by Alex Lloyd Gross
July 3 2023
State Rep Ed Neilson, D-Phila.is the he House Transportation Committee, Chairman When Governor Shapiro announced his emergency declaration on I-95, this earmarked federal money and additional resources to keep construction on going. The declaration was only good for a short time period. This is due to republican lead measures to put a time limit on states of emergency. It was in 2020 when failed gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano fought to overturn mandates and emergency declarations put in force by the Wolf administration.
The I-95 emergency declaration would have expired July 3,2023. When Neison put forth his bill to extend it for a year ,the house voted to get it done but the senate ignored it. They let it languish and work would have stopped.
Unfortunately, this is also the time for budget negotiations and this was not a priority to other legislators. Neison got on the phone and walked the hallways of the state capitol building until his was able to broker a deal to keep the declaration going until November 1, 2023.
As discussions were ongoing, Neilson called an immediate meeting of the House Transportation Committee which unanimously approved Senate Resolution 136, an alternative proposal introduced by Sen. Jimmy Dillon. S.R.136 was amended in the Senate to only extend the governor’s disaster proclamation to Nov. 1. It cleared the Senate on June 28.
According to Neilson, the House then needed to suspend its operating rules so it could immediately consider S.R. 136 before leaving for the day Friday. A motion to suspend the rules requires a two-thirds majority vote in favor.
There is still no timeline on when the exit ramp to Cottman Avenue will be open after a tanker truck crash and caught fire under it.