PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch recently announced that the widening of U.S. 22 would likely be among the projects that will move forward if a plan to provide additional transportation funding is passed by the General Assembly this year.

During an event held June 13 along U.S. 22, Schoch underscored the need for additional transportation investment in order to improve safety, spur economic development and improve traffic flow in the Lehigh Valley and across the commonwealth.

With additional transportation investment, U.S. 22 would be reconstructed and widened to six lanes from 15th Street to Airport Road in Lehigh County through a nearly $175 million project.

"Governor[Tom] Corbett has shown leadership on moving a transportation funding plan forward, and that process needs to continue in the legislature," Schoch said. "The tens of thousands of people traveling U.S. 22 in the Lehigh Valley know that congestion and safety on this highway need to be improved. With additional investment, we can improve more than four miles of this highway and in the process, bring safety and economic benefits to the region."

As many as 86,000 vehicles travel on this section of roadway every day. PennDOT data shows more than 262 crashes took place in this area in 2002, with two of those crashes being fatalities.

Schoch also noted that with additional investment, many other regional projects could be completed such as reconstructing pavement and widening from four to six lanes on a 6-mile stretch of Interstate 80 in Monroe County, from Exit 302 (Bartonsville) to Exit 308 (East Stroudsburg) for $221 million; replacing the Interstate 78 bridge over the Schuylkill River and reconstructing the I-78 and Route 61 interchange in Berks County for $118 million; and widening a seven-mile stretch of U.S. 222 from two lanes to four lanes from Route 73 to the Kutztown Bypass in Berks County for $69.5 million.

Schoch was joined by PennDOT District 5 Executive Mike Rebert as well as other state and local officials.

For more information, visit www.dot.state.pa.us.