The Turnpike Commission would pay $750 million to PennDOT in the first year and would maintain Interstate 80.

Fairchild said he believes the FHWA will reject the Turnpike Commission’s request for federal authorization to place tolls on I-80.

“From what I’ve read and statements from the FHWA, it will be close,” he said. “I just don’t see that I-80 qualifies under the guidelines. I just don’t think that it’s right to pay to ride on that road. It’s a commerce corridor. I know what that means to local businesses.”

The bottom line comes down to competition for the turnpike, Fairchild said.

“They’ve already said they plan to raise rates 25 percent on the Turnpike,” Fairchild said. “When that happens, people will bypass the Turnpike and come up here to 80. It’s a job-protection plan for the Turnpike Commission.”

On July 14, the Turnpike Commission announced plans to spend $250 million a year to upgrade portions of I-80, including climbing lanes and clearance projects.

“They’re not saying whether that $250 million includes design and construction of the gantries,” said Maria Culp, president and chief executive officer of the Central Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce in Milton.

“Why would the Turnpike Commission want to mislead people?” she said. “I-80 isn’t falling apart. The trucking industry magazines rate it (I-80 in Pennsylvania) the most improved in the country.”

Culp said she believes a comprehensive study of the economic impact of I-80 and the impact of tolls is necessary.

“It doesn’t make sense to toll parallel routes,” she said. “The Turnpike Commission just wants to squeeze its competition.

“There’s still a fight ahead. We have to keep the pressure on.”

Deborah Templeton, vice president of supply chain services at Geisinger Medical Center, said many Geisinger employees, patients and suppliers would be adversely affected if tolls were placed on I-80.

“We have over 2,800 employees, most of them at Danville, who use the Interstate,” said Templeton, who estimates tolls would cost the health care system $4 million annually.

“That’s probably a shot in the dark,” she said. “That’s dollars not going to quality health care.”

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