, the Bethlehem-Center School District, has honored a senior baseball letterman with an award named for Matty.... - Tarentum Valley News Dispatch
08-10-2015 Railroad safety: Few likely to meet deadline for technology WASHINGTON >> Only a handful of railroads are close to meeting a deadline this year to install safety technology that can prevent many crashes, including derailments due to excessive speed like the deadly Amtrak crash in Philadelphia in May, according to a government report released Friday... - AP
08-10-2015 PennDOT moves to unravel road mystery PennDOT plans to sample the ground underneath Bredinsburg Road to see why the earth keeps shifting. The work area is located about one-half mile up the hill from U. S. Route 322 on the left. PennDOT has made several attempts to fix the roadway but a permanent solution to stabilize the ground remains elusive.... - Oil City Derrick
08-10-2015 Senator wants more eyes on railroad bridges HARRISBURG — The federal government must step up oversight of railroad bridges as hundreds of trains carrying explosive crude oil from the Bakken region of North Dakota cross the state each week, said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. Casey, a Democrat and Pennsylvania’s senior senator, has repeatedly... - Meadville Tribune
08-10-2015 Readers' Forum | Group appreciates transportation input During the past few weeks, the Cambria County Planning Commission has been conducting an online survey of county residents for a long-range transportation plan. The plan, which is
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
updated every four years, guides transportation planning in Cambria County during the next 25-30 years.... -Johnstown Tribune-Democrat
08-10-2015 Cuomo Says Hudson Tunnels Need Grants, Not Loans to States, From U.S. Two weeks after the federal government’s top transportation official urged the governors of New York and New Jersey to meet with him about how to solve the problems plaguing rail service between their states, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said on Sunday that such a meeting would be... - New York Times
08-10-2015 Help for Delayed Travelers Loath to Leave Money on the Runway Ricardo Vice Santos, chief executive of an app start-up, missed a meeting with prospective investors in Stockholm this spring because his SAS flight from Paris was canceled. Although he lost out on the business opportunity, Mr. Santos received compensation for his disrupted trip, thanks to a European Union regulation... - New York Times
08-10-2015 Need a Taxi to the Airport? Options Expanding Beyond Uber Hailing a taxi nowadays can feel downright old-fashioned. New ride-sharing alternatives — such as Via, Bandwagon, Tripda and RideWith — are springing up in major cities and at airports. At the same time, established car services like Uber and Lyft are continuing to expand to more corners of... - New York Times
08-10-2015 One image shows what cities would look like without cars If you’ve ever lived in New York, San Francisco, or another major, bustling city, you know that one of the most valuable things in an urban area is space. Suddenly, things that are normal in the suburbs, like having a sofa, or washing your clothes in your own house, become luxuries and... - Washington Post
08-10-2015 SEPTA Extending Deadline To Pick Up ‘Papal Passes’ PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – If you won the lottery for a SEPTA Regional Rail Papal Pass, you now have some extra time to get them. The deadline has been extended until 3 p.m. Monday. SEPTA says a number of lottery winners have not purchased their regional rail passes for the weekend of the Papal visit.... - KYW News Radio 1060
08-10-2015 York County sees its own benefits from Columbia Bypass project The Route 441 Columbia Bypass, now under construction in western Lancaster County, is expected to ease congestion and noise by detouring truck traffic away from the center of the borough along the Susquehanna River. But officials also anticipate benefits in York County when the new road... -Lancaster Intelligencer Journal
08-10-2015 Sen. Lloyd Smucker wants tougher DUI laws Chris and Susan Demko would never be presumptuous enough to ask that a proposed law to toughen Pennsylvania’s drunken-driving penalties be named after their daughter. But it was Meredith Demko’s death last summer at the hands of a repeat DUI offender that spurred the drive to get serial offenders off the road... - Lancaster Intelligencer Journal
08-10-2015 Bridge Commission to listen to comments on toll hikes PALMYRA — The Burlington County Bridge Commission will hold the first of two public hearings on a proposed toll increase for the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol bridges Monday night. The proposed fare schedule calls for tolls on cars, motorcycles and light... - Levittown Bucks County Courier Times
