Tuesday, Somerset County commissioners will be in Washington, D.C, to ask lawmakers for millions of dollars to finish local projects.

The projects position the county for growth, commissioners said, and foremost amount them is legislation to help finish Route 219.

The commissioners met Monday with Sen. Arlen Specter, Sen. Robert Casey and Rep. Bill Shuster and asked for $3 million. County commissioners said the money would be all used for investments in Somerset County's future. They said time is of the essence because the target date to start Route 219 construction is November.

"We want to be able to get sites ready for business expansion, local business growth, as well as (get) new businesses into the area," said Commissioner Jim Marker.

County officials said they will first ask for nearly $1 million for the new Laurel Highlands Business Park to expand the road and install a traffic light.

They then plan to ask for $1 million to extend the Quemahoning pipeline to Jefferson Township. Marker said that would bring water to Bakersville and Hidden Valley, and it would also remove much pressure from the Laurel Hill Creek watershed.

The commissioners' third request will be for $1 million to get the ball rolling with Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for a train station at Rockwood. But, PennDOT is also working with its work to finish Route 319 south to Maryland.

"Right now, they're in the process of right-of-way acquisition, they're doing appraisals, they've made offers to landowners," Marker said.

But the green light for construction remains contingent on the toll credit legislation. The commissioners said they're hoping to get that in the transportation bill by late spring. If there aren't toll credits, Marker said it's "a possibility" that there won't be construction.

In the meantime, Marker said county officials will continue to look for funding. Next week, commissions will send letters to all county commissioners throughout the Appalachian Highway System -- which includes 13 states between Pennsylvania and Alabama -- asking them to lobby their federal legislators for the toll credit legislation.

Stay with WJACTV.com and WJAC-TV News for continuing coverage.