SHAMOKIN DAM - State Transportation Secretary Barry Schoch and PennDOT officials are meeting today to announce the project timetable for the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway (CSVT) and the new state transportation plan.
The offices of state Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-108) and state Sen. John R. Gordner (R-27) announced Monday that the media conference would be held at 1 p.m. today in the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, 2859 N. Susquehanna Trail.
In April, state officials announced their confidence that the 13-mile bypass around the business strip along Routes 11-15 in Shamokin Dam and Hummels Wharf would be funded with $558 million toward the massive project as part of the Corbett administration's "Decade of Investment" plan.
Gov. Tom Corbett signed the state's new transportation funding legislation into law Monday, which invests an additional $2.3 to $2.5 billion into the state's roads, bridges and transit systems by the fifth year of the plan
District 3-0 Executive Sandra Tosca and other local legislative delegation, local government officials and local business leaders will also be a part of the media conference.
As the largest single project in the "Decade of Investment," the thruway will be funded through $150 million from the federal Appalachian Regional Commission, and the remaining $408 million will come from the Motor License Fund, which gets its money from the state gasoline tax, motor vehicle license and registration fees and other fees. The governor would increase the revenue by gradually lifting the cap on the state Oil Company Franchise Tax over five years.
Barring any technical difficulties, the meeting will be streamed live on www.lyndaculver.com.
- Justin Strawser