PennDOT Sec: Gas Tax Hike Not Being Considered

The head of a panel designed to find ways to fund repairs to the state's roads and bridges says tolling could be the most reliable way to go.
PennDOT's Transportation Funding Advisory Commission will hear a presentation Monday on the possibility of tolling Route 422 in Montgomery, Chester and Berks Counties.
The 30-member commission set up by Governor Tom Corbett looks for ways to pay for transportation improvements across the state.
PennDOT Secretary Barry Schoch says tolling would provide a steady stream of income, but can't be used on many busy highways...

“Tolling certainly is mileage-based. It doesn't matter whether your car is electric, fuel cell, or gasoline or diesel. It all gets charged the same way. So that's a possibility in the future, but there are federal laws that restrict that, especially on our interstate systems, so unless they change that won't be a part of the immediate future.”

Schoch says the commission is examining tolls because other sources of funding, like gas taxes, are shrinking...

“If you owned a car in the 1970s chances are it got less than 15 miles-per-gallon. Today you probably get around 30 miles-per-gallon. So, you travel the same amount of miles per year, but you buy half as much gas as you did back in the 70s, and that's a large chunk of how we get our revenue to build the roads and bridges.”

Shoch says the commission is looking for plans that will generate two-and-a-half million dollars in recurring revenue over four or five years. He says the commission has been instructed not to look at increasing the gas tax. But if nothing is done to find more money, he says the department may have to close bridges and roadways as they fall into serious disrepair

Window Graphic to Tout Regatta Events

A massive downtown window mural will promote the Three Rivers Regatta this year.

The windows of the Wyndham Grand Hotel will sport a 110-foot graphic of fireworks, powerboats, and the Regatta logo.

Regatta spokesman Michael Dongilli says the mural will also advertise “Circus Orange,” a first-time performance for the Fourth of July weekend event.

“They do performances in North America, but not at the Regatta before, and not in Pittsburgh,” says Dongilli. “So, this will be a never-before-seen show here in this particular area. It’s a one-hour performance that sort of caps all three days of the event, starting at around 8:45, so you can take full advantage of the pyrotechnic effects that they integrate into their performance.”

Dongilli says the graphic will complement a large banner hanging at the Portal Bridge in Point State Park.

Palmer Products of Monroeville will install the colorful window mural over the next three days.

Sunny Skies Predicted for Regatta

The Three Rivers Regatta is back for a 33rd year with activities on the water, land and in the air. Regatta Chairman John Bonassi says the weekend long event promises to bring fun for all ages with speed boat races, aerial acrobatics, music, contests and of course fireworks.

The Red Bull Air Force will perform high in the sky as they attempt to perform world-class stunts. The traditional dragon-boat race and the “Anything That Floats” race might also seem slow in comparison with the Powerboat Superleague North American Championship that will be held Saturday and Sunday.

Music acts include country singer Craig Morgan and Get Back! The Cast of Beatlemania, as well as a number of other acts on stage at Point State Park.

All of the events are free.

For a full schedule, visit the Three Rivers Regatta website.

Regatta Promises Fun for the Fourth

It’s business as usual this year for the Three Rivers Regatta, as Pittsburgh’s official Independence Day celebration will bring music, fireworks and stunts to the city for the 33rd year in a row.

In addition to the customary speedboat races, this year’s event features the Red Bull Air Force’s aerial acrobatics show. Parachutist Miles Daisher says the RBAF will do what’s called “super swooping.”

“Which is diving our canopies at the ground, and we’ll build up speeds across the ground of up to 70 miles an hour. Usually we’re doing about 50 to 70 miles an hour when we come swooping in, and we’ll have smoke on our feet, skydivers’ smoke, when we’re coming in, so we’ll be easy to spot.”

Music acts visiting Pittsburgh for the July 3-4 regatta include country star Craig Morgan and the “GetBack! Cast of BEATLEMANIA” tribute band.

The Regatta will also host a bass fishing tournament, a Frisbee-catching dog show, dragon boat races, balloon artists, a pizza-eating contest and, of course, the ever-popular “Anything That Floats” competition. All programs are free of charge.

For a complete schedule of events, visit the Three Rivers Regatta website.