HARRISBURG -- The battle over putting tolls on Interstate 80 escalated yesterday, as two dozen truckers, with signs reading "tolls are taxes," urged state legislators to repeal a 2-month-old law that imposes the first-time tolls.

While the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association was demonstrating on the steps outside the Capitol, two Democratic legislators were inside, insisting that the Legislature move forward on seeking federal approval to place up to 10 toll booths on the 311-mile interstate.

Reps. Joe Markosek of Monroeville and Keith McCall of Carbon said Pennsylvanians would find the alternatives to tolling I-80, including raising gasoline taxes by as much as 16 cents a gallon or leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike to a private operator, far more distasteful.

One unhappy trucker was David Gunter, a bearded, 50-something driver from Columbus, Ohio, who joined two veteran drivers from Cumberland County, Doug Wiser and Dave Stump, in denouncing Act 44. Enacted in July, it would impose tolls on I-80, starting in 2011, and raise turnpike tolls by 25 percent in 2009 and then 3 percent a year thereafter.

"Tolls on I-80 are just the start," said Mr. Gunter, who said he's only home for four days a month. "Other states are looking at Pennsylvania and what it does. I run [my truck in] the whole country and this thing could snowball. If other states toll their interstates, it could cost me another $1,500 a month to cross the country."

Mr. Wiser added, "If highway funds hadn't been misappropriated badly for mass transit, there wouldn't be a problem" in finding enough money to fix roads and bridges.

He joined U.S. Rep. John Peterson, R-Venango, in criticizing Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell for transferring about $500 million in federal highway funds over the past two years to fund mass transit agencies, especially the Port Authority of Allegheny County and SEPTA in the Philadelphia area. Mr. Rendell said thousands of people couldn't get to work, shopping or doctors' offices if those transit systems run out of money.

Mr. Peterson is working in Congress to prevent any federal funds from being used to toll I-80. If his measure is approved, federal highway officials couldn't process the state's upcoming application to toll I-80. Mr. Peterson hopes his measure to block the I-80 tolling process will be acted on this fall by Congress.

Joining the truckers were several state legislators, including Sens. John Eichelberger, R-Blair, and Mary Jo White, R-Venango, and Rep. Fred McIlhattan, R-Clarion, who plan to support a new bill by Rep. Scott Hutchinson, R-Venango, to repeal Act 44 and stop the tolling of I-80. It isn't known yet when that bill might come up for a vote.

Just before the truckers' protest, Mr. Markosek and Mr. McCall told a news conference at the Capitol that a recent transportation task force study showed that at least $1.7 billion a year must be spent to make roads, bridges and mass transit systems safer.

"It was sobering to me to see the size of the problems Pennsylvania is facing in regard to funding mass transit and our crumbling transportation infrastructure," said Mr. Markosek. "We are faced with a massive problem, which for too long has been neglected."

Act 44 will provide an average of $950 million a year for transportation improvements in its first 10 years; over its full 50-year life, it will provide about $1.6 billion a year, Mr. McCall said.

He said that if the I-80 tolls and the higher turnpike tolls don't happen, there are only two other options available to raise the necessary money -- a sharp increase in the state's 31-cent a gallon gasoline tax, or leasing the turnpike to a private company.

"Would people rather see the price of a gallon of gasoline go up by 16 cents? I don't think so," said Mr. McCall.

Mr. Markosek said that leasing "a valuable asset" like the Pennsylvania Turnpike for 99 years to a private company, which could be based in a foreign company, is also unpopular among the public and most legislators.

"It's easy to criticize Act 44 but it is preferable to either of the alternatives," Mr. Markosek said.