Why weren’t there Public Meetings along the corridor before Act 44 was passed?
The legislative process is an inherently public process. Bills are proposed and debated in both houses in public sessions; votes are cast in public, widely reported, and documented. While the process is open to the public and often televised statewide, the process does not require Public Meetings on every issue. However, like any major transportation project, there are many stages in the implementation process for the tolling of I-80. State legislation is the beginning of this process, not the end. The PTC is conducting an extensive public outreach program. With the first round of Public Meetings completed in November 2007, the next round will focus on toll collection locations. The impacts of tolling will be studied and presented to the public, environmental documents will be prepared, and FHWA approval will be sought. Public input will be an important part of this process before the project can be fully implemented.
