After 48 letters of interest were submitted, including one from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission itself, for the lease of the turnpike, officials say privatization of the route would lead to a toll on Interstate 80.

Because of a $1.7 million shortfall in transportation funding in the state of Pennsylvania, Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has decided to consider privatizing the turnpike as an option to close the funding gap, said Carl DeFebo, who is the media and public relations manager for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

"The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission submitted one of the letters of interest because we want to help Gov. Rendell find new funding options for Pennsylvania," DeFebo said. "There are shortfalls, particularly with PennDOT for roads, bridges and mass transit."

While there has been no official figure placed on the value of the turnpike, Rendell has estimated a value for the project.

Rendell has said that it could cost anywhere from $3 billion to $10 billion, PennDOT press secretary Rich Kirkpatrick said.

"We have so many things to consider, from fault provisions if the private owners were to default on requirements, to restrictions on toll increases and conditions set on maintenance," he said.

"We're still in the early stage of exploring our options."

However, authorities are already worried about the effect of privatization.

"Our chief executive officer, Joe Brimmeier, believes it would become necessary to toll Route 80 if we were to privatize the turnpike," DeFebo said.

"Privatization has always involved increases in tolls and, if we increased the turnpike tolls, then we would potentially lose a lot of traffic to 80, which is a parallel route without any tolls."

In 2004, there was a 42.5 percent increase in turnpike tolls with no decrease in traffic.

But DeFebo said if tolls were increased again, people would probably reach their breaking point and likely take Interstate 80 to avoid paying a toll.

If this were to occur, DeFebo said, a toll on I-80 could become necessary.

While assigned management of
a tolled I-80 is one idea that has arisen, Kirkpatrick said no decisions have been made at this time.

"We're still just reviewing all of the letters we received," Kirkpatrick said.

"These letters are mainly intended to provide advice on how to proceed on such a transaction, but by no means is anything assured."

The letters of interest were due Dec. 22, and Kirkpatrick said a timetable for action has not yet been created.

"This whole review stems from the final report given to us back in November from the Transportation Funding and Reform Commission," Kirkpatrick said.

"Gov. Rendell created this panel in 2005 to review the entire transportation landscape and among their recommendations was that the state review the option of a public-private turnpike partnership."