Pennsylvania in lease deal for Interstate 80

NEW YORK, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Pennsylvania's Transportation Department and the Turnpike Commission have signed a 50-year lease for Interstate 80, and have asked the federal government to let them add tolls to the major thoroughfare, Gov. Edward Rendell said on Tuesday.

The accord calls for the Turnpike to transfer $83.3 billion to the Transportation Department for projects around the state, the Democratic governor said in a statement. "The commission has said it will generate an additional $33 billion over the next 50 years for I-80 improvements, bringing the total investment to $116 billion," Rendell said.