Section 16. Provisions relating to highway bridge projects.
(a) Limitation on expenditure of funds.--The following shall apply to itemizations under section 15:
(1) Any moneys derived from the incurring of debt shall be used solely for effecting the rehabilitation, replacement or removal of bridges located on State highways. All other bridge rehabilitation, replacement or removal shall be financed from current revenue.
(2) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the projects itemized in the act of December 8, 1982 (P.L.848, No.235), known as the Highway-Railroad and Highway Bridge Capital Budget Act for 1982-1983, may be financed from current revenue.
(b) Allocation of funds.--As follows:
(1) Whenever the Department of Transportation determines that the full estimated financial costs of the projects itemized in section 15 are not necessary for the proper design, acquisition or construction of such projects, the excess funds no longer required may be allocated by the Department of Transportation to increase the estimated costs of any one or more of the projects specifically itemized in a capital budget.
(2) Moneys raised or expended by municipalities after the effective date of this act, in anticipation of receipt of funds authorized for projects itemized by this act, may be reimbursable to those municipalities.
(c) Policy on jobs and materials.--As follows:
(1) It is the declared policy of the Commonwealth that the construction projects authorized in section 15 be used, to the greatest extent possible, to provide for the creation of jobs and the rehiring of the unemployed in this Commonwealth. In order to reach this goal, firms with Commonwealth-based facilities shall be actively solicited to make bids on contracts to furnish products and materials, including, but not limited to, steel and steel products, to be used in these projects.
(2) Every contract document entered into to undertake a project contained in section 15 shall provide that any steel or other products to be used or supplied in the performance of this contract shall be required to be manufactured by plants in the United States unless the secretary determines, on a contract-by-contract basis, that certain required products are not produced in the United States in sufficient quantities to meet the requirements of the contract. Such a determination and the reasons for the determination shall be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Decisions made under this subsection shall not be inconsistent with the general provisions of the act of March 3, 1978 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Steel Products Procurement Act.
(3) Minorities and women.--It is also the declared policy of the Commonwealth to require and encourage substantial participation by minorities and women in the construction projects authorized in section 15.
(d) Payment of capital debt service.--The repayment of any debt incurred pursuant to section 15 shall be made from the Highway Bridge Improvement Restricted Account, and such repayment shall have first claim on the revenues of the account.
(e) Authorization and debt cumulation.--The additional authorization and debt allowance provided for in section 15 shall be added to the total authorizations and debt incurred pursuant to the Highway-Railroad and Highway Bridge Capital Budget Act for 1982-1983, as amended and supplemented. Section 15 shall be construed as a supplement to the Highway-Railroad and Highway Bridge Capital Budget Act for 1982-1983.