PITTSBURGH, Feb. 13 – House Democratic Policy Committee Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, announced today that the committee will hold a public hearing examining the issues related to transportation funding in Pennsylvania from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb.
20 in the Admiral Room of the Sheraton Station Square, 300 W. Station Square Dr., Pittsburgh.

State Rep. Erin Molchany, D-Allegheny, requested the hearing and will serve as its co-chairwoman. The hearing will collect testimony to gain perspective on the urgent need for a comprehensive statewide funding solution that includes maintenance of roads and bridges and reliable support for mass transit systems. It will further provide an important forum in which to put forward the Pittsburgh region’s needs and vision for transportation.

The current hearing agenda is:

• 1 p.m. – Welcome and
  opening remarks
• 1:10 p.m. – Panel 1:

Ø  Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County executive

Ø  Michael Cetra, general counsel, Port Authority of
Allegheny County

Ø  Stephen Palonis, president, Amalgamated Transit Union,
Local 85

• 2 p.m. – Panel 2:

Ø  Ken Zapinksi, senior vice president, Allegheny Conference on Community Development

Ø  H. Daniel Cessna, district 11 executive, PennDOT

Ø  Chuck DiPietro, transportation planning director,
Southwestern PA Commission

• 3 p.m. – Panel 3:

Ø  Chis Sandvig, regional policy manager, Pittsburgh
Community Reinvestment Group

Ø  Patrick Roberts, principal transportation planner, City
of Pittsburgh

Ø  Richard Stafford, director of Traffic 21, Carnegie Mellon
University and Heinz College

• 4 p.m. – Closing remarks    

The hearing is open to the public and media coverage is invited.