By CHRIS PARKER

cparker@tnonline.comThe state senate on Wednesday passed the transportation funding bill, which raises $2.4 billion over five years for bridge and highway repair, mass transit and other related needs.After a sputtering start Monday, the bill appears to be on the fast track to becoming law. Today, the House is expected to vote on whether to fold it into the original transportation bill. Then, the bill goes to Gov. Tom Corbett, who is expected to immediately sign it into law.The bill provides for $1.8 billion to repair the state's deteriorating bridges and highways; $500 million for mass transit, mostly for Philadelphia and Pittsburgh; and another $144 million for intermodal transportation projects air, sea and rail, and bicycle and pedestrian.The Senate voted 43-7 in favor of the bill. Local senators Dave Argall, R-Berks-Carbon-Lehigh-Monroe-Northampton-Schuylkill, and John Yudichak, D-Carbon-Luzerne-Monroe, both voted for the bill.Argall said concern for the public's safety drove his vote."Pennsylvania cannot wait any longer to fix our failing roads and bridges. We either have to figure out a way to fix our roads or bridges, or watch them continue to fall apart. Ensuring the safety of Pennsylvanians is a core function of state government. With over 22 percent of our bridges deemed structurally deficient, I could not in good conscience risk the lives of Pennsylvanians. That's why I voted yes."Yudichak said the bill would not only make roads and bridges safer, but would also create jobs."There are roads and bridges across Carbon County that are in urgent need of repair. This funding plan provides the resources needed to update our aging transportation infrastructure while also putting thousands of Pennsylvanians back to work and significantly improving public safety," he said.Senators who opposed the funding bill were Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh-Monroe-Northampton; Lawrence Farnese, D-Philadelphia; Jay Costa, D-Allegheny; Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland; Richard Kasunic, D-Fayette-Somerset-Washington-Westmoreland; Scott Hutchinson, R-Butler-Clarion-Erie-Forest-Venango-Warren; and Rob Teplitz, D-Dauphin-York.Efforts to reach Boscola for comment early Thursday were unsuccessful.Corbett has backed the bill from the start."Today, the state Senate kept the momentum moving on a dramatic piece of legislation that will keep our children safe, keep our businesses open and improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians," he said in a prepared statement released after the vote."A comprehensive transportation plan has been years in the making, and with today's vote we have taken yet another step to preserve Pennsylvania's future," Corbett said.He praised senators who "showed the courage necessary to set Pennsylvania on a future path unmarred by poor bridges, rough roads and failing mass transit."The funding bill would raise the $2.4 billion mostly through an increase of up to 28 cents a gallon in gas tax. Increases in transportation fees and fines would also contribute. The cost of vehicle registrations, licenses and inspections will rise slightly.The bill would also give counties the power to enact a $5 fee on any vehicle registered within their borders. The revenue would go toward local projects.One hurdle the funding bill had to leap was the inclusion of a Republican-backed hike in the trigger amount for prevailing wage.The bill would increase the threshold for prevailing wage (basically, local union rates) from the current $25,000 to $100,000 on any publicly funded construction project. The prevailing wage is set by the Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance; the $25,000 threshold was established in 1961.By raising the threshold, municipalities and school districts would be able to save money on labor for building and repair projects that are estimated to cost less than $100,000. Now, the savings kick in on projects costing less than $25,000.