A bill passed by the Senate could stop the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s plan to toll nine Pennsylvania bridges.

Among them is the Interstate 80 bridge that connects Carbon and Luzerne counties on Interstate 80.

The Senate has approved Senate Bill 382, and it now advances to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The plan is to reform the Public-Private Transportation Partnership statute.

Local legislators who voted in favor of the bill were state Sen. Mario Scavello, Monroe/Northampton; Sen. Dave Argall, Schuylkill/Berks; Sen. John Yudichak, Carbon/Luzerne; and Sen. Patrick Browne, Lehigh County.

The bill would increase transparency by requiring PennDOT to publish a detailed analysis before the P3 Board’s voting meeting, and mandate PennDOT to distribute a copy of the P3 Board’s resolution, with or without a user fee, within 24 hours.

It would also incorporate public input by creating a new 30-day public comment period before the P3 Board meeting; create checks and balances on the obscure P3 Board by clarifying any P3 project with a user fee would be deemed disapproved unless the General Assembly approves, and void the PennDOT Pathways Major Bridge P3 Initiative and require reconsideration by the P3 Board following the new process outlined in the bill.

Two transportation groups previously spoke out against tolling the bridges, including the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors Executive Vice President Robert Latham, who previously told the House Transportation Committee that the cost of private financing would drive up project costs. Latham also said relying on tolling to cover construction costs is risky.

The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association also said it opposed the proposed tolls.

The I-80 Over Lehigh River Bridge Project would replace both east and westbound spans. Built in 1965, the bridges cross over the Lehigh River, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad and River Road in Carbon and Luzerne counties. They carry an average of 27,400 vehicles per day, with 44% truck traffic.

The spans are beyond repair and need to be replaced. The new bridges would be wider; the length of the eastbound on-ramp auxiliary lane would be increased, as would the height of the bridges’ barriers and the width of the shoulders.

The project would begin between 2023 and 2025, and take two or three years, according to PennDOT.