08-10-2015 SEPTA papal passes remain for sale Remaining SEPTA passes for Regional Rail travel during the papal visit will be offered for sale next weekend at outlying stations where riders will board for travel to Center City. The initial online sale of passes ended at 3 p.m. Monday, the deadline for payment by winners of SEPTA's
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
electronic lottery.... -Philadelphia Inquirer
08-09-2015 Asides: Honors for innovation, a new Penn State logo, an expressway toll conversion OLD SONGS, OLD PHOTOS, old friends. These are the comforts that people cling to in a fast-spinning world. But the pulse of life is fueled by the new — new ideas, new hopes, new collaborators. President Barack Obama praised two relatively new Pittsburgh businesses on Tuesday at the White... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-09-2015 Pittsburgh balancing pedestrians, industries in reshaping riverfronts Tom Bryan does not believe his family's company has been left out of Pittsburgh's riverfront rebirth. It's been part of it. The South Side company poured concrete for ambitious developments along the rivers, including streets surrounding Heinz Field and PNC Park, Rivers... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-09-2015 Former officer in central Pennsylvania pleads guilty in motorist's death WILLIAMSPORT — A former police officer in central Pennsylvania pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter stemming from a car crash that killed another motorist in 2014... - AP
08-09-2015 Yellow Cab's Yellow-Z tries to keep up with competition Yellow-Z, Yellow Cab's smartphone app-based car service, soon could charge customers surge prices to keep up with competitors Uber and Lyft. An application Pittsburgh Transportation Group filed with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission seeks to charge Yellow-Z riders more during... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-09-2015 Shale boom propels propane-powered trucks from dream to reality By Bloomberg News For almost 80 years, Blue Star Gas distributed propane throughout the West Coast on trucks mostly powered by gasoline. Now the company is working to convert its 55 vehicles to run on the same stuff they deliver. They won't be alone. United Parcel Service already has more than a thousand... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-09-2015 Backing bike lanes Regarding Eric Heyl's column “Heyl: Bicyclists get all the love in a city that still prefers 4 wheels” : By using Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens as an example of where bike lanes impact automobiles, readers might erroneously conclude that Phipps shares his negative opinion... - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
08-09-2015 Carmakers scramble to keep hackers from becoming hijackers DETROIT — When researchers at two West Coast universities took control of a General Motors car through cellular and Bluetooth connections in 2010, they startled the auto industry by exposing a glaring security gap... - AP
08-09-2015 PATCO parking limited, but worries aren't. The narrow gravel road in front of Mary Harmon's Cherry Hill home is secluded by woods and accessible only through a street that greets drivers with a "Dead End" sign. There's just one problem. Just past those trees is the PATCO Woodcrest station, one of three stations... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-09-2015 Closing suburban streets for pope puts residents on edge On the picturesque streets surrounding Periwinkle Lane in Lower Merion, summer typically follows a pleasant suburban script: Children splash in backyard pools, families take their dogs on neighborhood strolls down quiet streets. But residents are preparing for the bubble to burst in late September, when... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-09-2015 Airlines still not ready to invest in direct Asia Pacific flight from Philadelphia Philadelphia has long wanted a direct flight to the Asia Pacific region. A survey of business
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
travelers here in 2012 found the top desired international business destinations were Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing and Mumbai, India. Philadelphia already has a lot of international service to Europe, Mexico,... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-09-2015 Navigating Hershey trail while hangry: Bike Central Pa. Bring a map. And do look closely at said map before setting out on this bike ride. Because on the day I brought my little sister and a friend to the Jonathan Eshenour Memorial Trail, I was so sure it was a 10-mile loop. It wasn't. The linear Derry Township trail goes roughly 10 miles from its... -Harrisburg Patriot-News
