Statewide Hearings Set to Update 12-Year Transportation Program

in Cranberry Township will be among the hosts later this summer in a series of public hearings to update the state’s 12-Year Transportation Program, PennDOT announced today.

Pennsylvanians are invited to the hearings, which will take place across the state, to share their ideas for highway planning.

Updated every two years, the Transportation Program serves as a “blueprint” of prioritized transportation projects. The 15-member State Transportation Commission, which includes Transportation Secretary Barry Schoch, 10 private citizens appointed by Gov. Tom Corbett and the majority and minority chairs of the state Senate and state House transportation committees, will oversee the update.

A law requires PennDOT to prepare and submit to the transportation commission a program of transportation improvements that it recommends be undertaken during the next 12 years. The recommendations consist only of programs and projects that are reasonably expected to be funded, according to a statement from PennDOT.

The Department of Transportation and its 23 regional planning partners will administer the hearings on the following dates. Specific start and end times will be set closer to the hearing dates.

• Thursday, Aug. 11: Ramada Altoona Conference Center, 1 Sheraton Drive, Altoona, PA 16601 (public hearing and business meeting).

• Thursday, Aug. 25: Marriott Pittsburgh North, 100 Cranberry Woods Drive, Cranberry Township, PA 16066.

Residents planning to attend a hearing should contact the STC office at 717-787-2913 at least 24 hours in advance. Anyone wishing to schedule a five-minute time slot to present oral testimony should contact the STC office at least one week before the public hearing date.

Besides oral testimony, residents may submit written testimony via email, fax, mail or by completing the “Project Abstract Form” found at www.dot.state.pa.us.  The department is willing to help residents complete the required abstract form.

Written testimony may be sent directly to STC via email at RA-PennDOTSTC@state.pa.us, faxed to717-787-5247 or mailed to: State Transportation Commission, P.O. Box 3633, Harrisburg, PA 17105-3633. STC considers written testimony in the same manner as testimony presented orally at the public hearings. All written testimony must be received by Sept. 30 to be considered for the 2013 Transportation Program.

For more information, visit www.dot.state.pa.us and click on the “Public Participation 2013 Program Update” hyperlink.