Pennsylvania DOT Faces Crisis

Nov. 30, 2020 – Pennsylvania’s DOT is on the verge of shutting down hundreds of projects and potentially putting thousands out of work, if it can’t get $600 million in emergency funding from the state legislature to make up for slumping gas tax revenue and a lack of federal assistance, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Yassmin Gramian said the department expects to lose $500 million to $600 million, mostly in gas tax losses from reduced driving during the pandemic. The agency will have to suspend “nearly our entire design and construction program” if it cannot borrow money, she said. “Throughout the year, the department has been moving money from one line item to another to cover costs while waiting for an expected federal stimulus package to help the states,” according to the story.