Funding Intact For Norristown's Lafayette Street Turnpike Extension, For Now

NORRISTOWN, PA -- Funding for the Lafayette Street interchange project will continue for now, but the project is one of six that has been placed on the chopping block - or at least the postponing block - by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

The turnpike announced Wednesday that they did not need to cut funding to the project that would bring a turnpike interchange to Norristown, but it is among a handful of projects that could be postponed if additional capital is needed.

“Our analysis shows that there’s simply no benefit to making deeper cuts to our capital spending right now,” PA Turnpike Chairman Sean Logan said. “Such a measure would have little or no impact on upcoming toll increases or on the debt needed to meet our funding obligations; furthermore, doing so would result in charging travelers more while they, in essence, get less value for their toll dollar and possibly even reduced safety. That just doesn’t add up.”

The Lafayette Street project is considered by the turnpike to be a "performance driven project" in that the interchange is a step above and beyond what is required to safely maintain the turnpike.

The five other projects also involve interchanges and turnpike extensions around the state.

The proposed cashless, nonstop interchange in Norristown, at milepost 331.6, is expected to cost $58.5 million over 10 years. It is funded by the Capital Plan, which draws its revenue from tolls.

Construction is ongoing in Phase 2 of the project, which is working along Ridge Pike, Diamond Avenue, and Fairfield Avenue in Plymouth Township. Construction on this phase is expected to be complete in early 2017. The third and final phase will begin in the spring of 2017 and will involve widening Lafayette Street in downtown Norristown.

Patch file photo.