Pennsylvania’s municipalities would get more money to maintain roads under a House proposal to hike the per-mile amount the state’s transportation department pays local governments through a highway restoration program.
PennDOT’s Highway Transfer Turnback Program puts “functionally local” and low-volume state roads in the hands of municipalities to maintain. The program pays $4,000 per mile of road.
It allows PennDOT to give ownership of state-owned roads to municipalities when it may be better suited to local government purposes, said Zachary Appleby, deputy communications director for PennDOT.
The voluntary program has promoted local control for municipalities but has not had a per-mile funding increase since its 2006 inception.
House Bill 2266 would increase funds to $6,000 per mile by taking an extra $1.25 per $1,000 from the state’s Motor License Fund. The additional amount would be offset by less money coming out of the fund’s bridge improvement account.
Roads in the program include those that have low average daily traffic or would benefit the municipality socially or economically, Appleby said. There are 1,167 municipalities participating in the program that, for 2026, collectively received around $19.3 million.
At least two municipal officials welcome the added funds.
Manchester Township in York County uses money from the program ― it got $6,040 this year ― for street improvements, winter maintenance materials and traffic signals, said Tim James, township manager in the second-class township just north of York City.
“We certainly could utilize additional funding for those expenses,” James told USA TODAY Network Pennsylvania. “As with most things, costs haven’t gone down over the years.”
Neighboring Springettsbury Township got $8,760 this year, according to township Manager Mark Hodgkinson. It goes toward liquid fuels-eligible expenses. “The township would be in favor of a bump in revenue,” he said.
The bill cleared the House Transportation Committee unanimously on May 4.
“With rising costs, municipalities are seeking increased payments from the state,” said state Rep. Melissa Shusterman, a Democrat serving part of Chester County who introduced the bill. “My bill will increase the payments for roads already participating in this program. I am hopeful this bill will see a floor vote soon.”
