The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s plan to charge drivers for crossing up to nine bridges on interstate highways would take a toll on the public, commerce, and local government, Schuylkill County commissioners say.

On Wednesday, they joined several other counties, including Dauphin, Luzerne, and Berks, in adopting a resolution opposing the proposal.

Commissioners’ Chairman Barron L. Hetherington read the resolution aloud at a public meeting.

PennDOT’s plan would “impact commerce originating in Schuylkill County and traveling on Interstate 81 to Interstate 80, and Interstate 81 to PA 61 to Interstate 78,” the resolution states.

“The general assembly passed Act 89 of 2013 to fund road projects, bridge repairs, and public transit, thus resulting in the nation’s second highest gasoline tax; yet a significant portion of revenues were expended to cover shortfalls in the PA State police budget and thus presently contributes to Penn­DOT‘s current self-proclaimed $8.1 billion shortfall,” it states.

“This proposal will disproportionately impact residents and businesses in Schuylkill County and negatively impact commerce across northeastern Pennsylvania, and contribute to an economic slowdown of many area businesses which rely on shipping,” the resolution states.

“This proposal will force drivers to use secondary state, county and local roads in order to avoid paying the extra cost, and thus contribute to wear and tear on side roads, which in turn will drive up maintenance costs for all governments,” it states.

“Now therefore be resolved that the Schuylkill County Board of Commissioners implores the Pennsylvania P3 board to immediately reverse its approval of the Major Bridge P3 Initiative, which was approved on Nov. 12, 2020.

“Be it further resolved that, if swift reversal was not forthcoming, the governor and General Assembly take the necessary action to put an immediate stop to this grossly unpopular and detrimental proposal related commerce and travel to toll any bridge in the commonwealth, but especially those that will clearly affect Schuylkill County commerce and its citizens, and the northeastern Pennsylvania roads bridges and citizens,” the resolution states.

Hetherington, along with Commissioners Gary J. Hess and George F. Halcovage Jr., voted in favor of adopting the resolution.

Several state lawmakers and trade groups such as the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors and the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association have also spoken out against the measure.

There is a Facebook page for those opposed to the plan, NoP3BridgeTolls.

PennDOT has yet to announce which bridges will be tolled, although it has named nine possibilities: I-81 in Susquehanna County; the I-80 Nescopeck Creek Bridges in Black Creek Township, Luzerne County; the I-78 Lenhartsville bridge in Berks County; the I-80 over the Lehigh River bridge in Carbon and Luzerne counties; the Girard Point Bridge in Philadelphia; the I-83 South bridge in Cumberland County; the I-80 Canoe Creek bridges in Clarion County; the I-80 North Fork Bridges in Jefferson County, and the I-79 bridges in Allegheny County.

According to PennDOT, tolling equipment would be installed over the highway, recording tolls electronically without a driver having to slow down.

The tolls would be collected through E-ZPass and Toll by Plate, by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and sent to PennDOT.