(File Photo of the PennDOT Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Pennsylvania municipalities could receive additional funding to maintain local roads under a House proposal that would increase payments through the state’s highway restoration program. 

PennDOT’s Highway Transfer Turnback Program allows municipalities to assume ownership and maintenance responsibilities for low-volume or “functionally local” state roads. The program currently provides $4,000 per mile of roadway transferred to local governments. 

The program is intended to shift roads better suited for local use from state control to municipalities, according to PennDOT Deputy Communications Director Zachary Appleby. 

While the voluntary program has promoted local control, the per-mile reimbursement rate has not increased since the program began in 2006. 

House Bill 2266 would raise the reimbursement rate to $6,000 per mile by redirecting an additional $1.25 per $1,000 from the state’s Motor License Fund. The increase would be offset by reduced funding from the bridge improvement account. 

Appleby said roads eligible for the program typically have low daily traffic volumes or provide social or economic benefits to municipalities. 

According to PennDOT, 1,167 municipalities participate in the program and collectively received about $19.3 million in 2026 funding. 

The bill was unanimously approved by the Pennsylvania House Transportation Committee on May 4.