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    Submit a Request to Transfer Ownership of a State-Owned Road

    If you represent a local Pennsylvania government and want to take over a state-owned road, you can ask to do this through the Highway Transfer Turnback program. 
    Contact the Highway Transfer Turnback team

    Overview

    Roads are good candidates for being transferred from state to local ownership if: 

    • Not many vehicles use them every day
    • They help the local area socially and economically

    To start, talk to your District Turnback Coordinator or District Municipal Services Supervisor. (NOTE FROM EMF: This will link to the contact database filtered for these two roles (or consider embedded this hub into the page?)

    Once the road belongs to the local government, PennDOT will give money every year to help with its upkeep. They will pay $4,000 per mile each year. This money will start on March 1, two year after completing the transfer of ownership.

    Ownership Transfer Request Process

    The transfer of state-owned local roads to local government ownership is a multi-step process. It starts with submitting a request to the Turnback Coordinator at your local District Office. 
     
    Then, you will meet with the Turnback Coordinator. Together, you will determine the cost and scope to work, as well as consider any bridges that may be available for Turnback. 
     
    From there, you will need to complete the following paperwork and procedures: 
    • Execute Municipal Resolution, authorizing municipality to accept ownership of road
    • Sign Turnback Agreement
    • Have transfer recorded by County Recorder
    • Submit proof of the record of transfer with the county to the District Municipal Services Office
    • Compile checks and receipts of rehabilitative road work
    • Work with Turnback Coordinator to complete Forms PR-999T and PR-999TRC and submit them to the Central Office

    Resources

    The Highway Transfer Turnback Program Fact Sheet (PDF) gives a quick overview of how the program works.

    The Handbook for Turnback Coordinators (PDF) is for District Turnback Coordinators. It helps them know how to work with local governments who want to join the program.

    The Turnback Program Brochure (PDF) gives a high-level overview of how the program works. It also gives contact information for your local District Office. You can use that to contact a Turnback Coordinator. 

    Ready to learn more?

    Contact your local PennDOT Municipal Services Representative - find them here.

    Or, send your general question to pd-hwytransferprogra@pa.gov.

    Frequently asked questions

    The Turnback Program transfers local roads from state to local government ownership if they serve a local traffic purpose. 

    If a municipality wants to take on ownership of a roadway, PennDOT fixes the road or provides funding to fix it. The road must be in satisfactory condition before the municipality owns the road.

    Then, the municipality takes care of the road. They will get $4,000 per mile in each year to do so. 

    If a low number of vehicles use the road each day and the road helps a municipality socially and economically, or has other signs it belongs to the municipality, an ownership transfer may be an option.

    The resolution, signed by the municipality, makes the turnback agreement official. It also says which road will be transferred. It covers any other agreements about the ownership transfer. 

    Municipalities get money each year to take care of the transferred road. This money will start on March 1, two years after the road ownership is transferred. 

    There is a law that allows for the transfer of ownership. It gives two years for the process to finish. 

    During this two years, any rehabilitation work that is needed should be completed. 

    After the agreement is done, the municipality starts to fix the road. When the municipality sends the bill to the state, they will get the money back for the work they did.