PennDOT's Route 41 Project Jeopardizes Turnpike Revenues and Budget

Unfortunately, paying for the reconstruction of the Turnpike has been difficult:

Act 61 has had a profound impact on PTC finances. Outstanding debt rose from $65 million in 1986 to $1.2 billion in 1996. In 1996 PTC debt service costs totaled $96 million, or about 28 cents of each toll dollar collected. This compares to a debt service share of 5.5 cents per toll dollar in 1986. In short, the PA Turnpike is the oldest toll road in the Nation and has growing infrastructure needs ranging from total roadway reconstruction to interchange expansions and upgraded fare collection systems. The financial and resource demands posed by Act 61 implementation appear to threaten the Turnpike's ability to continue to adequately maintain the Mainline.

The Turnpike Commission's capital shortage is compounded by a decline in truck toll revenue. Trucks generate 47% of the Turnpike's annual toll revenue, which translates into $163,560,000 annually. According to the latest data compiled by the Turnpike Commission, truck usage of the Turnpike is down 2.1% for the year to date. This translates into a loss of annual revenue to the Turnpike of $3,434,760.

Today, the Turnpike Commission actively markets the Turnpike as a cost-effective, convenient alternative for trucks:

...the best way for commercial vehicles to travel Pennsylvania with easy access to all major Pennsylvania markets and Pennsylvania's Interstate highway system. The Turnpike's commercial credit card program makes Turnpike travel easier for both the drivers and the company. Each day thousands of commercial vehicles utilize Turnpike credit cards to pay tolls without cash. The Turnpike Commission's Commercial Credit Card Program provides reports of toll charges, and carriers can earn toll discounts of up to 20%.

Finally, to identify ways to encourage more trucks to use the Turnpike, the Turnpike Commission has commissioned an $800,000 study to examine the feasibility of providing lower rates to trucks using the Turnpike during off-peak hours. The study is examining several options to be presented by the end of 2002. The goal is to increase truck use, thereby easing traffic congestion and safety on secondary roads in areas heavily used by trucks.

The Turnpike is a Reasonable Alternative Route for Through-Bound Trucks

There is also no question that the Pennsylvania Turnpike and larger highways such as Interstate 95, Route 202, Route 476 (Blue Route) are better alternatives for trucks traveling between the Port of Wilmington and Harrisburg and points West.

The Turnpike is a Safer Route For Trucks

The Turnpike is capable of handling the through-trip truck traffic on Route 41 at a reasonable level of safety and service. The crash rate of tractor trailers traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is half of that for tractor trailers traveling on non-Turnpike roads across the state. Moreover, the fatal crash rate on the Turnpike is one-third of that for non-Turnpike roads. See, Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, State Government Efforts to Reduce Crashes Involving Large Trucks on Pennsylvania Highways, July 2000, at 101.

Accordingly, there is no question that the Turnpike affords a far safer route. In fact, the Turnpike was originally designed to accommodate large trucks, as described by an Engineer for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in 1941:

