LEWISTOWN - A concept known as the Smart Transportation Initiative was the primary focus of a presentation made during the Mifflin County Planning Commission's Annual Dinner on Thursday evening.
Juniata County resident James Ritzman, the deputy secretary for planning with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, was the featured speaker for the event. Ritzman also directs the activities associated with the Center for Program Development and Management, the Bureau of Municipal Services and the Bureau of Planning and Research.
Ritzman said the Smart Transportation Initiative focuses on investing financially in the most needed transportation areas, such as paving maintenance, priority network areas and structurally deficient bridges.
"We want to make sure that what we are doing is making sense ... instead of throwing money at something that then limits our other projects," Ritzman said.
In an effort to advance smart transportation principles, Ritzman said, PennDOT offered $60 million to be distributed during a two-year period to metropolitan and rural planning organizations with scheduled projects that support smart transportation ideas.
"We received 400 applications asking for more than $600 million in funding," Ritzman said, adding that no projects were selected officially, but he expects decisions to be made in April.
Ritzman said Pennsylvania currently faces many transportation challenges, including a multitude of structurally deficient bridges and poorly paved roadways. Ritzman said 17 percent of all state roads are classified as in poor-condition.
In Mifflin County, 10 percent of the state roads are in poor condition, while 28 percent are rated in excellent condition, Ritzman said. Officials arrive at these percentages based on an International Roughness Index, which essentially measures how rough the ride is along a particular roadway.
Ritzman also spoke of the Accelerated Bridge Program, which he says is still a long way from completion.
"It probably will never be done until there is a change in how the Department of Transportation is funded," he said. "It (repairing bridges) is a tremendous need."
Ritzman said the Department of Transportation spent $300 million in 2003 to repair structurally deficient bridges, and in 2008 that amount increased to more than $1 billion. He said more than 23 percent of state-owned bridges in Pennsylvania are classified as structurally deficient, with 47 of those bridges located in Mifflin County.
Additionally, Ritzman discussed PennDOT's plan of action for dispersing monies received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"We want to make sure we have resources to get Pennsylvanian's to work," Ritzman said of using recovery money for projects that will hopefully produce more job opportunities in the state.
He said PennDOT is slated to receive more than $1 billion designated for highways and bridges. Ritzman also said PennDOT is aware of the "use-it-or-lose-it concept" often associated with federal funding.
"We have a process in place that if another state falters ... we will be in a position that if there are crumbs on the table, we will be ready to receive them," he said.
Ritzman also said that some recovery money will be given to SEDA Council of Governments to distribute to local municipalities.
"If you have a structurally deficient bridge, I would make that known (to) SEDA Council of Governments," he said.
PennDOT aims to focus recovery money on projects that can be completed quickly due to federally mandated time restrictions, Ritzman said. For example, 50 percent of all recovery money received must be obligated within 150 days, and the other half obligated within a year, he said.
More information about PennDOT's Smart Transportation Initiative can be found online at www.smart_transportation.com.
