Rep. Houlahan holds a press conference at the Paoli Train Station to highlight federal dollars allocated to ongoing repair projects. 

Recently, we celebrated the second anniversary of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act! Due to our high number of bridges and aging infrastructure needs, Pennsylvania received the third largest sum of federal dollars across the nation. To date, over 331 specific projects have been announced from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and everywhere in between. Some of these projects have already begun including providing clean water and more resilient water infrastructure, expanding high-speed internet, and, of course, fixing our roads and bridges!  

Bottom line: this infrastructure bill is a big deal for the nation but an even bigger deal for our Commonwealth.   

Berks County 

In Berks County, a total of $46.8 million has been invested in road improvement projects. Here is a breakdown of where federal funds are currently allocated to fix our roads, highways, or bridges in Berks County: 

• $14.6 million for U.S. Route 222 repairs including concrete patching, microsurfacing, bridge preventative maintenance, and other miscellaneous construction 
• $7.1 million for highway resurfacing of State Route 12 (Warren Street Bypass) from U.S. Route 422 to State Route 183 (Schuylkill Avenue) 
• $6.8 million for southbound State Route 183 over Norfolk Southern Railroad City bridge replacement  
• $4.9 million for U.S. Route 422 highway reconstruction 
• $3 million for State Route 2014 (Spring Street) from Centre Avenue to 13th Street in Reading corridor improvement   
• $1.8 million for State Route 568 over Allegheny Creek Robeson Twp. Berks County bridge replacement  
• $1.8 million for U.S. Route 422 (Penn Avenue) and State Route 724 (Shillington Road) intersection realignment in Sinking Springs 
• $1.3 million for State Route 12 (Warren Street Bypass) over Reading Boulevard bridge preservation 
• $1.2 million for railroad signal equipment at Chestnut Street, Franklin Street, and Cherry Street 
• $1.1 million for State Route 3023 (State Hill Road) intersection safety improvements, including widening and traffic signal updates  
• $780,000 to add an auxiliary lane along U.S. Route 222 southbound  
• $566,500 to reduce congestion at the intersection of State Route 3023 (State Hill Road) and Business 422 (Penn Avenue)  
• $468,000 for Fifth Street Bridge replacement over Norfolk Southern Railroad in Reading 
• $448,000 for State Route 3024 over I-176 in Robeson Township   
• $378,800 for State Route 183 Reading bridge replacement 
• $358,190 for property demolition needed to complete the State Route 183 Reading bridge replacement project over Norfolk Southern Railroad 
• $61,080 for low-cost signal upgrades at various Berks County locations 
• $14,080 for State Route 10 (Morgantown Road) repairs 

Chester County 

In Chester County, a total of $64.5 million has been invested in road improvement projects. Here is a breakdown of where federal funds are currently allocated to fix our roads, highways, or bridges in Chester County: 

• $17 million for U.S. Route 30 Exton Bypass reconstruction 
• $10.7 million for U.S. Route 1 Kennett Square Bypass reconstruction 
• $7.4 million for U.S. Route 30 overpass reconstruction 
• $4.6 million for various safety improvements throughout State Route 896 corridor 
• $4.4 million for State Route 41 and State Route 926 intersection improvements 
• $4 million for U.S. Route 322 West Chester Bypass repairs 
• $2.3 million for Horsehoe Pike turn lane installation  
• $2.2 million for Schuylkill River Trail updates 
• $1.8 million for Manor Road roundabout at Cedar/Knoll/Reeceville Roads in West Whiteland Township and relocating existing utilities infrastructure 
• $1.1 million for EB Nutt and Starr Street intersection improvements 
• $1 million for Watermark Road bridge replacement 
• $1,000,000 for added lanes at the intersection of U.S. Route 202 and High Street 
• $947,800 for Kennett Square pedestrian and bicycle lane installation 
• $912,000 to add a roundabout at the intersection of State Route 222 and Spring Street 
• $690,000 for State Route 41 and State Route 296 intersection improvements 
• $600,000 ADA ramp reconstruction at various locations 
• $560,000 for bridge improvement to Township County Bridge over West Big Elk Creek in Lower Oxford Township 
• $500,000 for State Route 41 intersection improvements 
• $500,000 for Route 23 corridor safety in Phoenixville  
• $487,000 for State Route 100 lane modification 
• $324,000 for implementation of pedestrian safety measures on High Street in West Chester Borough 
• $285,700 for installation of a railroad warning device for Center Street Railroad in New Garden Township 
• $277,000 for a railroad warning device at Reese Street 
• $250,000 for a bridge replacement at Works Road over Rock Run in West Caln Township 
• $150,000 for interchange reconstruction at State Route 724 and Keim Street in North Coventry Township 
• $150,000 for State Route 41 bridge rehabilitation in Avondale Borough 
• $117,000 for West Chester Pike safety improvements  
• $93,000 for State Route 202 and State Route 926 intersection improvements 
• $25,000 for Valley Park Road (over the Anderson Brook in Schuylkill Township) bridge improvements 

The quality of our roads, highways, and bridges matters to all of us. I’m proud to have delivered this funding to help keep our community safe – especially with holiday travel fast approaching! 

Read more about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in PA here. 

Rep. Houlahan spoke with The Philadelphia Inquirer in July when passport requests were historically high. 

Great news! The State Department is reporting shorter wait times for passport processing. Right now, it’s 7-10 weeks for standard processing and 3-5 weeks for expedited. While I’m glad processing times are improving, I’m still urging everyone who plans on traveling outside the U.S. to submit their passport applications with plenty of time to spare.  

Even though this is an improvement, we can do better. That’s why I continue to lead efforts in Congress to reduce passport backlogs. Last month, I wrote to the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs with my ongoing concerns. 

If you know you’ll be traveling internationally in the next year, please check your destination country’s passport requirements and submit your passport application accordingly at travel.state.gov 

Passport Success Story 

While we cannot help you apply for a passport, we can help if you are experiencing significant delays or need your application expedited due to an emergency. We recently helped Stephanie from Devon with her passport renewal application and saved her trip! Read about her experience below.   

Serving as our community's representative is the honor of my lifetime, and I hope to hear from you soon about any issue that concerns you.  

As always, please contact my office if you need assistance. 

Be well and see you soon! 

Chrissy Houlahan 

U.S. Member of Congress