WYOMING — With the uncertainty of future federal funding a major concern, the Lackawanna-Luzerne Metropolitan Planning Organization held its first of three open house meetings to gather input and answer questions on the plan to update the 20-year regional long-range transportation plan (LRTP).
Brian Funkhouser, Senior Transportation Planner for the consulting firm Michael Baker International of Harrisburg, said the plan will serve as a blueprint for the region’s decision-making on transportation projects and will serve as a spending plan through the year 2055.
Funkhouser said the statewide plan is tentatively budgeted at $90 billion — approximately $963 million for Luzerne and Lackawanna County projects.
“This process is a regional conversation and an important opportunity for those who live and work within the region to discuss how we want to address transportation and traffic issues over the long term,” said Dan Reese, Acting Planning Director for Luzerne County. “We all have a stake in those decisions — for our own future and economic competitiveness.”
Reese said the Lackawanna-Luzerne Transportation Study Metropolitan Planning Organization (LLTS MPO) is tasked with providing long-, mid- and short-term transportation planning for the two counties that make up the MPO.
Romilda Crocamo, Luzerne County manager, said she hopes the next two open house meetings are well-attended because public input is critical to the planning stage of the LRTP.
“All of this is important to all of us,” Crocamo said. “We just have to commit to it and, as has been discussed, funding will be the key.”
Many topics were discussed during the hour and a half meeting held at the Luzerne County Operations Center, 1199 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming — roads, bridges, maintenance, bus service, rail service, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and more.
Two more meetings are scheduled:
• Lackawanna County: Friday, February 28, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Lackawanna County Center for Public Safety, 30 Valley View Drive, Jessup.
• Luzerne County: Monday, March 3, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Butler Township Community Center, 411 W Butler Dr, Drums.
Participants may attend any open house, regardless of their place of business or residence.
Robert Fiume, executive director at the Luzerne County Transportation Authority, spoke briefly about public bus service and when asked about a possible merger of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties bus agencies, he cited the political issues involved.
Crocamo said Luzerne County has been trying to effect an agreement with Lackawanna County, but no agreement has been reached. She said she will continue to pursue that merger.
“I don’t see it happening overnight,” Crocamo said. “I would like to see a regional transportation system that would include Luzerne, Lackawanna, Hazleton and maybe some of Carbon and Monroe counties. It would make us more competitive. But we will never be another SEPTA — we don’t want that.”
On Wednesday, Luzerne County Planning and Zoning Transportation Planner Robert Manzella said the long-range transportation plan must be updated every five years.
The MPO is overseeing the update in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and with consulting assistance from Philadelphia-based Michael Baker International Inc.
He expects the updated plan will be completed at the start of 2026.
“We’re hoping for some positive reactions and good suggestions. All feedback will be documented and put into the plan,” Manzella said.
The MPO includes representatives from both counties, local transit agencies and PennDOT.