08-09-2015 Pennsylvania trail system named a model system by International Mountain Bicycling Association The Greater Reading Trails System in Berks County has been named a Ride Center by the International Mountain Bicycling Association. A Ride Center designation represents IMBA's Model Trail recognition for large-scale mountain bike facilities that offer something for every rider.... - Harrisburg Patriot-News
08-09-2015 Letter to the editor: Bicyclists should adhere to laws I agreed with Joe Mogus’ letter (CDT, Aug. 5), but Axemann Road isn’t the only unsafe road for bicyclists to ride on. Plus they ride on snowy and slushy roads in the winter. They ride side by side so one of them is in the lane of traffic. Is that safe? I was under the understanding that it is illegal for bicyclists to ride... - State College Centre Daily Times
08-09-2015 Aviation appreciation: Planes of all shapes and sizes attend airport event BENNER TOWNSHIP — Flying a plane gives Lee Gilbert a different kind of perspective. After all, the pilot is able to see the world from above. On Saturday, Lee showcased his 1951 L21 Army plane acquired in the 1980s, and allowed guests to tour his craft. The plane show Lee participated in was one of numerous activities on... - State College Centre Daily Times
08-09-2015 Musikfest, Uber pair up Don't want to deal with finding a parking space for Musikfest? Fill your mug up too much during a concert? Uber can give you a lift. The ride-booking service has teamed up with ArtsQuest, the nonprofit that runs Musikfest, according to a news release. If new users download the Uber app on their phones and use promo code... - Allentown Morning Call
08-09-2015 Another side to 'brain drain' Lament about “brain drain,” the flight of young educated people from the region, has existed for decades. So, there was scant surprise when a recent poll conducted by the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development concluded that just 27 percent of college students in Northeast Pennsylvania plan to seek work here after... - Scranton Times
08-09-2015 Two bridges installed to improve rail trail CLIFFORD TWP. — Beneath a canopy of green trees and above a babbling stream, the Rail-Trail Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania celebrated its latest achievement in creating an accessible and attractive multipurpose trail for the region. “Today we get to celebrate some very well-constructed bridges, but... - Scranton Times
08-09-2015 Deficient bridges: How Erie region is affected by state's push to address safety ERIE, Pa. -- Luke Weldon crosses the Sanford Road bridge over Interstate 90 in Springfield Township as many as 20 times a day during harvest time. Weldon, 29, farms 500 acres of family land. About 200 acres are south of the bridge and 300 are north of it. But the scheduled demolition of the Sanford Road bridge, in 2016, will... - Erie Times-News
08-09-2015 Why 8 locally-owned bridges in Erie region are closed ERIE, Pa. -- Dozens of local bridges are deteriorating. Mostly owned and maintained by
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
municipalities, 43 of the 113 local bridges in Erie County -- 38 percent -- are rated as structurally deficient by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, meaning that their decks or... - Erie Times-News
08-09-2015 Expressway interchange named to honor fallen Marine Editor’s note: This story was updated to clarify family relationships. Shirley Matty has a lot of sweet memories of her son, Tom. But the jelly stains really stick out. “Jim was always the paper boy,” she said of another son, who got brotherly assistance on his morning deliveries. “Tom always had to have... -Washington Observer-Reporter
08-09-2015 California Effort to Issue Driver’s Licenses to Immigrants Receives Surge of Applicants LOS ANGELES — When Alberto Fraire drives past a police car these days, he no longer worries about steep fines, or perhaps being hauled to jail and tangling with the immigration system. When California began issuing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants this year, he was one of... - New York Times
08-09-2015 Regulators Should Develop Rules to Protect Cars From Hackers The recent revelation that hackers have found ways to remotely take control of cars made by Fiat Chrysler and Tesla is alarming. This is a danger that most drivers had not even imagined. And it comes on the heels of the recalls of millions of cars for dangerous defects.... - New York Times
08-09-2015 Red-light-camera debate focused on money When Columbus city officials began discussing expansion of the city’s red-light-camera program in 2008, Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s chief of staff didn’t ask how they could improve safety — he asked how much money the city would make. Columbus, like other cities across the state, was stuck in the Great... -Columbus Dispatch
08-07-2015 CCAP Legislative Bulletin - Number 16, August 7, 2015 (Press Release)
08-07-2015 Kane Indictment and Roads and Bridges, on Pennsylvania Newsmakers (Press Release)
08-07-2015 FirstEnergy Announces Corporate Executive Promotions (Press Release)
