SUNBURY — Federal funding for the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway project will not be released until at least 2009, state Department of Transportation officials said Thursday.
And until the money is approved, said Sandra Tosca, PennDOT’s district executive: “There will be no progress.”
The $300 million project is on hold until enough congressmen can be persuaded to vote for the project’s funding, Tosca said. In an election year such as 2008, congressional candidates are not willing to go to bat for such large projects, especially if sweeping political changes are expected, she said.
In addition to the 2009 highway bill, another way to attract sufficient funding would be if the project were designated an Appalachian Development Corridor, Tosca said. Route 15 north of Williamsport was such a corridor, and the work to upgrade that highway was spread out over several years.
The idea of the Appalachian designation has been discussed for months, but when U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-8, of Minnesota, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, visited the Valley last year, he suggested the money would have to be found elsewhere.
PennDOT has pursued rights-of-way for the proposed road and has conducted a number of studies, but can do little else until funding becomes available.
“There are 50 states competing for the same funds,” Tosca said. “It’s just an unknown. They need to build a strong coalition for reauthorization of the funds.”
The Thruway would include a bypass around the Routes 11-15 Golden Strip in Shamokin Dam and Hummels Wharf and a new bridge connecting Route 15 in Winfield to Route 147 north of Northumberland.
Monroe Marketplace construction
While traffic continues to be an issue on the Golden Strip, nighttime drivers on Routes 11-15 in eastern Snyder County will have to put up with construction in the area around the new Monroe Marketplace for most of the summer.
Much of the work is being done at night to reduce the effect on traffic, according to PennDOT officials who emphasized that the work is being paid for by Monroe Marketplace developers, and not by Pennsylvania taxpayers.
The first phase of the work, which is nearly complete, is widening the roadway on the southbound lanes.
When that work and an extension of a concrete arch culvert is completed, the five traffic lanes will be shifted toward the development site so that improvements can be made on the northbound lanes.
The third stage of the project involves construction of concrete islands in the center lane.
The final phase of the work, including paving, paint markings and new traffic signals, will take place late this summer, according to plans.
-- E-mail comments to wlaepple@dailyitem.com
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