FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matt Maisel, Director of Communications, City of Harrisburg
(717) 255-7295
HARRISBURG – Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams made this statement in support of the resolution passed by the Dauphin County Commissioners on Wednesday regarding their opposition to the PennDOT plan to toll the Interstate 83 South Bridge which crosses from Harrisburg into Cumberland County:
The proposed tolling of the Interstate 83 South Bridge in Harrisburg would be a mess for Harrisburg residents and people traveling through our region, and I stand alongside Dauphin County Commissioners Hartwick, Pries, and Saylor in voicing their opposition to it.
I am urging Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary Yasmin Gramian to find other methods and funding sources to fix the South Bridge. Our highway issues are very real, and we realize the importance of having strong, reliable bridges that will last for generations. However, the ripple effects of tolls will be felt deep in our community.
Our own infrastructure will suffer immensely. The South Bridge carries 125,000 cars and trucks every day. Thousands of those commuters will shift to using the Harvey Taylor and Market Street Bridges instead. In turn, our city streets will become traffic-logged parking lots, slowing traffic for our police and fire units. Further, the extra traffic on those bridges will lead to their own rapid deterioration. On top of all that, people here are struggling financially. Gas prices are the highest ever. I simply cannot support asking the people of Greater Harrisburg to add another unnecessary cost to their daily lives.
On Wednesday, Dauphin County Commissioners Mike Pries, George Hartwick, and Chad Saylor passed a resolution, alongside Dauphin County state lawmakers, voicing their opposition to the state’s plan to institute tolls along the bridge as a way to help pay for improvements. Mayor Williams joins their belief that Governor Wolf and Secretary Gramian can find different ways to pay for the project.
Additional questions can be addressed to Matt Maisel, City of Harrisburg Communications Director, at [email protected] or (717) 255-7295.