08-07-2015 Holly Petraeus to Lead Town Hall Meeting at August 22 'Making $ense of... (Press Release)
08-07-2015 Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. Reports Operating And Financial Results For The... (Press Release)
08-07-2015 Businesses seek alternatives to traditional company car Anthony Stewart of Allentown-based Deco Resources said his company needed a car for business purposes, but only part of the time. “We do about 180 field days a year, where we’re running around town collecting water samples from different businesses,” he said. Deco... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-07-2015 Yellow Cab's Z ride-sharing app seeks to implement surge pricing Yellow Cab Co. of Pittsburgh is seeking a change to the tariff for its Yellow Z ride-sharing app that would allow it to implement surge pricing during times of high demand. The request comes despite earlier remarks by company president Jamie Campolongo that the goal of the Lyft and Uber... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
08-07-2015 PennDOT grant to support DUI checkpoints in Westmoreland County Drivers in the central and southern parts of Westmoreland County can expect to encounter roving DUI checkpoints beginning in October. Latrobe has received word it will get a $35,000 PennDOT grant to coordinate the DUI checkpoints with nine participating communities.... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08-07-2015 Massive screening for papal bridge pedestrians Police will face a massive task in screening the 100,000 pedestrians a day expected to cross the Ben Franklin Bridge from New Jersey to see the pope in Philadelphia next month. If 100,000 people are screened, that would be four times as many people as are screened at Philadelphia International Airport on an average day.... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-07-2015 Traffic flow expected to improve in Delco DELAWARE COUNTY Traffic flow expected to improve on 202 CONCORD TWP. Starting in the fall, residents of Concord and Chadds Ford Townships can expect better traffic flow at nine intersections along Route 202, thanks to a grant obtained by Concord. The $432,000 project, which will begin this month, is to install video... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-07-2015 Traffic woes on Route 22/322 and 11/15 will continue next summer Next summer's closure of Route 11/15 south of Marysville to stabilize a 250-foot rock wall is something drivers, truckers and business owners are already dreading. Recent crashes on Route 22/322 have shown drivers what happens when that road is shut down, even with Route 11/15 now open during the Duncannon... - Harrisburg Patriot-News
08-07-2015 PennDOT plans improvements to Warner Boulevard for College, Harris townships COLLEGE TOWNSHIP — A PennDOT road project is expected to bring traffic calming effects and new pedestrian access to a boulevard that crosses from Harris Township into College Township. The project involves both resurfacing and road reconstruction along Warner... - State College Centre Daily Times
08-07-2015 Luzerne County employee charged with drunken driving WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County Domestic Relations employee allegedly had a blood alcohol level more than three times above the legal limit after he crashed a vehicle at North River and Chestnut streets last month, city police said Friday. Police charged Eugene Duffy, 53, of West Hazleton, with driving under the... - Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
08-07-2015 Today's Editorial: Dentist visits are inevitable It’s kind of like going to the dentist — you know, when the doctor says they need to get in there, drill a bunch of bad stuff out and rebuild that tooth so it lasts many more years. You cringe at the thought, maybe ask if there is an easier patchwork solution or consider just leaving it alone. But eventually, you realize... - Sunbury Daily Item
08-07-2015 Letter to the editor from Aug. 7, 2015 Joseph P. Hilko Hermitage I want to comment on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and its obvious waste of the highest gasoline tax dollars. First, in dealing with winter driving and the over-salting of roads, when the trucks are out when there is a rime frost and they salt every inch of the roads until they turn... - Sharon Herald
08-07-2015 Casey calls for more funding for railroad bridges HARRISBURG – The federal government must step up oversight of railroad bridges as hundreds of trains carrying explosive crude oil from the Bakken region of North Dakota cross the state each week, said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. Casey, a Democrat and the state’s senior senator, has repeatedly... -Sharon Herald
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
