There apparently is no decision in place on whether Pennsylvania will submit a new proposal to federal officials for tolling of Interstate 80. The effort to toll the 311-mile highway that began under 2007's Act 44 transportation funding law — a tolling plan that generated much opposition — failed last September.

But while the proposal might be stalled for now, it's unlikely that the plan will remain on the shelf permanently . Highway and bridge funding shortfalls will remain a fact of life for the federal government and the states.

The latest proposal to begin collecting tolls on I-80 — tolling has been discussed a number of times over the years — was stymied by the Federal Highway Administration's decision to return the application without a decision. The federal agency, among the reasons it gave for not rendering a decision, was that not enough revenue and traffic data had been submitted.

From the money perspective, the highway agency said the Turnpike Commission's payments to the state Department of Transportation under a tolling setup contained uncertainties that needed to be resolved.

None of those issues would seem to represent an insurmountable roadblock. The question is whether state officials see the need to reignite the push on behalf of the tolling plan, considering the federal stimulus money that will be coming to Pennsylvania for highway projects.

However, as is quite clear, the flow of stimulus money will take place only for several years. And, when that money source dries up, Pennsylvania still will be faced with highway and bridge funding challenges.

"We have not even made a decision as to whether there will be a resubmittal," said Bill Capone, the Turnpike Commission's director of communications. "What guides us is that Act 44 is still the law."

That the tolling issue is not dead and buried is evident from a meeting last month involving federal and Pennsylvania officials. Capone said the purpose of the meeting was for state officials to ascertain exactly what federal officials would require if the state decided that it wanted to resubmit the plan.

There's a big amount of money to be made from tolling the interstate, and that source of revenue will remain a temptation for upgrading transportation facilities in the commonwealth, regardless of whether times are bad or good.

— J.R.K.