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PRINTER'S NO. 3739
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2684
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY PROBST, SANCHEZ, PASHINSKI AND D. WILLIAMS,
JUNE 30, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, JUNE 30, 2026
AN ACT
Providing for commuter impact zones; establishing the Commuter
Impact Zone Grant Program, Commuter Impact Mitigation Grant
Program and Commuter Impact Fund; and imposing duties on the
Department of Transportation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Commuter
Impact Zone Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Commuter impact zone." A municipality designated under this
act as experiencing significant impact from regional commuter
traffic or major transportation corridors.
"Department." The Department of Transportation of the
Commonwealth.
"Fund." The Commuter Impact Fund established under section
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5.
"Grant recipient." A person that meets the requirements of
section 3 or 4.
"Regional commuter traffic." Daily travel by individuals
residing in one county and working in another county or state.
Section 3. Commuter Impact Zone Grant Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Commuter Impact Zone Grant Program
is established and shall be administered by the department.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to award grants
to municipalities designated as commuter impact zones to
mitigate the impacts of regional commuter traffic.
(c) Implementation.--The department shall implement the
program, including the designation of commuter impact zones as
follows:
(1) The designation shall be based on the following
criteria:
(i) At least 25% of employed residents commute
outside the county or this Commonwealth.
(ii) Interstate traffic volume on interstate and
major arterial highways exceeds 150% of the county
population on a daily basis.
(iii) Presence of major interstate corridors.
(iv) Demonstrated infrastructure strain, including
road degradation and congestion.
(v) Environmental impacts, including storm water,
flooding, air quality and watershed disruption based on
department data.
(vi) Impacts to historic or established community
structures.
(vii) Presence of highway segments identified as
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high-risk or safety-priority corridors based on crash
data, congestion patterns or Federal and State safety
analysis.
(2) Initial designation shall include municipalities
meeting the criteria established under paragraph (1).
(d) Eligible use of grants.--A grant recipient under this
section may use money from the program for the following
purposes:
(1) Road and bridge repair and maintenance.
(2) Traffic safety improvements.
(3) Storm water management and flood mitigation.
(4) Environmental restoration related to transportation
impacts.
(5) Pedestrian and community reconnection projects.
(6) Emergency services support related to transportation
burden.
(e) Procedure.--The department shall develop rules and
procedures for awarding grants under the program in accordance
with subsection (c). The department may approve a grant
recipient that meets the rules and procedures developed by the
department under this subsection.
(f) Limitation.--A grant awarded under the program may not
exceed $5,000,000 per year for a grant recipient.
Section 4. Commuter Impact Mitigation Grant Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Commuter Impact Mitigation Grant
Program is established and shall be administered by the
department.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to award grants
to municipalities designated as commuter impact zones to support
residential mitigation measures and small business stabilization
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and access improvements.
(c) Implementation.--The department shall implement the
program, including the development of a process to review and
approve annual grant applications under the program.
(d) Eligible use of grants.--A grant recipient may use a
grant under the program for the following purposes:
(1) Residential mitigation measures, including:
(i) Noise reduction improvements.
(ii) Indoor air quality improvements.
(iii) Storm water and flood mitigation for impacted
properties.
(iv) Vegetative buffers and environmental screening.
(v) Other measures deemed necessary by the
department to protect public health and housing
stability.
(2) Small business stabilization and access
improvements, including:
(i) Assistance for businesses experiencing
demonstrated revenue disruption due to transportation-
related construction, congestion or access limitations.
(ii) Improvements to business access and visibility.
(iii) Temporary mitigation measures to maintain
customer access during infrastructure projects.
(iv) Local economic recovery and promotion efforts.
(e) Procedure.--The department shall develop a procedure for
awarding grants under the program. The procedure shall:
(1) Include and prioritize deployments that support
areas experiencing the greatest impacts from regional
commuter traffic.
(2) Establish a minimum business disruption requirement
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for a grant applicant to be eligible for a grant under the
program, measured in a percentage of profits or sales lost
due to impacts of regional commuter traffic.
(f) Limitation.--A grant awarded under the program may not
exceed $5,000,000 per year for each grant recipient.
Section 5. Commuter Impact Fund.
(a) Establishment.--The Commuter Impact Fund is established
in the State Treasury.
(b) Continuing appropriation.--Money in the fund, including
interest and other earnings, is appropriated to the department
on a continuing basis for grants under the Commuter Impact Zone
Grant Program and the Commuter Impact Mitigation Grant Program.
(c) Appropriation.--Each fiscal year, the department may
expend not more than 2% of the fund for the expense of
administrating the Commuter Impact Zone Grant Program and the
Commuter Impact Mitigation Grant Program.
Section 6. Planning requirements.
The department shall:
(1) Incorporate commuter impact zone designation into
transportation planning and project development.
(2) Evaluate and mitigate impacts of major highway
projects within designated zones.
(3) Coordinate with municipalities to identify priority
mitigation and community protection projects.
(4) Prioritize safety, access and commuter impact
mitigation in areas where highway corridors demonstrate
elevated crash rates, congestion or operation disruptions
affecting adjacent communities.
(5) Supplement and not supplant existing Federal and
State transportation funding and safety programs.
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(6) When planning an expansion project that involves
property under the jurisdiction of a municipality, receive
the approval of the municipality in accordance with section
7.
Section 7. Municipality approval.
(a) Required approval.--Prior to initiating an expansion
project on an interstate highway that passes through a
municipality, the department shall submit a written application
for approval to the governing body of the municipality.
(b) Contents of application.--The application shall include,
at a minimum:
(1) A description of the proposed expansion project.
(2) The anticipated timeline for construction of the
proposed expansion project.
(3) An assessment of the anticipated impact on a local
road or property within the municipality.
(c) Action by governing body of municipality.--No later than
90 days after receipt of an application, the governing body of a
municipality shall approve or disapprove the application during
a meeting of the governing body of a municipality. If an
application is disapproved, the municipality shall communicate
to the department the reasons for the disapproval and potential
acceptable changes to the application no later than 90 days
after the disapproval of the application.
(d) Resubmittal of an application.--If an application
submitted by the department under subsection (c) was
disapproved, the department may resubmit an amended application
and detail any changes made regarding any previous
communications from the municipality regarding the application.
No later than 90 days after the receipt of resubmittal of a
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disapproved application, the governing body of the municipality
shall approve or disapprove the application during a meeting of
the governing body of the municipality. If the resubmitted
application is disapproved, the municipality shall communicate
to the department the reasons for the disapproval and potential
acceptable changes to the application no later than 90 days
after the disapproval of the application. The department may
continue to resubmit applications until a compromise is
achieved.
Section 8. Annual report.
(a) Requirement.--The department shall prepare an annual
report concerning actions taken under this act by December 31,
2026, and each December 31 thereafter. The annual report shall
be submitted to the following:
(1) The Governor.
(2) The members of the General Assembly.
(3) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Transportation Committee of the Senate.
(4) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives.
(b) Contents.--The annual report shall include the
following:
(1) Designated commuter impact zones.
(2) Money distributed under this act.
(3) Projects funded with grants approved under this act.
(4) Commuter mitigation measures implemented.
(5) Measurable outcomes related to infrastructure,
safety, environmental conditions and economic stability.
Section 9. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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