CCEDC Stands Against Proposed Bridge Tolls; Launches Survey to Voice Business Opposition
Clarion, PA – The Clarion County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) stands in strong opposition to the proposed bridge toll on the Canoe Creek Bridges on Interstate 80. The proposed bridge toll will act as an immediate financial deterrent to do business in Northwestern PA, steepening the grade of an already uphill battle for our local businesses to compete. According to PennDOT, “The Major Bridge P3 Initiative is designed to raise revenue through tolling to address the state’s growing backlog of major bridge replacement and rehabilitation needs.” Jarred Heuer, Economic Development Specialist for the CCEDC states, “Revenue streams, such as the PA gas tax, are already in place to fund repairs and rehabilitation of PA’s transportation system. If those revenue streams have failed, taxpayers, local or otherwise, should not be prioritized to foot the bill.”
Interstate-80 remains an economic lifeline for Clarion County and its neighbors. Trends in America’s workforce have shifted away from trucking and manufacturing. Despite these shifts, the Clarion County business community fights to keep manufacturing workers employed and its factories up and running. More so, our county is a one-day truck drive of more than 153 million people, halfway between Chicago and New York City. Bridge tolls will severely undercut this advantage Northwestern PA offers to businesses, leading prospecting companies to possibly look beyond Pennsylvania.
“Pennsylvanians deserve better,” Heuer stated. “One of the lessons learned from 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic is America’s reliance on its transportation system and independent truckers. Essential workers like American truckers deserve safe roadways but should not be largely responsible for paying the price to maintain our Commonwealth’s roads, bridges, and tunnels.”
CCEDC Asks for Input from Business Community
If Pennsylvania wants to position itself as one of America’s best places to do business, the CCEDC urges local, state, and federal legislators to consider the seen and unforeseen consequences of such a toll. To shed light on these potential consequences, the CCEDC has launched a short survey. This survey is intended for business owners to add their voice and share their perspective on how the proposed bridge tolls will affect their business. CCEDC President, Jason Hansford, states, “The CCEDC is opposed to the I-80 tolling. We would appreciate input from the local businesses as we continue to work through this significant concern for our region.” The survey can be found on our website, www.ClarionCountyEDC.com. We urge businesses of all sizes to respond.
The Clarion County Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit organization in Clarion County, Pennsylvania. We support the local economy by attracting wealth-generating companies to the region and by connecting local businesses with resources they need to grow and thrive.