Hoeffel: User fees needed to help fix roads and bridges

With less than four weeks to go before the Pennsylvania gubernatorial primary. Democratic candidate Joe Hoeffel was in Philadelphia today to explain how he would generate more revenue to improve the state’s roads and bridges.

By Meggan Kole

With less than eight weeks to go before the Pennsylvania gubernatorial primary. Democratic candidate Joe Hoeffel was in Philadelphia today to explain how he would generate more revenue to improve the state’s roads and bridges.

The Montgomery County Commission told a small crowd in West Philadelphia that Penndot is $2 billion short of what it needs.

The result is things go unrepaired. Hoeffel held his news conference near a closed bridge at 40th and Pennsgrove street that that has been on on the agency’s to do list for the past four years.

Hoeffel’s says, if elected, he would adopt a user fee approach to help generate more funds.

A few of things he wants includes raising the gas tax and tolling some users of Interstate 80.

We would be collecting toll from the trucking industry that crosses the state and through ware and tear causes they state to have to put a lot of money into that road which the state doesn’t have. We’ve got to make sure the trucking industry pays its fair share.

His plan would let drivers use I-80 up to 100 miles before they would be charged a toll fee. Hoeffel says tolling I-80 alone would raise 450-million dollars.

Joe Hoeffel faces, Democrats Dan Onorato, Jack Wagner, and Anthony Williams in the May 18th Democratic Primary.  Tom Corbett and Sam Rohrer are seeking the Republican nomination.