Project

The Value Of Connections: The Economic Impact Of The Proposed Pennsylvania / I-95 Interchange

Pennsylvania Study Wins National Award
 

The Government Research Association has awarded its Certificate of Merit to the Study of Economic Impacts for the I-95/Pensylvania Turnpike Interchange, conducted jointly by the Pennsylvania Economy League and Economic Development Research Group. The award was announced at GRA's annual conference in Columbus.

The Pennsylvania Economy League is an independent nonprofit public policy research and development organization. The mission of PEL's Eastern Division, in Philadelphia, is to promote better government for a more competitive region by providing information and support to the civic leadership of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Economic Development Research Group is a Boston-based research and consulting organization specializing in economic development strategy evaluation and impact analysis.

This path-breaking study was notable in its comprehensive analysis of how neighborhood development, community tax revenue and economic growth patterns in the broader Philadelphia region would be affected by a proposed new interchange between Interstate 95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Currently, there is no interchange between the two interstate highways, and most long-distance travel on I-95 connects to the New Jersey Turnpike rather than traveling through Pennsylvania.

The study found that the project would provide new potential for economically-depressed communities in Bucks County to be attractive office locations, and for the Greater Philadelphia region to capture additional tourism dollars. Other potential changes in employment, personal income, and business sales would stem from travel time and cost savings to residents and businesses. The principal authors of the study were Steven Wray of the Pennsylvania Economy League and Glen Weisbrod of Economic Development Research Group.