HARRISBURG PA – Tolling highways like U.S. Route 422 between King of Prussia PA and Berks County “is not something that is going to happen immediately,” according to Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Barry Schoch, but he acknowledged Thursday (July 28, 2011) in an interview with The Pennsylvania Independent online news service that tolls represent “one of the possible solutions long term” for funding repairs to the state’s road system.

U.S. Route 422, as seen from Armand Hammer Boulevard in Lower Pottsgrove, looking west to the Route 724 interchange

Schoch made it clear the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission, which he heads and which was appointed several months ago by Gov. Tom Corbett, will not recommend new tolls when it submits its report to the governor today (Friday, July 29, 2011). “But the specter of tolls on state roads and interstates in the next decade is clearly present,” The Independent reported.

• Read a story by reporter Eric Boehm, titled “PennDOT Secretary: Tolling state roads a long-term solution” and published Thursday by The Independent, here.

The commission, charged with finding more than $2.5 billion annually for transportation infrastructure projects, will suggest the state House and Senate pass “enabling legislation” to provide the groundwork for tolls on state roads at a later time. The legislation would make it easier to toll roads.

A similar law has been advocated by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission during the past 18 months as it suggested tolls as a revenue source for 422 improvements.

The highway that passes through Limerick, Lower Pottsgrove and Pottstown on its way west to Reading and beyond is notorious for traffic congestion during peak morning and evening travel times, as commuters head to and from work.

Among the report’s official recommendations are to increase driver’s license and vehicle registration fees, allowing the state’s gasoline tax to rise, and changing how the state pays mass transit agencies. The Legislature and governor must approve those recommendations before they could take effect.

Related (to U.S. Route 422 Corridor planning):

• State Road Tolls A Future Funding Solution, Official Agrees
• Report Expected To Suggest Law For Road Toll Authority
• I-95 A Big Problem; 422 A Solvable Problem (With Tolls)
• Even With Tolling, 422 Might Be Free (For A Few Miles)
• County Candidates Brown, Castor Oppose 422 Tolling
• Quigley, Other Reps Questioning 422 Tolls Proposal
• 422 Toll Proposal Wins Some PA Commission Backers
• Exec Highway Group To Hear Rt. 422 Tolling As ‘Model’
• 422 Questions Answered, For Your Viewing Pleasure
• In 422 Tolling, Planners Say, Studying Doesn’t Make It So
• Former Reporter Asks Commissioners To Support 422 Tolls
• Online Survey Seeks Opinions On Local Road Congestion
• 422 Plus Project Plays Offense With FAQs Debut
• Peering Into The Future? Gov’s Bridge Proposal And 422
• Another Township Endorses 422 Master Plan
• Neighboring Limerick Supervisors Endorse 422 Master Plan
• Understand 422 Plan Endorsement, Lower Pottsgrove Advised
• Lower Pottsgrove Holds On 422 Plan Endorsement
• Engineers Claim PA Roads Worse Now Than In 2006
• Tuesday Session Tackles Funding For 422 And Elsewhere
• Tolls, Lower Pottsgrove Station Part Of 422 Plan
• Pending Decision May Affect Route 422 Projects
• Last Day For Your Say On Route 422 Plan
• Notebook Worthy (Aug. 24, 2009)
• Consultants Express Interest In Studying 422
• Don’t Like 422 Tolling? Website Wants Your Alternative
• Truckers Alerted On Highway Partnerships Bill
• In 422 Debate, Time A Hindrance And Help
• Notebook Worthy (June 29, 2009)
• Growth, Planners Say, Is 422’s Growing Problem
• Tech Used To Draw For 422 Meetings
• Route 422 Toll Meetings Next Week
• 422 Repairs, Delays Start Tuesday
• 422 Proposal, Like Traffic, Creeps Ahead
• Got A Route 422 Idea? Time To Air It
• Train Service On The Front Burner Once More