14th Stop on 25-County Bus Tour Celebrates Investments to Repair

Bridges, Improve Communities, Expand Businesses



    YORK, Pa., Aug. 8 /EMWNews/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell

began the final leg of his five-day, 16-stop bus tour today by announcing

$41 million in new state investments in York County that will leverage $34

million in private and local funding, create and protect 1,000 jobs,

improve public safety, grow the economy and build stronger communities.



    The Governor's statewide bus tour is announcing $642 million in new

state investments in 25 counties that will leverage more than $1.3 billion

in private and local investments to keep nearly 30,000 Pennsylvanians

working.



    "Our national economy is continuing to pose enormous challenges for our

working families," Governor Rendell said. "We cannot afford to wait for

help from Washington, or for the situation to grow worse. That is why we

are moving forward with a Pennsylvania solution to grow our own economy and

create jobs for Pennsylvania workers.



    "We know this strategy will work because we have proven it before," he

said. "When I took office in 2003, Pennsylvania was trailing the nation in

job growth and had spent most of the prior four years with a higher

unemployment rate than the nation's jobless number. I worked with the

General Assembly to create an economic stimulus plan that attracted new

employers and improved our cities and towns.



    "Our investments paid off. Even in these tough economic times,

Pennsylvania has added jobs in four of the past six months - while the

U.S., as a whole, has consistently lost jobs - and our unemployment rate is

lower than the nation's.



    "With today's announcement we will have invested $208 million in new

state funds in York County since 2003. The county now has 19,100 more

people working than in January 2003, and unemployment has dropped by almost

12 percent."



    COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS/BUSINESS EXPANSIONS



    Overall in York County, today's announcement of $41 million in new

state investments in bridges, businesses and community projects will

attract $34.5 million in private economic activity. Including bridge work,

these projects will keep more than 1,000 Pennsylvania residents working.



    The Governor announced the availability of $8.1 million in state funds

for business growth and community development in York County, including:



    -- $600,000 to Komax Systems to build a new research and development

and manufacturing facility in Springettsbury Township.



    -- $2.5 million to help Service Tire Truck Center meet increased

business demands by renovating and relocating to another facility in

Springettsbury Township.



    -- $2.5 million to help Crispus Attucks Early Learning Center build a

new facility to provide educational and child care services for 170

children ages 3 months to 12 years.



    -- $2.5 million for York College so it can redevelop the Smurfit-Stone

property to provide a new campus security office and housing for six to

eight criminal justice students, and to remodel a warehouse for use by new

start up firms.



    BRIDGE REPAIRS



    Despite nearly tripling spending on bridge repairs in the past five

years, Pennsylvania has the highest number of structurally deficient

bridges in the nation. This year's budget provides $466 million in new

state funds to accelerate repairs to 224 bridges in the 25 counties on this

tour. Overall, the commonwealth will invest nearly $1 billion this fiscal

year to repair or replace as many as 611 bridges.



    "The bridges in this year's accelerated repair program will require

enough concrete to build 16,000 homes, which would be equal to a 60 percent

increase in new home construction," Governor Rendell said. "In addition,

that bridge work will demand enough steel to build four Eiffel Towers."



    The Governor announced that 16 bridges in York County will be repaired

under his accelerated program:



    Bridge Replacements



    -- Dover Township -- Conewago Creek Bridge #1 over Conewago Creek



    -- Dover and Washington Townships -- Conewago Creek Bridge #2 over

Conewago Creek



    -- Newberry and Conewago Townships -- Susquehanna Trail Bridge over Big

Conewago Creek



    -- Springettsbury Township -- Ebert's Lane over I-83



    -- Manheim Township -- Smoketown Road Bridge over Codorus Creek

Tributary



    -- Springettsbury Township -- Stonewood Road Bridges over Tributary to

Cabin Creek and Kreutz Creek



    Bridge Rehabilitations



    -- Newberry Township -- Sheep Bridge Road Bridge over Conewago Creek



    -- City of York -- SR 3065 over Willis Run



    -- Jackson Township -- SR 3072 over Bunch Run



    -- Heidelberg Townships -- Oil Creek Bridge over Oil Creek



    -- Springfield Township -- I-83 Lake Redman Bridge Southbound over Lake

Redman's Creek and PA 214



    -- Springfield Township --I-83 Lake Redman Bridge Northbound over Lake

Redman's Creek and PA 214



    -- North Codorus and West Manchester Townships -- West College Avenue

Bridge over West Branch of Codorus Creek



    -- Newberry Township -- York Road Bridge over Bennett Creek



    -- Spring Garden Township and North York Borough --I-83 over York

Railroad and Codorus Creek



    Bridge Preservation



    -- Hellam Township -- Cool Springs Road Bridge over US 30



    "Pennsylvania is primed for continued growth," Governor Rendell said.

"We can lead the way out of the national economic crisis by continuing to

invest in jobs and business expansion, a safe infrastructure, strong

communities and the resulting gains in productivity."



    The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public

education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing

economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out

more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly

newsletter, visit: http://www.governor.state.pa.us.



    EDITOR'S NOTE: The Governor's weeklong tour will end on Friday in

Reading. For the details of his schedule, visit http://www.pa.gov.



    CONTACT:



    Chuck Ardo



    717-783-1116