HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania municipalities will receive nearly $460.8 million in state transportation funding to maintain local roads and bridges, with the money aimed at helping communities pay for repairs, paving, and winter maintenance.
What This Means for You
- Local governments across Pennsylvania are receiving nearly $460.8 million to maintain roads and bridges.
- The funding helps municipalities cover costs such as road repaving and snow removal.
- The money comes from the state’s gas tax through the liquid fuels program.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that the funds are being distributed to municipalities through the state’s liquid fuels program, which uses gas tax revenue to help local governments maintain transportation infrastructure.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said the funding allows local officials to address transportation needs specific to their communities.
“Each of the Commonwealth’s 2,500 municipalities has their own unique needs and challenges,” Carroll said. “Governor Shapiro’s commitment to keeping Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges safe and accessible is showing up where we need it most: in our communities where local officials can direct the funding for transportation needs.”
How the Funding Works
The liquid fuels program distributes state gas tax revenue directly to municipalities to help pay for transportation maintenance.
Eligible projects include road resurfacing, bridge repairs, snow removal, and other routine infrastructure upkeep.
Funding amounts are determined using a formula based on each municipality’s population and the number of miles of locally owned roads.
To qualify, a roadway must be formally adopted as a public street by the municipality, meet certain design requirements, and safely accommodate vehicles traveling at least 15 miles per hour.
Scope of Local Infrastructure
Pennsylvania has nearly 121,000 miles of public roads statewide.
Municipal governments maintain roughly 78,000 miles of those roads—about two-thirds of the state’s roadway network—as well as more than 6,600 bridges.
Local officials say the funding remains critical to maintaining those systems.
“Townships and local governments continue to maintain two-thirds of Pennsylvania’s road miles, and reliable liquid fuels funding remains essential to keeping those roads safe and well-maintained,” said David Sanko, executive director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors.
Sanko said changes in vehicle technology and fuel usage could affect future transportation funding.
“As the transportation landscape rapidly evolves, with electric vehicles, alternative fuels, and new technologies reshaping how we travel, the traditional revenue streams that support local infrastructure are not keeping pace,” he said.
Continued Investment in Transportation
State officials say Pennsylvania has invested heavily in transportation infrastructure in recent years.
Since 2023, the Shapiro administration has directed nearly $1.87 billion in liquid fuels funding to municipalities for road and bridge maintenance.
During that time, officials say more than 19,500 miles of roadway have been improved and work has advanced on 1,757 bridges across the state.
Chris Cap, executive director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, said the funding supports local transportation systems that are essential to communities and businesses.
“These liquid fuels allocations are an essential funding component for preserving this vast network of locally maintained roads, which are so vital to the continued economic viability of this Commonwealth,” Cap said.
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