I-81 Needs Widening Now, State Told

By Jerry Lynott, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Sep. 8–JIM THORPE — Proponents of widening a heavily traveled 33-mile section of Interstate 81 urged state transportation officials Friday to act quickly on the $1 billion project before congestion worsens.

The more than 40 year old interstate is well beyond its vehicle capacity and the addition of a third lane in each direction between the Waverly and Nanticoke exits is needed not just to improve traffic flow, but to cut down on pollution caused by congestion and to continue the region’s economic growth, members of the Focus-81 committee said.

Northeastern Pennsylvania has been known for its highway system and access to the nation’s shipping, business, government and financial centers, said Gary Boam, co-chairman of the committee made up of business, government and transportation industry representatives. But congestion and overuse have to addressed, he told members of the Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission.

"We are now 22 years past the design capacity of these highways," Boam said. "In very short order we think we are going to be strangled."

The commission held the last of seven regional public hearings at the Carbon County Courthouse to hear from economic development, government and transportation planning organizations on projects to be included in the state’s next 12-year plan for highway, road, bridge and transportation projects.

Boam and Jeff Box, president of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, the regional economic development organization that has spearheaded the I-81 project, highlighted the findings of a recently completed study on the highway.

The information "helps us, helps to illustrate the need as we talk to others in the General Assembly," said Allen Biehler, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and commission chairman.

Short-term congestion and safety issues have been addressed through conventional methods of signage, traffic enforcement and emergency repairs, Box said. "The long-range goals, ladies and gentlemen — clearly we need capacity."

The traffic problems on the interstate are all too familiar to commission member Ronald Ertley.

"I live it," Ertley said. The Dallas resident said he drives the roadway daily to his office at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.

As with many of the projects put before the commission, finding funds is a problem, Ertley said.

One possible source of much needed construction dollars for the Interstate 81 project is tolling the highway, similar to the recent legislation passed to toll Interstate 80, he said.

"We have not discussed that yet," Boam replied to a question about tolling I-81. The committee would rather not add tolls because traffic would back up at collection areas, he explained.

Others from the region also spoke at the hearing.

George Hludzik, transportation chairman of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, presented data and information in support of extending the state Route 424 beltway into the Humboldt Industrial Park. Karl Pfeiffenberger of the Scranton Chamber of Commerce, did the same for an access road into the Valley View Business Park in Lackawanna County.

Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton told the commission of the need to continue funding ongoing projects such as the installation of streetlights, connecting Coal Street from Interstate 81 to the downtown and bridge replacements.

Afterwards, he said during his administration the city has a good track record with the state-funded transportation jobs. "We’ve been pretty good getting our projects started and completed," he said.

"We are now 22 years past the design capacity of these highways."

Gary Boam Focus-81 committee

Jerry Lynott, a Times Leader business writer, can be contacted at 570-829-7237.

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