08-07-2015 Among the States, Self-Driving Cars Have Ignited a Gold Rush Whether it is fuel savings, safer commutes or freed-up time behind the wheel, drivers have many reasons to embrace self-driving cars. But another group is just as eager to see these vehicles on the road: politicians. Lawmakers from California, Texas and Virginia are wooing the autonomous car... - New York Times
08-07-2015 Electronic tolling? Okay. But not electronic policing of carpoolers. Dear Dr. Gridlock: I frequently drive out to see my mother, who lives near Fair Oaks Mall, and my two children enjoy visiting their grandmother. Robert Thomson is The Washington Post’s “Dr. Gridlock.” He answers travelers’ questions, listens to their complaints and shares... - Washington Post
08-07-2015 N.J. reality: Commuters really do have it rough | Editorial Pity the poor commuter. In some sections of Monmouth and Mercer counties, more than 15 percent of workers spend more than three hours a day shlepping back and forth from the workplace. That's one-sixth of the average person's daily waking hours – a huge chunk of change in our time-challenged lives.... -Trenton Times
08-07-2015 Defect causing PATCO trains to stop suddenly CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) - Officials at the Philadelphia-area PATCO commuter rail line say they have found a part defect that is causing trains to stop suddenly... - AP
08-07-2015 PPA Not Offering Enforcement Break For Papal Visit Just Yet PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Now that Mayor Nutter and other officials have mapped out that three square mile perimeter called the “green zone” for the Pope’s visit next month, what are your parking options? Should you move your vehicle? For those inside the perimeter who might feel pangs of claustrophobia, the... - KYW News Radio 1060
08-07-2015 PATCO Plans Unchanged For Papal Visit CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) — Seven weeks before Pope Francis’s arrival in Philadelphia. We now know part of the game plan for securing center city. How does that affect your mass transit options? On the PATCO high-speed line in South Jersey, you will need a Freedom card or a pre-purchased pass... - KYW News Radio 1060
08-07-2015 Police plan DUI checkpoint in Carroll County Police will conduct sobriety checkpoints in Carroll County on Saturday, according to a news release from the Carroll County Police Department. The Maryland State Police, Westminster Police, Hampstead Police, Sykesville Police and Taneytown Police departments will conduct a sobriety checkpoint... - Hanover Evening Sun
08-07-2015 Pa. vehicle registration stickers might make a comeback State lawmakers are backtracking on a law that eliminates state-issued registration stickers on vehicles. Under Act 89 of 2013, better known as the Transportation Act, the state Department of Transportation would no longer have to issue the stickers. But some police officials say it would make their jobs more difficult if... - York Dispatch
08-07-2015 SEPTA papal passes for sale on Craigslist, eBay Some lottery entrants who won SEPTA Regional Rail passes for the September papal visit are already trying to sell their tickets online. Listings for passes have begun popping up on Craigslist and eBay, with most of the sellers seeking between $30 and $50 per ticket.... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-07-2015 Few railroads likely to meet deadline for installing safety technology that could've prevented Philly Amtrak crash WASHINGTON — Only a handful of railroads are close to meeting a deadline this year to install
August 14, 2015
PLS’s Transportation Recap – Copyright 2015 – Pennsylvania Legislative Services – www.mypls.com
safety technology that can prevent many crashes, including derailments due to excessive speed like the deadly Amtrak crash in Philadelphia in May, according to a government report... - AP
08-07-2015 Lottery set for SEPTA trolley, Norristown HSL papal passes SEPTA will hold another one-day lottery next week for passengers who want to buy tickets for the Norristown High Speed Line or trolley routes 101 and 102 during the September papal visit. The lottery will open at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday and run through 11:59 p.m.... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-07-2015 PATCO resumes, NJ Turnpike reopens after gas main break A gas main break disrupted PATCO and N.J. Transit train service and prompted officials to briefly close the New Jersey Turnpike between Exits 3 and 4. Authorities said at about 1:15 p.m. Friday that service was resuming and roads were reopening. PATCO service had been suspended east of Woodcrest due to the main break.... - Philadelphia Inquirer
08-07-2015 Court: Philly anti-discrimination law doesn't apply to SEPTA PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Pennsylvania appeals court says the agency that runs Philadelphia's subways, buses and commuter rail isn't subject to the city's ordinance banning gender discrimination.... - AP