CorridorOne renamed

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Act 44 could be the key to unlock the funding padlock that
has long delayed plans for a commuter rail line connecting Harrisburg
to Lancaster.
CorridorOne proponents hope that come fall, state operating assistance will
fall into place for the project.

“My guess is it will happen when opportunities are there for
additional funding for Act 44,” said John Ward, president of Harrisburg-based
Modern Transit Partnership (see “About Act 44,” below). “That is way
underfunded.”

Ward is optimistic that approval of a Pennsylvania Turnpike lease deal or tolling of Interstate 80 could mean operating assistance for the
first leg of the organization’s proposed regional rail service.

The final chunk of cash needed to design and build the
37-mile project was secured in September from the federal government. But the
final design has been put on hold until the state kicks in about $10 million in
operating assistance.

“It’s not a priority; it’s not very important to the state,”
he said. “We’re really fighting an uphill battle.”

The partnership at the end of June announced a new name for
the rail line in an effort to more precisely identify and brand the corridor,
Ward said. Capital Red Rose Corridor was the name selected out of more than 800
entries from a contest the organization held in February and March. The contest
also was an opportunity to spotlight the corridor again, he said.

Supporters of the project have worked for more than 10 years
to bring the service to southcentral Pennsylvania,
but Ward is not discouraged.

“It has to happen. There’s no other choice. The state can
give us a rough time, but eventually we’re going to succeed,” he said.
“Southcentral Pennsylvania
has to have options other than the automobile. It’s no question.”

The main holdup has been finding a dedicated funding stream
for new transit programs, said Eric Bugaile, the Republican executive director
of the state House Transportation Committee.

One potential solution came with last year’s passing of Act
44, which included $50 million each year for new transit projects, he said.

“That’s a pretty good-size pot there that the state could
actually – if they had a mind to do so – use for CorridorOne or other types of
services,” he said. “With prices of gas the way it is right now, it’s a
tailor-made project for this area.”

While Act 44 does allow PennDOT to transfer $50 million out
of the capital portion of the budget to fund new starts, the department has not
been able to shift any of that money, said Rich Kirkpatrick, a department
spokesman.

“In essence, we don’t have enough capital funds to take care
of the transit assets we now have across state,” he said.

About $100 million of the department’s budget is for the
capital needs of transit agencies across the state. This year, the needs
surpassed the budgeted amount by $200 million, he said.

If money should become available to transfer to new starts,
any project submitted for consideration would have to meet stringent
requirements, he said. The requirements include a cost-benefit analysis and a
local dedicated funding commitment.

A formula is used to grant operating assistance, Kirkpatrick
said. The formula reimburses the agency according to certain measures,
including passenger numbers and revenue vehicle hours, he said.

The Legislature also could pass a new law to fund the
project, Bugaile said.

“That is probably important for us to do sooner than later
because, as you know, costs just keep skyrocketing,” he said. “The more you
wait, the more costly it’s going to be later.”

The Capital Red Rose Corridor could begin operating within
two years of receiving state operating assistance, Ward said.

“What needs to happen is the members of the state
Legislature that are in the southcentral Pennsylvania
region have to get together and decide it’s a priority and move forward,” he
said.

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About Act 44

Act 44 was signed into law a year ago in an attempt to
infuse money into Pennsylvania’s
highways, bridges and transit agencies. The legislation requires the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to seek permission from the federal government
to toll Interstate 80. The commission has issued bonds to pay PennDOT while
pursuing that approval. If permission is not granted, the amount of money
available for state transportation needs will be greatly reduced, and a replacement
project likely would be required. Gov. Ed Rendell favors plans to lease the
Pennsylvania Turnpike to a private entity as a potential substitute project.

-Jessica Bair

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