The Pennsylvania congressional delegation has written a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg, strongly advocating for federal infrastructure funding to replace the Interstate 83 John Harris Memorial Bridge, commonly known as the I-83 South Bridge, over the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg.
The letter emphasized that while the bridge is located in South Central Pennsylvania, its importance extends to all counties of the Commonwealth. As such, it is crucial for this one-billion-dollar project to receive federal assistance.
The I-83 South Bridge is a critical component of the Pennsylvania transportation network, providing vital connections to intermodal freight terminals, job opportunities, schools, and businesses both large and small. With more than 125,000 vehicles traveling over the bridge daily, it is imperative that it remains open and fully capable of handling high volumes of traffic.
However, PennDOT officials have reported that the sixty-year-old I-83 South Bridge is now in “poor condition” and at risk of having weight limits imposed. The deterioration has reached a point where the bridge must be replaced, not merely rehabilitated.
Following the striking down of a tolling plan by Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, the Commonwealth entered a public-private partnership to replace six bridges, but not the I-83 South Bridge. Consequently, the I-83 South Bridge remains the largest unfunded transportation project in Pennsylvania.
Cost estimates from PennDOT for replacing the bridge range from $1.1 to $1.3 billion. For context, over the five-year lifespan of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Pennsylvania will receive $1.6 billion in dedicated funding for repairing and replacing bridges. Without funding through federal discretionary grant programs, PennDOT will have to allocate formula funding towards the project, jeopardizing dozens of other projects across the Commonwealth.
The congressional delegation’s letter serves as a united front representing all corners of Pennsylvania, underscoring the statewide importance of this application. Not only will funding the I-83 South Bridge replacement project benefit Dauphin and Cumberland Counties, but it will also ensure that projects from Greene County to Wayne County receive funding and can progress.
The delegation stressed the necessity for the I-83 South Bridge to receive federal discretionary funding in order to maximize the historic investments from the IIJA. They expressed their gratitude for Secretary Buttigieg’s attention to this issue and look forward to working with his Department on this and other issues affecting Pennsylvania.
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