The advantages of a modern express highway in relation to bus and truck operation may not be too well understood. These highways will, in general, be constructed to higher design standards than is customary on ordinary highways. Outstanding features include the separation of highway and railway grades, thus eliminating all stops not required for fuel, two full lanes of pavement in each direction separated by a medial safety zone, easy grades, sweeping curves, and adequate shoulders. On a highway of this type where stops will be unnecessary except for fuel, it will be possible to obtain a high average speed in comparison with the top speed. The reduced time in covering a given distance between two points can be utilized by many types of truck operations to hold the good will of the shipper and thus retain present business, but more important it will result in the trucker or bus operator obtaining new business in greater volume. The grade separation feature will permit operators to schedule trips on an economical basis suited to their particular businesses and the characteristics of the motive power being operated and to be certain that the schedules will be met during reasonable weather conditions. This will assure the shipper of "on-time" deliveries, which will be a powerful factor in retaining present and obtaining new business. The uncertainties in traffic, congestion and delays on the present highways makes the guarantee of "on-time" deliveries uncertain, and the trucker usually has to make a liberal allowance when working out schedules. This increases assured delivery time to the worst average driving time in order to "sell" the customer on the dependability of shipping by truck. Therefore, the consistency in operating conditions, freedom from stops, and traffic congestion on a modern express highway will be of estimable benefit to the trucker and bus operator in obtaining and holding business. An interesting comparison may be made between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and a closely paralleling main State route where, between common points, there are 939 road and street intersections, 25 stop lights and 11 railway grade crossings, while on the Turnpike there is none. The provision of two full lanes in each direction will prove of great benefit in permitting continuous operation at a selected optimum speed inasmuch as it will be unnecessary to wait in line for a favorable opportunity to pass slower moving vehicles and momentum on upgrades will not be lost. This, together with grade separation, will enable close delivery schedules to be worked out. Express highways undoubtedly will be constructed with easier grades than is customary on ordinary highways and this will effect operating savings in fuel and oil. Lower-powered trucks may be utilized for the same payload or increased payloads may be handled with present motive power as compared with existing highways. In territories where the grade differentials are large, additional savings will be available in the item of wear and tear, such as lessened tire and brake wear, reduction of strain on engine and transmission. The provision of easy curves, divided roadways, grade separation and moderate grades will permit faster time schedules and quicker deliveries with less accident hazard than is experienced on present-day highways. This will increase dependability of service as well as lower insurance rates.

The Turnpike has Comparable Travel Time to Harrisburg and Points West

Travel times from Wilmington to Harrisburg on the Pennsylvania Turnpike are the same or shorter than on Route 41. According to a 1998 DVRPC travel time analysis, travel times from Wilmington to Harrisburg over the two primary routes available to truck traffic, DE 41/PA 41/US 30/PA 283 and I-295/I-95/US 202/PA 100/PA Turnpike, differed by only a few minutes. DVRPC's study found that trucks taking the PA 41 route saved only about 12 minutes during the morning peak travel time and 6 minutes during the afternoon peak travel time. Moreover, this travel time analysis was conducted before the Turnpike Commission implemented EZ Pass this past year and other roadway improvements that substantially reduced travel times for trucks.

And, the travel times on US 202 will only improve, as PennDOT moves forward with plans to expand Section 100 to six lanes as part of an overall investment of $650 million to expand capacity on Sections 100-400. See Chester County Planning Commission, Transportation News U.S. Route 202 in Chester County. The Section 100 expansion involves adding one lane in each direction to achieve three travel lanes in each direction and to construct grade separated intersections at Routes 1 and 926, and at Matlack Street. Ring roads will be constructed at each of these intersections to handle the construction congestion and then the ring roads will be left in place to handle additional traffic volume.

PennDOT's own South Central Centre County Transportation Study has also concluded that the high volume of through-bound large trucks on Route 322 originating on Route 41 could be taking the Pennsylvania Turnpike but choose not to because of the toll costs:

Based on the origin and destination of most trucks, they are seeking an east/west route through the state. The PA Turnpike and I-80 offer an east/west route. North/south routes which intersect the PA Turnpike and I-80 are U.S. 322 and U.S. 11/15. We have heard from trucking companies that distance is a factor in determining one route over another. A longer trip equates to additional costs. For example, the trip from Harrisburg to the same interchange on I-80 using 11/15 is 40 miles longer than using U.S. 322. Another option is to use the PA Turnpike. However, the toll cost per truck is a deterrent. Therefore, trucking companies have chosen to use the routes, which fit their travel desires and do not introduce additional operating costs.

It is clear that a large number of tractor trailers are taking the rural two lane roads to avoid paying tolls on the Turnpike. It is equally clear that restricting through-bound tractor trailers from Route 41 would improve safety and congestion problems on US Routes 30 and 322, and thereby eliminate the need for a billion dollar subsidy to the trucking industry.