Guest speakers included Ken McClain, District 6 executive of PennDOT, and Stephanie Shanblatt, Bucks County Community College president
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
For any motorist who has audibly apologized to their car after slamming into a sudden, massive crater in the ground, it’s probably not surprising that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation received 3,200 email complaints about potholes…in March.
Throughout District 6, which covers the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia, maintaining infrastructure and roadways, and acquiring the necessary funding to do so, is a constant battle. So is finding enough skilled laborers to do the work.
In order to determine what steps are needed to improve conditions locally, state Rep. Perry Warren (D-Bucks) hosted a House Democratic Policy Committee public hearing on Monday, April 1 at Bucks County Community College, 275 Swamp Road, Newtown.
Warren, who was joined by legislators including Policy Committee Chairman Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster), requested the hearing to examine how investing in transportation improvement projects can enhance public safety and boost the economy, all while creating more jobs.
“Southeast Pennsylvania roads are among the most heavily traveled in the state,” Warren said. “I’ve received a lot of feedback from concerned residents about the safety and conditions of our roads.”
The Policy Committee first heard testimony from Ken McClain, District 6 executive of PennDOT, and Charles Duncan, director of legislative affairs of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
McClain shared that District 6 is responsible for 3,553 miles of state highway; 2,769 bridges; and 92 miles of interstate highway. It’s also home to 33 percent of the state’s population, and nearly 50 percent of the state’s traffic signals.
“Testimony from my counterparts to this Committee have warned that the commonwealth was operating on a $3.5 billion gap between identified transportation infrastructure needs and the current funding allocation,” he said. “In a 2011 report by the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission, transportation infrastructure needs in 2010 were $8.3 billion. While $8.3 billion was needed to properly maintain and address our transportation network, only $4.8 billion was being invested in transportation. In 2019, that problem has only grown.”
Though McClain said infrastructure needs in District 6 significantly outweigh the financial resources available to meet them, PennDOT is working to carefully utilize the funds it has. Currently, there are 130 transportation improvement projects under construction in the region worth $2.5 billion, including the $97.3 million widening of U.S. 1 in Bensalem.
“Improvements are steadily being made, but challenges remain,” he said, adding that when one road or bridge is repaired, three more will transition into “Poor Condition.”
In 2019, PennDOT has plans to resurface more than 285 miles, including more than 60 in Bucks County, which is critical after the damaging winter months. Also this year, $2.5 million has been spent to place 3,115 tons of patching material, including 1,054 tons in Bucks County.
In addition to the uphill pothole battle, McClain touched on another — litter and debris along roadsides. In 2018, $5.2 million was spent to remove litter in the region, a dollar amount he said could have been used to resurface 26 miles of poor pavement.
“Typically, within two weeks of completing a litter pickup operation, travelers cannot even tell our crews just cleaned the area,” he said.
The Policy Committee then heard from a second panel, which consisted of Stephanie Shanblatt, Ph.D., president of Bucks County Community College, and Joe Coccio, secretary treasurer of the Transport Workers Union Local 234.
Shanblatt shed light on funding issues the school is experiencing. While a math or English class is exceedingly affordable to run, a workforce training program is not.
Still, it’s these welding and metalworking classes that will help fill the void of skilled individuals needed by organizations such as PennDOT. According to Shanblatt, most young adults don’t know how to use certain tools, and many are unsure how to read a ruler. They need education, but without proper funding, it’s not possible for BCCC to provide it.
“We have to collectively decide that this is an important investment in the future of the commonwealth,” she said, explaining how these courses not only teach students hands-on skills, but soft skills such as teamwork and communication.
Coccio shared a similar sentiment.
“The schools aren’t preparing them the way they used to be,” he said, explaining how many people who come to the union cannot pass a basic skills test. “Somewhere, there’s been some misstep.”
The discussion also touched on the workforce of the future, and how workers must adapt to the inevitable advances coming to the transportation industry, including autonomous vehicles.
“A truck driver going into the business now might still have his job by the time he’s ready to retire, but I doubt it. And the question is, how do you transition these workers?” said Sturla, mentioning how he hopes unions can build paid training on new technology into contracts. “If you don’t plan on a life of learning until you die, or until you retire, you will most likely become obsolete in your job at some point in time because technology will most likely move past you.”
The Policy Committee will take the information gathered during the hearing, and work with Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration to see how it can impact the state.
“Ultimately, we want safe roads and bridges for Pennsylvanians and those who travel through out great state,” said Sturla. “We want businesses to set up shop here, and if they see Pennsylvania as a place where they can reliably transport goods through and their employees can get to and from work without major barriers, it will be a big draw.” ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at [email protected]
