Dr. Carrie Rowe, Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education | Pennsylvania Department Of Education
Governor Josh Shapiro and PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll recently visited Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hecktown Oaks in Northampton County. They were joined by transit leaders, local officials, and members of the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) to discuss the importance of mass transit in Pennsylvania.
The event was part of Governor Shapiro's ongoing efforts to promote his 2025-26 budget proposal, which includes $292 million in new funding for mass transit next year. This initiative is expected to generate over $1.5 billion over five years. It marks the first significant increase in state support for mass transit in more than a decade and aims to benefit 52 transit systems that serve nearly one million riders daily across various communities.
Governor Shapiro emphasized the economic impact of mass transit, stating, "Mass transit drives $5.4 billion in economic activity every year in Pennsylvania, and it enables businesses to affordably get their employees to offices and job sites - it's well worth the investment in our budget." He also noted that the House has passed this proposal three times, urging the Senate to take action.
The speaker list included Dr. Joseph Cacchione from Jefferson Health, Owen O'Neil from LANTA, Tony Iannelli from Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, Nancy Dischinat from Workforce Board Lehigh Valley, as well as several state senators and representatives.
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