Lower gas prices have eased the sting of the state's wholesale gasoline tax and allowed us to appreciate the good work being done with our money.

As Harrisburg reporter John Finnerty detailed in a Dec. 21 story, Pennsylvania turned the gas tax into 682 bridge improvement projects and numerous road upgrades in 2014, with more on the way in 2015.Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Rich Kirkpatrick said the state's first highway bill in years allowed for more work than in any year in Pennsylvania's history except 2009 the year of the federal stimulus program.That is making roads and bridges including the highly visible Hickory Street Bridge in Johnstown safer for travelers.Between gas tax revenue and other programs, 1,100 bridges are targeted for work in the coming year."There's never a good time for a tax increase," state Sen. John Wozniak, D-Westmont, told Finnerty. "But there's no question the impact the spending is having."Many had criticized the state for failure to keep up roads and bridges.As recently as 2007, Pennsylvania reportedly had 6,000 bridges categorized as "structurally deficient."That number stands at 4,100 as 2014 rolls to a close, Kirkpatrick said. That means some headway has been made, but more is necessary.The PennDOT spokesman said roads also benefited from the highway bill, Act 89."We improved roughly 1,600 miles of pavement," he said.Somerset County is slated to see 22.26 miles of road work valued at $9.4 million.In Cambria County, nearly $7 million is targeted to upgrade four bridges and perform 12.43 miles of road improvements.The effects of the program can be seen all around in Bedford, Blair, Clearfield, Indiana and Westmoreland counties.Another short-term benefit of all this road construction: employment.Theresa Elliott, a spokeswoman with the Department of Labor and Industry, said every $1 billion invested in transportation generates "20,000 to 30,000 additional jobs."As we've stated before, we oppose a national gasoline tax hike especially since Pennsylvanians are already paying similar fees for highway upgrades.But perhaps the progress we've seen in the Keystone State has been noted nationally as a model that can be successful in making roads and bridges safer.At least as long as gasoline prices are low at the pump.The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat