Here's some PA projects that could benefit from Biden's infrastructure bill

President Joe Biden will visit Scranton on Wednesday, where he’ll pitch his Build Back Better agenda and the bipartisan infrastructure legislation that passed the Senate in August and awaits a House vote. 

The $1 trillion infrastructure package includes funds for public transportation, roads and bridges, abandoned mine reclamation, broadband and other physical infrastructure projects.

 Here’s a look at some of the Pennsylvania projects that could benefit from the bill.

New Amtrak routes

The infrastructure bill includes $66 billion for Amtrak, which in May proposed 39 new routes nationwide.

While the legislation doesn’t state which routes will be funded, passenger rail advocates in northeastern Pennsylvania have been optimistic about the prospects of a line connecting Scranton and New York City. Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority signed an agreement in July for Amtrak to assess the infrastructure along the route and study ridership and revenue.

“The proposed new Reading, Allentown and Scranton services exemplify the potential that exists across the country, and also the potential to create new local job opportunities and promote the already robust travel and tourism industry that exists in Pennsylvania,” Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn said during a roundtable with Pennsylvania leaders last month. “In fact, as we analyze potential routes that could be developed in our national strategy, the new proposed services linking Reading, Allentown and Scranton to New York City were among the top corridors for projected ridership and financial performance.”

Here’s what Amtrak is proposing in Pennsylvania:

• Three new routes separately connecting Allentown, Reading and Scranton to New York City, expected to serve a total of 1.3 million riders annually.
• Faster speeds on the Harrisburg-Philadelphia leg of the Keystone route.
• Doubling service on the Pennsylvania route from one daily round trip to two.

Related:Proposed Amtrak routes in PA could serve 1.3 million, come 3 years after funding

Road and bridge upgrades

With 3,353 bridges and more than 7,540 miles of highway in poor condition, Pennsylvania earned a C- grade from the White House when the Biden administration released state-by-state infrastructure fact sheets in April.

Overall, the state of Pennsylvania’s bridges is improving, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. Those 3,353 bridges represent 14.6% of the state’s total, and that’s down from 4,430 bridges (19.4%) in 2016.

Still, Pennsylvania ranks No. 2 in the country for the total number of structurally deficient bridges, according to ARTBA, and No. 5 when considering the percentage of bridges.

Seven counties each have more than 100 bridges in poor condition. Allegheny County, where three rivers flow through Pittsburgh, leads the way with 142 problem bridges.

The infrastructure bill would give Pennsylvania $11.3 billion for federal-aid highway programs and $1.6 billion for bridge replacement and repairs, according to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Scranton).

Here’s a look at just a few of the road and bridge projects that could receive funding from the infrastructure bill:

• Replacement of the Interstate 83 bridge in Harrisburg: The aging I-83 bridge over the Susquehanna River in the Harrisburg area needs to be replaced, and it's expected to cost between $500 million and $650 million. Plans call for the new structure to be five lanes wide to meet future traffic demand. It is one of nine bridges statewide considered for tolling to help pay for the work.
• Historic bridge rehabilitation: The 92-year-old Veterans Memorial Bridge on Route 462 spans the Susquehanna River between York and Lancaster counties and needs rehabilitation at a cost of nearly $59.8 million. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered to be the world's longest concrete arch bridge. 
• Interstate 83 widening in the York area: PennDOT plans to widen I-83 — a major connector between Harrisburg and Baltimore — from four to six lanes in the York area. Expected to begin in 2023, the project will cost more than $300 million and is intended to address long-term maintenance of the aging highway and help improve traffic flow and safety.
• Interstate 80 expansion in Monroe County: PennDOT plans to widen I-80 from four to six lanes in the Stroudsburg/East Stroudsburg area, where weekend traffic in particular can get backed up as tourists enter and leave the Pocono Mountains. The project would also raise bridges and lengthen ramps, among other improvements.
• U.S. Route 219 widening: Part of this road is limited to two lanes in some stretches, including a portion from Meyersdale in Somerset County south to Interstate 68 in Maryland. The infrastructure plan includes $1.25 billion over five years for the Appalachian Development Highway System, a portion of which will go to Pennsylvania and could assist with expanding 219 to four lanes. Other unfinished projects in the Appalachian system include the Central Susquehanna Thruway and U.S. 220/I-99, according to Casey's office.

Of interest:State committee proposes to fix PennDOT funding with revenue drawn primarily from motorists

Abandoned mine land reclamation

The bill would give almost $11.3 billion to the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund.

In Pennsylvania, more than “91,400 acres of high priority abandoned coal mine sites have been reclaimed” and “Hazards associated with more than 1,880 open mine shafts and portals have been eliminated,” among other projects, according to a 2019 update from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

However, the DEP stated that more than $3.9 billion is needed to address additional high-priority problems related to abandoned mines.

According to Casey, Pennsylvania would receive more than three-quarters of that amount.

“Under this legislation, Pennsylvania is expected to receive more than $3 billion to assist with abandoned mine reclamation,” Casey said in a statement after the Senate passed the infrastructure bill. “Additionally, this bill authorizes $4.7 billion to plug, remediate and reclaim orphaned wells. There are at least 8,000 documented orphan wells in Pennsylvania that will be able to be addressed under this program.”

Pennsylvania’s Eighth District, which covers part of the anthracite coal region, has more than 300 abandoned mines requiring remediation, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Moosic) said during a hearing with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland earlier this year.

“These abandoned mines pose a serious risk to the health of our constituents, our environment. They impede economic development. Parts of the Susquehanna and Lackawanna rivers are stained orange from the iron oxide in abandoned mine drainage,” Cartwright said.

Abandoned mine land problems are present in 43 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

East Pa.:Why Biden picked Lower Macungie, Pa., for visit to push for infrastructure plan

What else?

The plan also invests in broadband, electric vehicle charging and public transportation, among other areas.

• Broadband expansion and assistance: Pennsylvania would receive $100 million to expand broadband internet to nearly 400,000 state residents, and assist 2.9 million low-income families in Pennsylvania by making them eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit to help them pay for broadband.
• More car charging stations: $171 million would go toward expand Pennsylvania’s electric vehicle charging network as part of the effort to address climate change.
• Public transportation: $2.8 billion would be invested over five years.

Gannett reporters Teresa Boeckel, J.D. Prose and Dylan Johnson contributed to this story.

Kathryne Rubright is a reporter covering the environment, northeast Pa. politics, and local news. She is based at the Pocono Record. Reach her at krubright@gannett.com.