Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell spoke to a crowd of about 50 yesterday at the Nittany Lion Inn to address growing concerns over "a highway and road system that is extremely challenged from years of underfunding."

Rendell presented the four funding options recommended by a state commission, endorsing the fourth -- leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike -- as his preferred method for raising $1.7 billion a year in additional funding.

The option proposes leasing the turnpike to a private company for 99 years and increasing taxes for oil companies to raise money for road and bridge repairs.

He said Pennsylvania has the third largest number of bridges in the nation and more bridges in critical condition than any other state. There are 59 deficient bridges in Centre County alone. Of those, eight are closed and 46 have been weight-restricted because of damages, he said.

He also said the state has 8,528 miles of roads in poor condition -- about 21 percent of state-maintained roads.

Leasing -- not selling -- the turnpike would allow the state to maintain control over basic decisions such as the repair schedule, the existing workforce and toll rates, Rendell said.

The state issued a request for interest in leasing the turnpike in December and received 48 responses, including 30 offers to lease. The price offerings ranged from $2 billion to $30 billion.

Leasing a public road has only been done twice before, in Indiana and in Chicago. Representatives from both governments have agreed to talk to the Pennsylvania legislature over the summer about how leasing the turnpike could work, Rendell said.

Rendell spokesman Barry Ciccocioppo said availability of roadside advertising and concessions are the primary motivations for corporations wanting to lease the turnpike.

The revenue from the lease and increased corporate tax would be spent on road and bridge repairs as well as the mass transit system, Rendell said.

The mass transit system is currently unable to meet growing demand in outlying areas and has been forced to cut service and raise fares, Rendell said.

"Our mass transit has an incredible opportunity if we can support it to the degree it deserves," he said. "It is not so important that my plan be adopted, but doing nothing is not an option."

State College Borough Council member Ron Filippelli said after hearing Rendell's plan, he could not imagine any opposition, especially because it avoided increasing taxes on citizens.

"This cuts across ideological lines but there is a tendency among Republicans to be less supportive," Rendell said.

The governor asked the audience to write letters to their legislators asking that something be done to aid transportation funding, even if it is not his plan. He said it will be critical to get Republican legislators like Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, on board.

Hugh Mose, general manager of the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA), attended the speech and said he is grateful for the governor's attention to this critical issue, even though he doesn't approve of the plan.

"Here we do nothing but rob Peter to pay Paul," he said. "Something needs to be done and done quickly."

Ciccocioppo said the purpose of the conference was to highlight the needs of the State College and Centre County area in terms of transportation infrastructure and highlight Rendell's solutions.

"The legislation will be introduced and debated in the House and Senate, and hopefully passed before July 1," he said.