(The Center Square) – As the public response window for PennDOT’s biennial transportation survey closes, state and local officials hope future spending plans go beyond crumbling highways.
“What works for one doesn’t always work for others, so it is important to find a balance,” said Rep. Ed Neilson, D-Philadelphia, in an email to The Center Square. “And the only way to do that is to go out and see things firsthand, speak with those elected throughout the state and learn about their neighborhoods.”
Residents have until the end of April to complete the survey, which helps the agency update its 12-year program – a comprehensive list of statewide planning projects for local roads, mass transit, and pedestrian and bike access. Acting Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll said the feedback is “critical” for helping PennDOT prioritize improvements.
“Transportation needs to work for everyone, no matter who they are, no matter where they live and no matter how they travel,” he said.
Local transportation activists agree.
“We need to design for all ages and abilities,” said Matthew Byers, an activist with Bike Camp Hill in Cumberland County.
Pennsylvania is currently confronting the challenges of an aging population, and for most, old age comes with a significant decrease in independent mobility. The isolation, Byers said, compounds the issue.
“We’re all going to be there someday,” he said. “It’s not going to be healthy.”
Celia Zizzi, an advocate with Central Pennsylvanians for Mass Transit, envisions a future where residents can travel with greater ease between and within their regions.
“It’s about making more connectivity in our communities rather than these isolated islands,” she said.
Although the PennDOT’s survey may be a good starting point, Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Steven B. Deck said there’s no substitute for local involvement.
“PennDOT’s role is more along the lines of using the available funds to make projects happen through engineering and construction, not so much in the planning necessary to identify and address short and long-term needs,” he said.
Instead, he recommends concerned residents go directly to their municipalities and local planning commissions.
Several regional planning commissions have also opted into Climate Pollution Reduction Grants through the federal government, which could provide planning support for climate-friendly transportation solutions outside the daunting scope of PennDOT’s highway pain points.
