The NEPA work for that portion of road costs $100,000 to $200,000, Christopher said.
"To construct the road costs less than that," he said.
In his letter, which was also sent to three members of Congress, Christopher asked for a new stimulus package with money for municipalities. He scoffed at the percentage of stimulus money that was targeted for infrastructure improvements and how it was distributed to state efforts.
"Local construction and infrastructure improvements translate into jobs and work immediately at the local level," Christopher said. Townships employ local workers and buy supplies from the area, he said.
Similar frustrations are being expressed across the state, according to Elam Herr, assistant executive director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors.
"Part of the problem with what is being required of local governments is there's a short window when the application has to be submitted, the money committed and the construction started," Herr said.
Municipal leaders often know what projects they perceive as important, but they haven't already paid to engineer projects and obtain rights of way without having the money set aside for construction. Without the preparation done, they are not in a position to submit applications quickly enough, Herr said.
And just because money is available doesn't mean applicants will receive it, he said.
The townships organization, which works with 1,455 Pennsylvania townships, is hosting four workshops this week to provide more information about stimulus money, including "how to get it and how to spend it," Herr said.
"Everybody's talking about it," Christopher said. "Nobody at the municipal level is getting any help."
