Transportation and infrastructure were major talking points at a March 9 Republican Policy Committee hearing.
The hearing, hosted by State Representative Marla Gallo Brown (R-Lawrence) at the Crane Room Grille in Neshannock Township, allowed residents and officials to comment on the quality of Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and its effect on the state economy.
“Our economy needs reliable infrastructure and transportation to connect supply chains and efficiently move goods and services to different places,” Brown said. “It connects households across the state to higher quality opportunities in employment, health care and education. Demographic and cultural changes, such as the aging and diversification of our communities and the shrinking of households, highlight the need for new transportation to connect people and communities.
Chad Marsilio, senior vice president and chief operating officer at PGT Trucking in Aliquippa, said Pennsylvania’s infrastructure received a “C-” grade in 2022 from members of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
“Pennsylvania has some of the oldest infrastructure in the nation, and new construction efforts are continually set back by rising costs, parts and labor shortages, and a growing backlog of emergency repairs.” , said Marsilio. “Our state’s infrastructure is a vital part of the supply chain, and transportation is one of the key industries that provides jobs, services and critical materials to support the economy.”
ELLWOOD Group board member Scott Boyd said improvements needed to be made to the existing infrastructure so they could better move products and supplies.
“ELLWOOD employs 1,400 team members across the state of Pennsylvania, and everyone relies on road and highway infrastructure to get to and from work,” Boyd said. “The condition and state of repair of this infrastructure ranges from barely fair to adequate, depending on the season and the government entity responsible. Our Pennsylvania team members pay more than $5.75 million annually in employment taxes to the state and are sometimes frustrated by the lack of attention paid to local infrastructure.
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House Republican Policy Chairman Josh Kail (R-Beaver) added that spending money wisely on infrastructure and transportation will create jobs and stimulate the economy to attract more people to live and work. work in Pennsylvania.
Brown, in her first term as a state representative, will serve on House committees for health, commerce, and aging and senior services.
She will also be holding “Coffee Hour with Marla” at 10 a.m. on May 18 at The Confluence and the Moco House at 206 E. Poland Road in Bessemer.
Each location will have a cap of 40 residents. To RSVP, call 724-498-4397.
There will also be a Small Business Roundtable at 8 a.m. on April 20 at The Confluence, a Small Business Grants Seminar from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a location to be determined later, and another plate event. license plates damaged from 9:30 a.m. to noon. April 28 at 28 N. Mill St.
